---
id: freeing-space.what-is-compute-exact-sizes
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/what-is-compute-exact-sizes
category: "Freeing up space"
subcategory: "Storage Profile, charts and Home"
question: "What does Compute exact sizes do in the Storage Profile?"
alt_questions:
  - "Exact sizes per category"
  - "What's stored section sizes"
  - "Compute exact sizes button"
  - "Precise file category sizes Mac"
  - "Storage by file type exact"
short_answer: "It replaces the quick estimate in What's stored with precise, measured bytes per file category. It takes a little longer and is paced around your own work."
tags: ["storage profile", "sizes", "categories"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/what-is-the-storage-profile", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/what-does-where-it-lives-show"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# What does Compute exact sizes do in the Storage Profile?

The **What's stored** section shows your files by category and size from quick system signals. Tap **Compute exact sizes** and Storage Studio measures the precise bytes in each category instead.

It takes longer than the quick view, and like Storage Studio's other background work it's paced so your own work comes first. See [What is the Storage Profile?](https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/what-is-the-storage-profile)