What is the Python folder in your Mac's Library, and can you delete it?
~/Library/Python holds packages installed with pip --user, one folder per Python version. 109 MB and 3,255 files on our Mac. What breaks if you delete it.
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Mac storage, explained.
What fills your disk, where it hides, and what is safe to remove. Every guide gives you a way to check it on your own Mac.
What is the IntelligencePlatform folder on a Mac?
~/Library/IntelligencePlatform holds the on device knowledge macOS builds about your apps and activity. 108 MB on our Mac, in a handful of databases.
What is the Trial folder in your Mac's Library?
~/Library/Trial holds settings Apple sends to test and roll out features. 101 MB on our Mac, 97 MB of it in Treatments. What triald does and whether to delete it.
What is the Shortcuts folder in your Mac's Library, and why is it 63 MB?
~/Library/Shortcuts holds your shortcuts and an index of every action your apps offer. 63 MB on our Mac, 61 MB of it the action index, not your shortcuts.
What is the IdentityServices folder on a Mac?
~/Library/IdentityServices is where iMessage and FaceTime keep the identity and encryption key records they need. 29 MB on our Mac. Why not to delete it.
What is the HomeKit folder in your Mac's Library?
~/Library/HomeKit holds your Home setup, synced from iCloud, even on a Mac you never use with smart home devices. 29 MB on our Mac. What is in it.
Why du shows nothing, or Operation not permitted, for Library folders on a Mac
Without Full Disk Access, Terminal under-reports your Library. On our Mac du saw 120 KB of Group Containers where there were 4.5 GB. How to get true sizes.
WindowServer using high CPU on a Mac: what it is and how to calm it down
WindowServer draws everything on your screen. On our M1 it ranged from 23% to 65% CPU while we worked, and it topped energy impact. What drives it up.
mds_stores using high CPU on a Mac: Spotlight indexing, and when to step in
mds_stores is the Spotlight index. It spikes after updates and big copies, then settles: 0.1% on our Mac at rest. How to check it and what to exclude.
What is mdworker_shared on a Mac, and why are there so many of them?
mdworker_shared reads files for Spotlight, and several copies at once is normal. On our Mac each lived a minute or two and used 5 to 11 MB. When to worry.
What is coreaudiod on a Mac, and how to restart it when sound stops
coreaudiod runs all sound on a Mac. At rest it used no CPU and 5 to 18 MB here. Restarting it fixes most stuck audio, and it explains most audio CPU spikes.
What is replayd on a Mac, and why is it running?
replayd is the service behind screen recording and screen sharing. It ran on our Mac while we recorded, using 10 MB. Why it appears, and how to stop it.