• Delete All Files

Mac users often find their Downloads folder filled with disk images that they previously downloaded from the internet, files that – having already installed the apps – they forgot to delete after unmounting the image. As you may already know, installer files for macOS come with a DMG file extension – otherwise known as an Apple Disk Image – and are similar to ISO files.

To install an app – the majority of which just require dragging and dropping – users need to mount this .DMG file just as you might mount a CD when putting it into a CD drive, which makes its contents visible on the Mac. The required software is packed into a special bundle and carries an invisible “.APP” extension.

You can delete these backups and temporary files without affecting your iTunes library or your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Read your post and figured out it was safe to delete and now I’m. Jun 27, 2015  If you don't need them, you can delete installer files. If you plan on reinstalling OS X from scratch (or should you need to uninstall and reinstall a specific application), having installers in a folder on an external hard drive can come in handy and save you time, as you don't have to download them again.

Users tend to forget about the existence of these disk images after they install the software. The same is true for iOS installer files (IPSW), although using .IPSW to apply an iOS software update is considered to be a more advanced function and therefore more appropriate for tech-savvy users. Even so, it can still happen that even advanced users forget about these storage-hungry installer files.

How to Remove Installer Files

Having one or two installer files in the Downloads folder shouldn't cause any issues unless these files occupy gigabytes of space – Adobe Creative Suite installer packages, for example. But when you realize that your Mac is running out of free space, this is a good place to check for the remains of installer files to remove them and save space.

Removing these files is as easy as the installation process: select the file and drag it to the Trash. There are cases where the software is more complex, such as Adobe's suite of programs or Mac optimization software OnyX's installer files. If this is the situation, just open the disk image and look for an uninstaller file, or launch the app and find the uninstall options. The uninstall process may differ by app, but in most cases it is hassle-free.

Most Common Issues When Removing Installer Files

The drag and drop removal method, however, may leave some junk data behind since it doesn't remove the supporting files, which, if you frequently install and uninstall apps, may end up eating into your Mac's storage.

May 13, 2019  I was reading about the variant option of using Spell Points in the DMG (p. 288 I think.). I am thinking about suggesting it to our table and am curious if anyone here is using (or used and abandoned) the idea of spell points or their own version? If so, how did it work for your table? Apr 13, 2017  D&D 5E – Mana-Based Spellcasting (Variant Rule) 41 Comments Posted by Ronny on April 13, 2017. The Spell Points variant in the DMG (p. 288) uses different spell points for different spell levels and solves our problem by having you expend a number of spell points to create a spell slot of a given level, and you use that slot to cast a. Warlock's only have slots of one particular level. Using spell points would break that rule and that's why I think they are not mentioned. You can however, devise a similar system for warlocks. Just convert the spell slots a warlock has, to spell points using the table in the DMG and then let a warlock recharge their spell points every short rest. One of my players (level 5 Druid) has been looking at the Spell Points variant rule in the 5th edition DMG (page 288) and wants to use it for his character. I've talked to the other players with spellcasting (a Wizard and an Arcane Trickster) and they would prefer to stick with spell slot.

Ever since macOS Sierra 10.12, Apple has provided users with the option to trash the installer as soon as its function is finished, a pretty handy feature considering the limited disk space on a 128GB MacBook Air.

Fortunately, Mac optimization apps such as CleanMyMac and others include a neat uninstaller utility that helps remove all files associated with the application and its temporary installation files. While this feature won’t remove the installation file, it does find the files associated with specific software after selecting the app(s) that you want removed.

Installer files are easier to remove because they can be considered as .ZIP files. To move the installer to the Trash, however, you should first unmount it, otherwise it will display an error message. After unmounting it, locate the file (usually in the Downloads folder, the default location for files downloaded from the web), and simply press the Command + Backspace keys or drag it into the trash can.

Best Mac Optimization Software of 2020

Find your files

The Files app includes files on the device you're using, as well as those in other cloud services and apps, and iCloud Drive. You can also work with zip files.* To access your files, just open the Files app and choose the location of the file you're looking for.

Save a copy of your file locally

You can find locally stored files in On My [device], under Locations. On your iPad, simply drag files into the On My iPad folder to store them directly on your device. If you want to save a file locally on your iPhone or iPod touch, follow these steps.

1. Go to the file that you want to store on your device.
2. Tap Select > the file name > Organize .
3. Under On My [Device], choose a folder or tap New Folder to create a new one.
   
4. Tap Copy.

You can also long press on a file, choose Move, and select which folder you want to copy it to.

On iOS 12 or earlier, tap the file and choose Move. Then, under On My [device], choose Numbers, Keynote, or Pages, and tap Copy.

Move iCloud Drive files

1. Go to the file that you want to move.
2. Tap Select, then choose the file.
3. Tap Organize .
4. Under On My [Device], choose a folder or tap New Folder to create a new one.
5. Tap Move.

You can also long press on a file, choose Move, and select which folder you want to copy it to.

