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User profile for user: CindiApple8
CindiApple8 Author
User level: Level 1
17 points

Delete recent files in finder on MacBook Pro or not?

Delete recent files in finder on MacBook Pro or not?

I didn’t realize it but there is like 15 copies of each item in my recent folder in finder. Over 10,000 files. Why? Why would there be that many copies? Are they taking up space? I selected all of them and then clicked delete and now they’re all going to the garbage can; it’s taking over an hour. Why do they call it recent if it’s every file I’ve ever looked at over the years? That’s not what recent means.

And for some reason I only have 1/3 of my storage filled but the memory is almost full. Is that why?

MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.14

Posted on Jul 24, 2019 1:42 AM

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User profile for user: Barney-15E
Barney-15E
User level: Level 10
116,776 points

Posted on Jul 24, 2019 5:03 AM

You just moved all of the original documents to the Trash. Stop the Move and when it is done, open Trash, select all of them and use Put Back to move them back where they came from.


Recents is a Smart Folder. It merely searches for all files that match its search criteria and displays them in one place. They are not copies of anything. Those are the original files.

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User profile for user: Barney-15E
Barney-15E
User level: Level 10
116,776 points

Jul 24, 2019 5:03 AM in response to CindiApple8

You just moved all of the original documents to the Trash. Stop the Move and when it is done, open Trash, select all of them and use Put Back to move them back where they came from.


Recents is a Smart Folder. It merely searches for all files that match its search criteria and displays them in one place. They are not copies of anything. Those are the original files.

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Delete recent files in finder on MacBook Pro or not?

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