Freeing up space · What's Using Space (Storage Inspector)
My Downloads folder is taking up loads of space — what can Storage Studio do?
Short answer: Move it to your fast drive from What's Using Space — a link keeps it opening normally — and turn on auto-sync so new downloads follow. Delete old installers yourself; Storage Studio won't delete your files.
Two good options. If you need what's in there, move the whole folder to your fast drive from What's Using Space: a link stays in place, so it still opens where it always did, and turning on auto-sync means new downloads follow it onto the drive over time.
If much of it is old installers and files you'll never open again, clear them yourself in Finder — sort by date or size. Downloads is your own folder, so Storage Studio won't delete from it on its own. See the auto-sync badge.