Look for files on your Mac or PC

• On your Mac, choose Go > iCloud Drive from the menu bar, or click iCloud Drive in the sidebar of a Finder window.
• On iCloud.com, go to the iCloud Drive app.
• On your PC with iCloud for Windows, open File Explorer, then click iCloud Drive.

* Password protected zip folders or directories are not supported in the Files app.

Organize your files

It’s easy to organize all of the files stored in iCloud Drive — including Pages, Numbers, and Keynote documents. When you make changes on one device, your edits are automatically updated on every device using iCloud Drive.

You can make your own folders. Or rename the files and folders you already have when you press firmly on them.

Create new folders

1. Go to Locations.
2. Tap iCloud Drive, On My [device], or the name of a third-party cloud service where you want to keep your new folder.
3. Swipe down on the screen.
4. Tap More .
5. Select New Folder.
6. Enter the name of your new folder. Then tap Done.

On iOS 12 or earlier, tap New Folder . If you don't see New Folder or it's gray, then the third-party cloud service doesn't support new folders.

View your files by name, date, size, or the tags that you add. With colorful and custom labels, you can assign tags to your files any way that you like. That means you'll quickly find just the project or document you need.

Add a tag

1. Tap Select.
2. Tap the file that you want to tag.
3. Tap Share > Add Tags .
4. Choose the tag that you want to add.

Rename a tag

1. Go to Locations.
2. Tap More > Edit.
3. Tap the name of an existing tag.
4. Enter the name of your new tag.
5. Tap Done.

Delete files

Select the files that you don't want anymore and tap Delete . If you delete files from the iCloud Drive folder on one device, they delete on your other devices too. iCloud Drive removes the files from every device that you're signed in to with the same Apple ID.

When you delete a file from iCloud Drive or On My [device], it goes into your Recently Deleted folder. If you change your mind or accidentally delete a file, you have 30 days to get it back. Go to Locations > Recently Deleted. Select the file that you want to keep and tap Recover. After 30 days, your files are removed from Recently Deleted.

You can also sign into iCloud.com from your Mac or PC, then go to iCloud Drive and check Recently Deleted.

Share and work on files with your friends

Want to share a document with a friend or colleague? Send them a link to any file stored in iCloud Drive directly from the Files app. Select the file, tap Share , and select Add People. You can also share a copy of your file through AirDrop, Messages, Mail, a shared note, and more.

Or maybe you want to collaborate on a project in real time. The Files app lets you do that too with your Pages, Numbers, and Keynote documents. Select the file and tap Share or > Add People . You can invite them to collaborate through Messages, Mail, or copy and paste a link. Your participants are color-coded. And you can see when they're online, actively working on your shared document.

Use third-party apps in Files

The Files app lets you add your third-party cloud services — like Box, Dropbox, OneDrive, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Drive, and more — so that you can access all of your files on all of your devices. The files you keep in iCloud Drive automatically appear in the Files app, but you need to set up your other cloud services to access them in the Files app too.

Add third-party apps

1. Download and set up the third-party cloud app.
2. Open the Files app.
3. Tap the Browse tab.
4. Tap More > Edit.
5. Turn on the third-party apps that you want to use in the Files app.
6. Tap Done.

If you don't see one of your third-party cloud services in the Files app, check with your cloud provider.

On iOS 12 or earlier, open the Files app then tap Locations > Edit to add third-party apps.

Move third-party cloud files

1. Open the file that you want to move.
2. Tap Share > Copy.
3. Open the folder where you want to move your file.
4. Firmly press the screen.
5. Tap Paste.

Do more with Files on iPadOS

If you're on iPadOS, you can access files on a USB flash drive, SD card, or hard drive through the Files app on iPadOS. Just connect the storage device, and then you can select it under Locations. You can also connect to unencrypted storage on a file server, if that storage is using the APFS, Mac OS Extended, MS-DOS (FAT), or ExFAT format. You also have the option to view your files in Column View, which is helpful if you have files nested in multiple folders. Column View lets you see previews of files and offers access to tools like markup and rotate without even opening a file.

Connect to a file server

1. Open the Browse tab.
2. Tap More .
3. Select Connect to Server.
4. Enter the SMB address.
5. Tap Connect.
6. The server name appears under Shared in the Browse menu.

Switch to Column View

1. In landscape mode, open the Browse tab.
2. Select a folder.
3. Swipe down on the right side of the screen.
4. Select Column View in the upper right.
5. Tap a folder to expand its contents.
6. Tap a file to see a preview.

To leave Column View, tap Grid View or List View , or use your iPad in portrait mode.

If you need help

• Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to the latest iOS, or iPadOS.
• Set up iCloud on all of your devices and turn on iCloud Drive.
• Make sure that you’re signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all of your devices.
• If you want to upload, download, or share files using cellular data, open Settings, select Cellular, scroll down to iCloud Drive and any third-party cloud services you use, and turn it on for each service.

Delete All Files

If you don't want to access your iCloud Drive files in the Files app, you can choose to download and add only third-party cloud services instead.