ZerX

See what's eating your disk. Delete it safely.

ZerX finds the dev caches, build artifacts and hidden folders that are easy to overlook in Finder — node_modules, DerivedData, package caches, simulator images — and lets you tick what goes to the Trash. Review the selection before confirming deletion.

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Coming to the Mac App Store · macOS 13 or later · Apple Silicon and Intel

ZerX app icon

Built for people who have a node_modules problem

  • Find hidden dev files

    Hidden dev folders, package manager caches, DerivedData, worktrees left by AI agents, Docker images, simulators. Scan time depends on your disk, file count and permissions.

  • Trash by default

    Items move to the Trash by default and can be restored in Finder until you empty it. Permanent deletion is a separate setting, off by default, and requires confirmation; it cannot be undone. See the protected folders and exceptions.

  • Knows which projects are alive

    Projects with recent commits or edits are never pre-selected. If you pick something inside one, ZerX tells you before it moves.

  • No telemetry, no account, no network

    The app never phones home. Updates arrive through the App Store; the direct-download version, when it comes, checks zerxapp.com for updates only if you turn it on.

Four steps, no wizard

  1. Allow access once

    Choose your home folder or another folder in the standard macOS dialog. ZerX scans and cleans accessible items within the folder you authorize, subject to macOS sandbox and privacy restrictions. Some protected locations remain inaccessible. File names, contents and scan results are not sent to the developer.

  2. Scan

    Your selected folder and accessible caches, with sizes updating during the scan.

  3. Review and tick

    Dev caches and old build artifacts are pre-selected when it's safe. Everything else is your call.

  4. Delete to Trash

    Empty the Trash when you're sure.

Three layers between you and a bad day

  • Scope allowlist

    Only the folder you granted, normally your home folder, can be touched. The rest of the disk is shown for the picture, not for deletion.

  • Hard blocklist

    Keychains, Preferences, Application Support (except specific caches and iPhone backups listed on the Safety page), iCloud, Messages, Mail, Photos, Safari, .ssh, .gnupg, .aws, .kube, shell rc files. Any folder containing a protected path is protected too.

  • One gate

    Every deletion passes through a single checkpoint that normalizes the path and re-checks it after resolving symlinks. A symlink into a protected folder doesn't get through. Covered by tests.

FAQ

Will there be a version outside the App Store?

Yes, later. A direct download signed and notarized by Apple is planned after the App Store release, with extras that need Full Disk Access, such as deleting local Time Machine snapshots.

Is it safe?

Deletion goes to the Trash by default. Personal data and system files are on a blocklist that the deletion layer enforces, and that layer is covered by tests. The full list of protected folders is on the Safety page.

What access does the app ask for?

Choose your home folder or another folder in the standard macOS dialog. ZerX scans and cleans accessible items within the folder you authorize, subject to macOS sandbox and privacy restrictions. Some protected locations remain inaccessible. File names, contents and scan results are not sent to the developer.

Can it clean "System Data" from Settings → Storage?

ZerX helps find accessible caches and logs that may contribute to System Data. The App Store version cannot clean the entire category or delete Time Machine snapshots. macOS may report storage differently.

Does it cost anything?

ZerX 0.x is free.

How do I uninstall?

Quit ZerX and move ZerX.app to the Trash in Finder. Local settings may remain in its macOS container; see the privacy policy.