{"id":"freeing-space.which-app-is-filling-my-disk","url":"/faq/freeing-space/which-app-is-filling-my-disk","category":{"id":"freeing-space","title":"Freeing up space"},"subcategory":{"id":"where-space-went","title":"Where your space went"},"question":"How does Storage Studio work out which app is using up my disk space?","alt_questions":["Which app is using all my space?","Who is writing all these files?","Find the app eating my storage","Storage Studio names the app","Why does the notice say it couldn't tell?"],"short_answer":"It traces where new data went and names the app when it can identify one, hedges when it only looks likely, and says plainly when it couldn't tell. It never invents a name.","answer_markdown":"When free space starts dropping, Storage Studio works out where the new data went and matches it to an app when it can. It's careful about how sure it is:\n\n- it **names** the app when it can identify one,\n- it **hedges** when a folder only looks like it belongs to an app,\n- it **says plainly** when it couldn't tell — it never invents a name.\n\nAnything that can't be accounted for is shown as its own line rather than spread across the rest. You can see the same breakdown under the storage chart at any time. See [Can I stop one app from filling my disk?](/faq/freeing-space/can-i-stop-one-app-filling-my-disk)","answer_html":"

When free space starts dropping, Storage Studio works out where the new data went and matches it to an app when it can. It's careful about how sure it is:

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Anything that can't be accounted for is shown as its own line rather than spread across the rest. You can see the same breakdown under the storage chart at any time. See Can I stop one app from filling my disk?

","answer_text":"When free space starts dropping, Storage Studio works out where the new data went and matches it to an app when it can. It's careful about how sure it is:\n\n- it names the app when it can identify one,\n- it hedges when a folder only looks like it belongs to an app,\n- it says plainly when it couldn't tell — it never invents a name.\n\nAnything that can't be accounted for is shown as its own line rather than spread across the rest. You can see the same breakdown under the storage chart at any time. See Can I stop one app from filling my disk?","tags":["space watch","apps","attribution"],"related":[{"id":"freeing-space.can-i-stop-one-app-filling-my-disk","question":"Can I stop one app from filling my whole disk?","url":"/faq/freeing-space/can-i-stop-one-app-filling-my-disk"},{"id":"freeing-space.how-do-i-silence-notices-about-an-expected-app","question":"How do I stop Storage Studio warning me about an app I expect to use space?","url":"/faq/freeing-space/how-do-i-silence-notices-about-an-expected-app"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How does Storage Studio work out which app is using up my disk space? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"It traces where new data went and names the app when it can identify one, hedges when it only looks likely, and says plainly when it couldn't tell. It never invents a name.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Freeing up space","path":"/faq/freeing-space/"},{"name":"How does Storage Studio work out which app is using up my disk space?","path":"/faq/freeing-space/which-app-is-filling-my-disk"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/which-app-is-filling-my-disk","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How does Storage Studio work out which app is using up my disk space?","alternateName":["Which app is using all my space?","Who is writing all these files?","Find the app eating my storage","Storage Studio names the app","Why does the notice say it couldn't tell?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"When free space starts dropping, Storage Studio works out where the new data went and matches it to an app when it can. It's careful about how sure it is:\n\n- it names the app when it can identify one,\n- it hedges when a folder only looks like it belongs to an app,\n- it says plainly when it couldn't tell — it never invents a name.\n\nAnything that can't be accounted for is shown as its own line rather than spread across the rest. You can see the same breakdown under the storage chart at any time. See Can I stop one app from filling my disk?","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/which-app-is-filling-my-disk"}}]},"fragment":"
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Freeing up space · Where your space went

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How does Storage Studio work out which app is using up my disk space?

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Short answer: It traces where new data went and names the app when it can identify one, hedges when it only looks likely, and says plainly when it couldn't tell. It never invents a name.

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When free space starts dropping, Storage Studio works out where the new data went and matches it to an app when it can. It's careful about how sure it is:

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  • it names the app when it can identify one,
  • it hedges when a folder only looks like it belongs to an app,
  • it says plainly when it couldn't tell — it never invents a name.
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Anything that can't be accounted for is shown as its own line rather than spread across the rest. You can see the same breakdown under the storage chart at any time. See Can I stop one app from filling my disk?

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