---
id: mac-storage-basics.what-is-the-documents-category-in-storage-settings
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/what-is-the-documents-category-in-storage-settings
category: "Mac storage basics"
subcategory: "System Data and the storage categories"
question: "What counts as Documents in macOS Storage settings?"
alt_questions:
  - "documents category mac storage huge"
  - "why is documents so big storage settings"
  - "documents storage mac meaning"
  - "documents not just my documents folder mac"
  - "storage settings documents explained"
short_answer: "It covers most loose files in your home folder — Downloads, Desktop, disk images, archives and videos outside Photos — not only the Documents folder."
tags: ["storage settings", "documents", "large files"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-find-large-files-on-my-mac", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/what-is-system-data-on-a-mac"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# What counts as Documents in macOS Storage settings?

In Storage settings, **Documents** isn't just your Documents folder. It covers files in your home folder that aren't sorted into another category — Downloads, Desktop, disk images, archives, large videos outside the Photos library, and similar.

Clicking the info button next to it lets you review large files and downloads and delete them from there. Before deleting, check whether a large file is something you'd rather keep on an external drive.

Storage Studio's What's Using Space lists your largest folders wherever they are, and can move big ones to an external drive instead of deleting. See [finding big files](https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-find-large-files-on-my-mac).