Panorama · Space explorer
Panorama: your disk seen from above, bubble by bubble
"Your disk is almost full" always shows up at the worst moment, and System Settings > General > Storage says very little about what is actually hiding in your folders. Panorama answers one simple question: where did my space go? The module measures a disk or a folder, then draws it as bubbles whose area matches the real size of each item. One click to go down a level, one gesture to lighten the load, and nothing leaves your Mac without going through the Trash.
Any disk or folder you choose
Before the scan, you pick where the exploration starts:
- User folder: the most common choice, where documents, downloads, photo libraries and app data pile up.
- A disk: the startup disk or a connected external volume (USB drive, SSD, flash drive), shown by name.
- Choose a folder…: any specific folder, for example a projects folder or an old backup you copied by hand.
Starting from a targeted folder gives a faster answer than a whole disk holding several hundred gigabytes. To understand what macOS files under "System Data", which does not always show up in your user folder, read our article Mac disk space explained.
Tree and bubbles: read sizes at a glance
Results appear in two complementary views, side by side:
- On the left, the list of items at the current level, sorted from largest to smallest, with their size.
- On the right, the bubbles: the 24 largest items each get their own bubble, and everything else is grouped into an "Other items" bubble so the view stays readable.
Clicking a folder bubble takes you one level down; the breadcrumb at the top shows where you are and lets you go back up in one click. Levels already measured stay in memory during the session, so going back is instant. At the bottom, a disk gauge shows used and free space.
This visual reading reveals what sorting by name hides: a forgotten folder of video renders, a 60 GB virtual machine, the library of a music app you stopped using years ago.
Review and delete, without rushing
When you spot something you no longer need, select it and use Review and delete. A confirmation window shows the number of items and the total size before anything happens:
- Select one or more items in the list.
- Click Review and delete and check the summary.
- Confirm with Move to Trash.
By default, everything goes to the macOS Trash: you can get an item back as long as the Trash has not been emptied, and the last operation can be undone from MacNeat. Permanent deletion that skips the Trash only exists if you turn it on yourself in the settings, and the confirmation then clearly states that it cannot be undone.
If the big file turns out to be a duplicate or an old download, the Archipel module offers dedicated scans that are quicker to sort.
Protected areas and safety principles
Panorama shows everything, but it does not let you touch everything. Essential system items are marked as protected areas: they stay visible so you can understand how space is distributed, but they cannot be selected or deleted. Folders you have added to Exclusions in MacNeat's settings are skipped.
- Everything goes through the Trash: no silent deletion.
- Logged, reversible operations: every action is recorded in the journal.
- Local processing: measuring happens on your Mac, and no path or file name is sent anywhere.
- Apple silicon and Intel: identical behavior on both architectures.
- Free scanning: exploring is free; deleting requires a license (7-day free trial).
For a complete step-by-step method, see our guide how to free up disk space on a Mac.