Mastering Deep Scan: Find Hidden Space Wasters on Your Mac

What is Deep Scan?

Deep Scan is DiskCleanKit's comprehensive analysis tool. Unlike One Touch Clean, which focuses on obviously safe files, Deep Scan examines your entire system to find all potential space savings.

When to Use Deep Scan

• Running low on space and One Touch Clean isn't enough
• Before major downloads like new games or video projects
• Monthly maintenance for optimal performance
• Before system updates to ensure smooth installation

The Three-Panel Interface

Deep Scan uses a three-panel design:

Left Panel: Categories

Browse files organized by type:

• System Junk - Caches, logs, temporary files
• Applications - App caches and support files
• Developer Tools - Xcode, Homebrew, Docker
• Creative Apps - Adobe, Figma, Final Cut Pro
• Downloads - Your Downloads folder contents
• Large Files - Files over 100MB
• Duplicates - AI-detected duplicate files

Center Panel: Sub-Categories

Shows sub-categories for the selected root category:

• Detailed breakdown of each category
• Individual sizes for each sub-category
• Click to view files in the right panel

Right Panel: Preview

Before deleting anything:

• Preview images and documents
• View file contents
• Check file metadata
• See full file path

Running Your First Deep Scan

Step 1: Select Categories

Choose what to scan:

• Select all for comprehensive analysis
• Or pick specific categories
• Use presets for common scenarios (Developer, Creative, General)

Step 2: Start the Scan

• Click Start Deep Scan
• Watch real-time progress
• Scan time depends on disk size and file count
• Typical scans: 1-5 minutes

Step 3: Review Results

Take time to understand what was found:

• Sort by size to find biggest space wasters
• Sort by date to find old unused files
• Use filters to narrow results

Step 4: Select Files

Multiple selection methods:

• Checkboxes for individual files
• Select All in a category
• Smart Select for pre-selected safe items

Step 5: Clean

• Click Clean Selected
• Confirm the action
• Watch the cleanup progress
• Review the summary

Deep Scan Best Practices

Do

• Preview files before deleting
• Start with cache and temporary files
• Clean in batches, not all at once
• Keep recent application data

Don't

• Delete without reviewing
• Remove active project files
• Clean system files unless certain
• Skip the preview step

Maximizing Space Recovery

Focus Areas

1. Old iOS backups - Can be 10-50GB each

2. Duplicate photos - Common after imports

3. Downloaded videos - Often forgotten

4. Old application versions - DMG files, installers

Regular Schedule

• Weekly: One Touch Clean
• Monthly: Quick Deep Scan (System Junk + Caches)
• Quarterly: Full Deep Scan (All categories)

Deep Scan puts you in control. Use it wisely, and you'll always know exactly what's consuming your Mac's storage!