sift. Get Sift
v0.3.0 · Public previewSee what’s new

A little clarity.
A lot more room.

Meet a calmer way to understand your storage.
Find what’s taking up space. Make room for what matters.

Download Sift Take a closer look

Free & open source · Windows, macOS & Linux

YOUR SPACE, SIMPLIFIEDMADE FOR A LITTLE PEACE OF MIND
Sift — Your workspace
Sift’s desktop overview showing file categories, exact duplicates, and a proportional storage map using sample data.

Your files stay on your device. Your decisions stay yours.Sample workspace shown

Local by design

Always review before removal

Built for your desktop

LESS GUESSWORK. MORE CLARITY.

See your space.
Find your breathing room.

From the big picture to the forgotten download,
every file has a place. Now you can see it.

Everything in perspective.

A visual map turns a long list of files into something that makes sense. Explore by category, follow a folder, or put your biggest files first.

ACTUAL APP · SAMPLE DATA
Sift storage overview with a category chart and proportional file map.
SAME FILE. A FRESH PERSPECTIVE.
Summer memories.zipPhotos / Originals
Keep
Identical contents, verified
Summer memories (copy).zipDownloads / Archives
Review

Illustrative example · You choose the copy to keep

THOUGHTFULLY BUILT. CAREFULLY CLEARED.

A cleaner drive.
A clear conscience.

Your files are more than bytes. Sift gives you the context to decide what goes, and the control to keep what matters.

  • Identical means identical.Duplicate matches pass full-content hashing and a separate byte comparison.
  • The final say is always yours.Review full paths, then choose trash, permanent deletion, or overwrite-and-delete.
  • A copy worth keeping.An unchanged copy is retained by default. Removing every copy requires explicit permanent-action acknowledgment.

A FRESH START, IN THREE STEPS.

Less clutter.
On your terms.

No account. No file uploads.
Just you, your files, and a little clarity.

  1. 01

    Pick your space.

    Choose a folder or accessible drive. Sift scans in the background while your files stay on your computer.

  2. 02

    Follow your curiosity.

    Explore categories, spot large files, and compare exact duplicates. Understand the why behind each cleanup suggestion.

  3. 03

    Make a little room.

    Review your selection and choose a cleanup action. Trash supports system restore; permanent actions require typed confirmation.

A LITTLE LESS CLUTTER STARTS HERE.

Make room for
what’s next.

Your next fresh start is a download away.
Free, open source, and made for your desktop.

v0.3.0 · Public preview

Preview builds are unsigned; macOS builds are not notarized.
See installation help before your first launch.

SHA-256 checksums Release notes & all downloads

A FEW THINGS, CLEARED UP.

Room for
questions.

Ask on GitHub
Is Sift free?

Yes. Sift is free and open source under the MIT license. There’s no account, subscription, or paid upgrade. You can inspect the code and help shape it on GitHub.

Does Sift upload my files?

No. The desktop app scans and compares files locally. It doesn’t send your files or inventory to a server. Exporting a JSON inventory is optional, and that report contains file names and paths, so share it thoughtfully.

What happens when I clean up files?

Select one file, several files, or all matches in a filtered view, then review their full paths. Recycle Bin / trash is the default and never falls back to deletion. You can explicitly choose permanent deletion or overwrite-and-delete by typing the action and file count. Overwrite verifies a logical zero pass; SSD/flash, snapshots, backups, and synced copies can retain data. Restore recycled files through your operating system’s trash; Sift cannot undo permanent actions.

Why might my computer show a security warning?

This preview is unsigned, and macOS builds are not notarized. Download only from this site’s linked GitHub release and compare its SHA-256 checksum if needed. Windows may show SmartScreen; macOS may require approval in System Settings → Privacy & Security. Only proceed if you trust the source. See the platform prerequisites if a runtime is missing.

Which Mac download should I choose?

Open the Apple menu → About This Mac. If you see an Apple M-series chip (M1 or newer), choose Apple Silicon. If you see an Intel processor, choose Intel. Both downloads are DMG files.

Can I clean my drive from this website?

Storage scanning and cleanup happen in the desktop app. This website introduces Sift and provides downloads. On first launch, the app shows a labeled sample workspace; choose Scan a folder to explore your own files.

What should I know about the preview?

Sift is an early release. Scans follow your current user permissions, skip symlinks, and stop at 500,000 files. Categories use file extensions; suggestions aren’t proof that a file is safe to remove. Read the current scope and limits for more detail. Mobile cleanup and automatic OS or browser-cache cleaning are not included.