Decide what's safe to delete
Not everything old is junk. A good rule of thumb: installers (.exe, .msi, .dmg, .pkg) and duplicates like “file (1).pdf” can go; documents, invoices and photos should be moved, not deleted.
On Windows: Storage Sense
Settings → System → Storage → Storage Sense → Automatic User content cleanup → Delete files in my Downloads folder if they haven't been opened for more than… It works on everything in Downloads at once, so it can't tell a forgotten installer from an important invoice.
On a Mac: there's no built-in option
macOS can empty the Trash after 30 days, but it won't clean Downloads. People usually resort to Automator scripts or manual clear-outs.
The precise way: a rule per kind of file
With TidyFile you decide exactly what goes: installers older than 14 days to the Recycle Bin or Trash, while documents move to their own folder instead. It previews every change before tidying existing files, and works the same on Windows and Mac.
The TidyFile rule
Clear out old installers
- When a file
- type is exe, msi, dmg, pkg · modified more than 14 days ago
- Then
- send to the Recycle Bin / Trash
Set it up once and TidyFile applies it in the background, to new files the moment they arrive. Preview what it'll do to the files already there, and undo anything from the activity log.
Questions
Is it safe to auto-delete old downloads?+
It is if you're selective and deleted files go to the Recycle Bin or Trash first. Installers and duplicate files are safe bets; invoices and documents are better moved somewhere sensible than deleted.
Does macOS delete old downloads automatically?+
No. macOS can empty the Trash after 30 days (Finder → Settings → Advanced), but it never touches the Downloads folder itself. You need a tool like TidyFile to clear it on a schedule.
How does TidyFile decide a file is old?+
Rules can match on how long ago a file was created or last modified, in days. Combine that with a type, like installers older than 14 days, and only those go to the Recycle Bin or Trash.