As a Mac user, you may have observed that the Finder displays individual file sizes in List view but hides the sizes of folders, leaving you with a pair of dashes (–).In many situations, knowing the size of a folder can be crucial. This guide will navigate you through the methods to reveal folder sizes in Finder, empowering you to better manage your storage space.
1. Enabling the “Calculate All Sizes”Option
Finder conceals folder sizes by default to optimize performance. However, there may be occasions when you need insights into how much space a folder occupies. To see sizes for multiple folders, or to always keep folder sizes visible, you can enable the Calculate All Sizes option.
Begin by clicking the Finder icon in the Dock. Navigate to a folder that contains several subfolders.
Then, select View -> Show View Options or utilize the shortcut Command + J.
Scroll to the bottom and check the Calculate All Sizes checkbox. This change will immediately reveal folder sizes.
Keep this window open as you switch between directories in your Finder; simply enable this option in any folder to view its sizes. To disable size viewing, just uncheck the Calculate All Sizes option.
2. Utilize the Preview Panel
If you only need to occasionally check folder sizes, consider using the Preview panel to display this information quickly.
Select the desired folder and hit Shift + Command + P, or go to View -> Show Preview.
The Preview panel will appear on the right side of your screen, displaying the folder size directly under its name.
Moreover, you can select multiple folders by clicking while holding the Command key. The Preview panel will show the aggregated size of the selected folders.
Alternatively, clicking the gallery view icon located at the top right will also display folder sizes, enhancing your browsing experience.
3. Accessing Size Information via Get Info/Show Inspector
If you’d prefer not to use the Preview panel, the Get Info option is another effective way to access folder sizes.
Right-click the folder you wish to inspect and select Get Info from the context menu, or press Command + I.
Here, you’ll find the Size field detailing the folder’s storage usage.
For those needing to check the sizes of several folders consecutively, right-click a folder, hold down the Option key, and observe how the Get Info option transforms into Show Inspector. Clicking it opens a similar information window, dynamically updating to reflect the size of the currently selected folder.
If your aim is to learn how to hide folders on your Mac, don’t hesitate to follow our detailed recommendations.
4. Checking Folder Sizes Using the Terminal
For users inclined to employ the Terminal for folder size inquiries, here is how to check multiple directory sizes simultaneously.
Open the Terminal app (accessible through Spotlight) and navigate to the directory containing the folders you wish to analyze. You can easily open Terminal in a specific folder location on Mac.
cd ~/Documents
Next, execute the du command to list the sizes of all folders within your directory.
du -h -d 1
This command generates a list with each folder’s size indicated beside its name.
If you encounter a “du: operation not permitted” error, it is often due to macOS’s Full Disk Access restrictions protecting certain directories, which may include:
- ~/Documents
- ~/Desktop
- ~/Downloads
To circumvent this, you must grant Terminal full disk access. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner, then select System Settings.
Navigate to Privacy & Security -> Full Disk Access.
Check for the Terminal option; if available, toggle it on. If missing, click the + button to add it.
Search for Terminal in the upper right and select Open to grant access.
The Terminal will prompt you to restart to apply the changes. After restarting, retry the du command; it should function correctly.
With these methods, you’re now equipped to efficiently view folder sizes in Finder on macOS. To further enhance your file management skills, consider exploring how to bookmark a folder in Finder for quick access.
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