Audio projects keep every take, and the freeze files on top
Multitrack recordings, frozen tracks and sample libraries fill a drive quickly. What is safe to remove from a finished project.
Audio work fills a drive in a specific way: the recordings themselves are uncompressed by design, every take is kept whether or not it was used, and the software renders additional copies to keep playback smooth.
What is in a session folder
| What | What it is | Safe to remove |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded audio | Your takes, uncompressed | No. Not regenerable |
| Freeze and bounce files | Rendered versions of tracks | Yes, re-rendered |
| Undo history | Every edit state | Yes, on close |
| Analysis files | Waveform and warp data | Yes, rebuilt |
| Unused takes | Recordings not in the arrangement | Only via the app's cleanup |
The cleanup command each app has
Most digital audio workstations have a collect and save or consolidate function, and several have an explicit clean up that removes unreferenced audio from the project folder. That is the tool to use, because only the project knows which of the two hundred files in the audio folder are actually in the arrangement.
Temporary files from editors
du -sh $TMPDIR 2>/dev/null
find ~ -maxdepth 4 -name '*.aup3-*' -o -name 'audacity_temp*' 2>/dev/null | headSimple editors write their working data to a temporary directory, which is cleared on restart, and to project sidecar files, which are not. A crash can leave both behind, and after a crash the sidecar is worth checking before deleting: it may hold the recording that was not saved.
Sample libraries are the other half
Instrument and sample libraries live outside your projects and are usually far larger than any session, which is the same situation as the Logic and GarageBand sound library. Content is redownloadable; your recordings are not, and that distinction decides everything about what to clear.
Archiving a finished project
- Bounce the final mix and keep it somewhere separate.
- Run the app's consolidate or collect function so the project is self contained.
- Remove freeze and bounce files, which re-render.
- Move the whole folder to an external drive, keeping the bounce on the Mac.
Common questions
What can I delete from an audio project folder?
Freeze and bounce files, undo history and analysis data, all of which are regenerated. Recorded audio cannot be recreated, and the app's own cleanup function is the only safe way to remove unused takes.
Why are audio projects so large?
Because recordings are uncompressed by design, every take is kept whether used or not, and the software renders extra copies of tracks to keep playback smooth.
Where does Audacity keep temporary files?
In the system temporary directory, which macOS clears on restart, plus sidecar files beside the project. After a crash, check the sidecar before deleting it, since it may hold an unsaved recording.
How should I archive a finished audio project?
Bounce the final mix and keep it separately, run the app's consolidate function so the project is self contained, remove freeze files, then move the folder to an external drive.