Installer files

How to remove old installers from your Mac

Once an app is installed and working, the DMG or PKG file you downloaded is usually safe to delete, and deleting it doesn’t uninstall the app. Keep an installer only when you would struggle to get that version again, for example an older release that still runs on an old Mac.

What DMG and PKG files are

A DMG is a disk image. You open it, drag the app into Applications, and the image has done its job. A PKG is an installer package that walks through setup steps and can place files in several spots on your Mac.

Either way, the file you downloaded is separate from the app it installed. Removing it leaves the app where it is.

Finding old installers in Finder

Most installers end up in Downloads, but check any other folder where you keep software.

  1. Open Downloads in Finder and search for dmg, then do the same for pkg.
  2. Switch to list view and sort the results by size or by date.
  3. Eject any disk image that still shows up in the Finder sidebar.
  4. Move the installers you no longer need to the Trash, and empty it once you have checked that the apps still open.

Installers worth keeping

Keep a copy when the developer no longer offers that version or a paid app is hard to download again. It also makes sense for software you might need to install without an internet connection. Store the license details next to the file, and only keep installers that came from a source you trust.

What Mint adds

Mint looks for DMG and PKG files older than 30 days in your personal folders, such as Downloads, Desktop and Documents, and lists them in the Disk tab as downloaded installers. Each row shows the file name and size, and you can hover over it to see the path.

None of them are ticked, so you decide which ones go, and you can move them to the Trash. In the App Store edition this works in the folders you have granted Mint access to.

Frequently asked questions

Can I delete a DMG after installing the app?

Usually, yes. Once the app is in Applications and opens normally, the DMG is only the package it came in. Keep it if you might need that exact version offline.

Does deleting an installer uninstall the app?

No. The installer and the installed app are separate, so the app keeps working. Just make sure you select the DMG or PKG file and leave the app itself alone.

Find the installers sitting in your folders

Run a scan in Mint, look over the installers it lists, and remove the ones you won’t need again.

Scan for installers