Master DiskCleanKit's Finder Integration: The Ultimate Guide to Right-Click Cleanup

Why Finder Integration Changes Everything

Finder integration is the most powerful feature in DiskCleanKit - and here's why it matters. Instead of opening an app, navigating to a folder, and waiting for a scan, you can now right-click any folder in Finder and instantly see what's using space.

This isn't just a convenience feature. It fundamentally changes how you interact with your Mac's storage:

• Zero context switching - Stay in Finder, analyze any folder instantly
• Floating panel mode - A lightweight analysis window appears without launching the full app
• Works everywhere - External drives, network volumes, sidebar items - right-click them all
• Lightning fast - Analysis starts immediately in a dedicated floating window

How It Works Under the Hood

DiskCleanKit uses Apple's Finder Sync Extension technology to add menu items directly into Finder's context menu. When you right-click a folder:

1. The extension captures the folder path

2. Sends it to DiskCleanKit via a secure channel

3. A floating analysis panel appears with full breakdown

4. No main window opens - just the analysis you need

This is achieved through Apple's App Groups communication system, making it fast and reliable.

Three Ways to Access Finder Integration

1. Right-Click on Any Folder

Select any folder in Finder and right-click. You'll see "Analyze with DiskCleanKit" in the context menu.

2. Right-Click on Empty Space

Even when you're inside a folder, right-click on empty space to analyze the current directory you're viewing.

3. Right-Click on Sidebar Volumes

External drives, mounted volumes, and sidebar locations all support right-click analysis. This is perfect for:

• USB drives you want to clean before ejecting
• External SSDs with project files
• Network volumes you're managing
• Any mounted disk image

Setting Up Finder Integration

For macOS Sequoia (15.2+), Sonoma, Ventura & Monterey

1. Open System Settings

2. Navigate to General → Login Items & Extensions

3. Scroll to File Providers

4. Enable DiskCleanKit

For macOS Big Sur & Earlier

1. Open System Preferences

2. Go to Extensions → Finder Extensions

3. Check DiskCleanKit

Important: Restart Finder After Enabling

After enabling the extension, restart Finder for changes to take effect:

• Option + Right-click the Finder icon in your Dock
• Select Relaunch

Or use Terminal: killall Finder

The Floating Panel Experience

When you use "Analyze with DiskCleanKit" from Finder, a floating panel appears instead of the main app window. This is intentional:

What You See in the Floating Panel

Actions Available

• Show in Finder - Jump to any file's location
• Delete Items - Remove files directly from the panel
• Full Analysis - Open in main app for deeper cleaning
• Category Filtering - Focus on specific file types

Real-World Usage Examples

Example 1: Clean Up a Downloads Folder

Your Downloads folder grows endlessly. Right-click it:

1. Right-click Downloads in sidebar

2. Select "Analyze with DiskCleanKit"

3. Floating panel shows breakdown:

• 2.3 GB in disk images (DMGs)
• 1.8 GB in ZIP archives
• 500 MB in old PDFs

4. Delete what you don't need right from the panel

Example 2: Audit an External Drive Before Ejecting

Before ejecting that USB drive:

1. Right-click the drive in Finder sidebar

2. "Analyze with DiskCleanKit"

3. See if there are duplicate files or large items you can remove

4. Free up space before your next backup

Example 3: Check a Project Folder's Footprint

Working on a project that's gotten huge?

1. Right-click the project folder

2. Instantly see:

• How much space node_modules is using
• Build artifacts that can be cleaned
• Cache files from your IDE

3. Clean up without navigating away

Example 4: Network Volume Management

Managing files on a NAS or network share:

1. Mount the network volume

2. Right-click it in Finder

3. Get instant analysis of what's consuming space

4. Clean directly without copying files locally

Show in Finder: The Reverse Integration

DiskCleanKit also integrates the other direction. Throughout the app, you'll find "Show in Finder" options:

• In scan results - Click to reveal any file in Finder
• In duplicate lists - See where duplicates are located
• In large file lists - Jump to the file's location
• In category views - Open the containing folder

This creates a seamless workflow between DiskCleanKit and Finder.

Power User Tips

Keyboard Workflow

1. Select folder in Finder

2. Control + Click (or two-finger click)

3. Arrow down to "Analyze with DiskCleanKit"

4. Press Return

Combine with Smart Folders

Create a Smart Folder for files over 1GB, then right-click its parent to analyze the storage impact.

External Drive Routine

Make it a habit: Before ejecting any external drive, right-click and analyze. You'll be surprised what accumulates.

Quick Access from Spotlight

While Finder integration is fastest, you can also use the URL scheme:

diskcleankit://analyze?path=/path/to/folder

Troubleshooting

Extension Not Appearing in Context Menu

Check if extension is enabled:

1. System Settings → General → Login Items & Extensions → File Providers

2. Ensure DiskCleanKit is toggled ON

Restart Finder:

• Option + Right-click Finder icon → Relaunch
• Or run killall Finder in Terminal

Verify DiskCleanKit installation:

• Make sure you have v4.0 or later installed

macOS Sequoia 15.0-15.1 Bug

Apple introduced a bug in macOS 15.0 and 15.1 that can prevent Finder extensions from working correctly. Solution: Update to macOS 15.2 or later where Apple fixed this issue.

If you can't update:

1. Try disabling and re-enabling the extension

2. Restart your Mac completely

3. The extension may work intermittently

Extension Works but Panel Doesn't Appear

This can happen if DiskCleanKit was force-quit previously:

1. Open DiskCleanKit normally once

2. Quit the app cleanly (⌘Q)

3. Try the Finder integration again

Why Finder Integration is a Game Changer

Time saved per analysis: 10-30 seconds

Multiply that by the dozens of folders you might check in a week, and Finder integration saves you significant time while keeping you in your workflow.

Works with All Your Volumes

DiskCleanKit's Finder extension automatically monitors:

• Internal drives - Your main Mac SSD/HDD
• External USB drives - Flash drives, portable SSDs
• Thunderbolt storage - Fast external arrays
• SD cards - When mounted
• Network volumes - AFP, SMB shares
• Disk images - Mounted DMGs
• Time Machine drives - Check backup disk usage

The extension automatically detects when you connect or disconnect drives, so new volumes are immediately available for right-click analysis.

Get Started Today

Finder integration is available now in DiskCleanKit. If you haven't tried it yet:

1. Update to the latest version from the Mac App Store

2. Enable the extension in System Settings

3. Right-click any folder and experience the difference

Once you start using Finder integration, you'll wonder how you ever managed storage without it.