As a Mac user, at some point in time, you might have wondered – Is it safe to delete DMG files on Mac? If yes, how to get rid of the various DMG files on Mac? We are going to discuss such questions in this post. Here is what you will learn –
What is a DMG File?
DMG stands for Disk Image file. More specifically, a DMG file is an Apple Disk Image File. The DMG file format is used to distribute applications on Mac. You may have noticed that if you install an application on Mac outside the App Store, it bears the extension – “.dmg”. The DMG file format supports file spanning, compression, and encryption which means you can even password-protect DMG files as well.
How Does A DMG File Work On Mac?
A DMG file of an application is mounted as a drive and a user only has to drag and drop it into the Applications folder to install an app on Mac. One of the best things about a DMG file is that it contains “Checksum” which verifies the files that are being downloaded. Checksum ensures that the file is downloaded correctly and there is no tampering during that process.
Is It Safe To Uninstall A DMG File?
Yes, after you have installed an app, you can safely delete the .dmg file related to that app.
After you have installed an application on your Mac, DMG files are of no use. In fact, you can get rid of the DMG files of applications on Mac, so as to increase its storage space. Also, there are times when DMG files might slow down your Mac. It is therefore advisable that you get rid of unused DMG files from time to time.
What Would You Do if You Have Deleted A Wrong DMG File? |
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Let’s assume that you deleted a wrong DMG file, for example, a DMG file of an application that you were yet to install or that you were yet to work on. How would you get it back? You can use a data recovery tool like Wondershare Recoverit for Mac and restore an accidentally deleted DMG file. How To Recover Lost DMG File Using Wondershare Recoverit? 1. Download, install and run Wondershare Recoverit on your Mac. 2. Scan the location. At any point if you find your lost DMG file, you can pause the scanning process. 3. You can even filter out files. 4. Click on the Recover button at the bottom-right corner to recover lost .dmg files. |
How To Delete DMG File After Installation?
How To Look For A DMG File on Mac?
- Open Finder by clicking on the Finder icon on your Dock.
- In the search area, type dmg and when the dropdown appears, type Disk Image.
- Select the .dmg files that you want to remove.
- Drag them to the Trash.
- You can even choose to Empty your Trash.
The Right Way – Eject The DMG File and Send It To Trash
- Locate the DMG file and right-click on it.
- Click on Eject followed by the application name.
- Open Finder and look for the DMG
- Once you locate the file, send it to the trash.
Use A Third-Party Tool To Get Rid of Unused Disk Image Files on Mac Safely
To get rid of unused disk images of installed applications, you can use an application like Cleanup My System. It is an app that can add years to the life of your Mac by improving its performance and speeding it up. It has proved to be effective in fixing issues such as “Startup Disk almost full”.
To know more about Cleanup My System, you can refer to our inside-out review where we have covered various aspects of this tool.
How To Remove Unused Disk Image Using Cleanup My System –
- Download, install and run Cleanup My System from App Store.
- Once you have launched the application, click on the left-hand side.
- From the right-hand side, click on Scan Now button located at the bottom-right corner.
- Select the unused disk image files (.dmg) files that you want to remove and click on the Clean Now button as shown in the screenshot below.
Pricing: As you can see from the screenshot above, the trial version will display results that are under 500 MB. To unlock the full version, click on the button by the same name. The premium version subscription begins at $34.99.
Wrapping Up
If you are on a journey to declutter your Mac, free up its storage space and improve its performance, getting rid of unused DMG files or unused disk image files can be a great step. You can either remove them manually or if you want to safely remove DMG files, you can take the help of a tool like Cleanup My System. If you found the information shared in this post useful, share the post with your friends, and for more such content keep reading WeTheGeek. You can also find us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Flipboard.