FAQ
Short answers before you download. Aligned with what the app actually does.
Is it free?
- Yes. Scanning, reviewing, and Trash are free and open source under the MIT license. Disk Headroom Pro and GitHub Sponsors are both optional — neither is a paywall.
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Does it delete files for good?
- No. Selected items go to Trash, where you can still recover them. Emptying Trash is still yours.
Do I need an account?
- No. There is no sign-in, no sync, and no cloud. You download the app and use it on your Mac.
- Privacy
Why Full Disk Access?
- macOS hides folders the scanner needs in order to find leftovers. Full Disk Access is a system permission on your Mac: only the app can ask, and only you allow it in System Settings. Without it, scans still run on whatever the OS permits, but totals will be incomplete.
- Privacy
Why are Xcode, Android, and Docker groups unchecked?
- Those are heavy toolchain leftovers. They stay off until you opt in — the scanner is conservative on purpose.
Apple Silicon only?
- Yes. The production DMG is built for Apple Silicon (arm64). Intel Macs are not supported.
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Why does macOS ask for Open Anyway?
- Builds are signed ad-hoc until the project is notarized with an Apple Developer ID. Gatekeeper may warn on first open — that is expected for a community build. Drag Disk Headroom into Applications; if macOS blocks it, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and choose Open Anyway.
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Is there a Windows or Linux version?
- No. Disk Headroom is a macOS app. Other platforms are out of scope for now.
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What languages does the app speak?
- English, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish. On first launch it follows the macOS language, with English as the fallback. You can change it anytime under Settings → Language.