The Applications section inventories supported app bundles and related information. Scanning the inventory does not uninstall anything.
Prepare the inventory
Grant Home-folder access in the App Store edition when you want user-level application locations and related size information included. Keep external disks connected if they contain apps you want to review.
Read application size
An app’s displayed total can include its bundle and supported related data. It may differ from Finder because related containers, shared data, inaccessible paths, links, and files changing during calculation affect the scope.
Do not rank applications for removal by size alone. Check when you last used the app, whether it owns important documents, and whether it can be downloaded again.
Missing applications
An app can be absent when it is:
- Installed in an inaccessible folder.
- Located on a disconnected volume.
- Not represented as a supported application bundle.
- Managed or protected by macOS.
- Excluded by the current inventory scope.
Correct access and start a new scan.
Before taking action
Open an app in Finder, verify its developer and path, and save or export data you need. Use the application developer’s uninstaller when it manages specialized system components.