1. Install
- Download the DevCleaner .dmg and open it.
- Drag DevCleaner into your Applications folder. Do not keep running it from the mounted disk image — quit the copy on the .dmg and launch the one in Applications.
- Launch it from Applications (Spotlight or Launchpad also work).
On first run, macOS Gatekeeper may ask you to confirm opening an app downloaded from the internet. That is expected for a notarized Developer ID build. If macOS blocks it:
- Right-click (or Control-click) DevCleaner in Applications → Open, then confirm; or
- Use System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway if shown.
2. Launch — look for the wand
DevCleaner runs as a menu bar app. It has no Dock icon by default. Look for the wand icon in your menu bar near the clock. When reclaimable space is found, the size often appears next to the icon.
If you expected a big window… nothing is wrong. DevCleaner started in the menu bar. Click the wand, then press Open in the panel for the full dashboard. Crowded menu bar? Check the overflow (» / chevron). More: troubleshooting — didn’t open.
3. First-run onboarding
The first launch shows a short tour:
- Welcome — menu bar home, Quick Clean is free, privacy basics
- Risk levels — Safe / Warning / Danger / Dangerous+ (risky items are never auto-cleaned)
- Free vs Pro — comparison, optional 14-day trial (email, no card), or continue on Free
You can dismiss and stay on Free. After onboarding, DevCleaner may offer to set up the optional Admin Clean Helper for permission-locked files (you can skip and install later from Settings).
4. Your first scan
DevCleaner scans automatically on first launch and keeps results fresh in the background (default interval is configurable in Settings). You can also press Scan now in the menu bar panel anytime.
Nothing is ever deleted during a scan. Scanning only measures what is on disk so you can decide what to remove.
5. Two ways to use it
The menu bar panel
Click the wand icon for a quick panel: reclaimable total, top tools by size, Scan now, Open (main window), and Quick Clean — which frees pre-selected Safe categories and shows how much it will reclaim before you click.
The main window
Press Open in the menu bar panel (or click “+ N more tools”). While the main window is open, DevCleaner behaves like a regular app: it appears in the Dock and ⌘Tab and gets a menu bar, including Settings (⌘,). Here you see every tool broken into categories, each with a proportional size bar colored by risk.
Use the info control on a category to open evidence: paths, sizes, rebuild hints, and Reveal in Finder.
6. Select and clean
Each category has a checkbox. SAFE categories are pre-selected; WARNING, DANGER, and DANGER+ are not. Tick what you want, watch the Selected to clean total at the top update, then press Clean Now.
- Quick Clean (menu bar / widget) — Safe only, one click
- Clean Now (main window) — whatever you selected, with confirmations for risky items
DevCleaner always tells you how much will be freed before anything is deleted, and risky selections ask for extra confirmation. Optional: Settings → General → Move to Trash instead of deleting permanently for filesystem items (Dangerous+ uninstall still deletes permanently). See how DevCleaner keeps you safe and Quick Clean vs Clean Now.
To never think about it again, set up automatic cleanup (Pro).
Get DevCleaner
Free up the gigabytes your dev tools hoard, without breaking your setup.
Download for macOS ↓macOS only. Requires a recent version of macOS.
FAQ
- Why didn’t a window open?
- DevCleaner is a menu bar app. Look for the wand by the clock — there is no Dock icon by design. Click the wand, then Open for the main window. Make sure you copied it to Applications (not running from the .dmg). If Gatekeeper blocked launch, use Right-click → Open or Open Anyway. Full checklist: troubleshooting.
- Where does DevCleaner live after install?
- It is a menu bar app — look for the wand icon by the clock. The main window temporarily appears in the Dock and ⌘Tab switcher while open.
- Does scanning delete anything?
- No. Scans only measure disk usage. Nothing is deleted until you press Quick Clean or Clean Now.
- What should I clean first?
- Start with Quick Clean — it frees every pre-selected SAFE category in one click. For Warning items, open the main window and select them manually. Leave Dangerous+ alone unless you intend a full uninstall of that tool.
- Will I get a trial prompt?
- Onboarding includes an optional Free vs Pro / trial slide. Separately, after your first successful clean that frees space, DevCleaner may show a one-time soft trial reminder — dismiss anytime. You can always start a trial later from Settings → License or the paywall.