Reveal Hidden Folder Sizes in macOS Finder With These Tricks

When utilizing macOS Finder successful List view, you'll spot the sizes of idiosyncratic files – but not folders.
Instead, folders amusement a brace of dashes (--) successful the Size column. macOS skips calculating folder sizes by default to support List presumption show fast, particularly successful directories with galore nested files. But if you privation to support an oculus connected folder sizes successful definite locations, oregon adjacent globally, determination are a fewer ways to bash it. Here's how.


What if you privation to usage List presumption and inactive support an oculus connected the size of a fistful of folders successful a circumstantial determination – successful Documents, for instance, oregon successful a directory synced to a unreality retention service? Or what if you person a super-fast SSD that tin grip the unit of calculating the size of tons of folders connected the fly? Thankfully, determination are respective ways to marque Finder amusement folder sizes, adjacent successful List view.

Enable Calculate All Sizes

Open the folder successful question, prime View ➝ Show View Options from the paper barroom oregon property the keys Command+J, and cheque Calculate All Sizes. Finder volition present retrieve your viewing penchant for that peculiar determination only.

Turn On Preview Panel

If you're looking for a much planetary solution for keeping tabs connected folder sizes that volition enactment successful immoderate Finder presumption mode, you mightiness see enabling the Preview panel. To bash this, unfastened a Finder model and prime the paper barroom enactment View ➝ Show Preview, oregon property the keys Shift+Command+P.


In the Preview panel, the size of the selected folder ever appears instantly beneath the folder name. If this is the lone folder accusation you privation to spot successful the Preview panel, you tin prime the paper barroom enactment View ➝ Show Preview Options and uncheck each different metadata options.

Use Get Info

Of course, you whitethorn find that relying connected the Preview sheet to support a cheque connected idiosyncratic folder sizes isn't an perfect usage of Finder model space. This is wherever the paper barroom enactment File ➝ Get Info (or cardinal combo Command+I) tin travel successful helpful. Opening a abstracted Get Info sheet lets you spot the size of the point successful question, careless of whether it's a record oregon a folder.


The downside? Each Get Info sheet is static and circumstantial to the point selected. Opening respective astatine erstwhile tin clutter your desktop, since each caller model stays unfastened until manually closed.

Use Inspector for Live Folder Info

Fortunately, this inconvenience tin beryllium easy solved: Click File successful the paper barroom and clasp the Option key, and Get Info volition crook into Show Inspector. Unlike a Get Info panel, the Inspector sheet is dynamically updated and volition ever show accusation for the progressive Finder window's presently selected record oregon folder – including, of course, its size.

In summary, for casual folder-size checking, usage the Preview panel. For elaborate oregon aggregate folders, alteration Calculate All Sizes successful View Options. And if you request real-time updates without clutter, usage Show Inspector.
This article, "Reveal Hidden Folder Sizes successful macOS Finder With These Tricks" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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