What does DiskScout actually do?
It scans a drive or folder and maps every byte, then gives you six ways to look at the result. Click anything and the inspector tells you what it is, whether it's safe to delete, how much APFS compression is saving you, and the ten largest things inside. Stage items for cleanup, review the list, and move them to the Trash in one go.
How is this different from DaisyDisk or GrandPerspective?
Those show you size. DiskScout also tells you meaning: 140+ known folders get a plain-English explanation and a safety grade, developer junk is grouped by project and dated, “System Data” is decoded into actionable pieces, and iCloud files can be offloaded instead of deleted. Everything goes to the Trash first with an in-app Restore.
How fast is a scan?
Scan time depends on file count, storage and macOS permissions. Scanning runs in parallel, and all six views share one in-memory tree. The app shows the measured file count and elapsed time after each scan.
Does anything leave my Mac?
No. Scanning, hashing and duplicate matching all happen locally. There is no account, no sync, no analytics. The only network calls are a licence check with Dodo Payments and an optional update check you can turn off.
Can it delete something I still need?
Not on its own. Items go to a staged list you review first; system-critical paths cannot be staged at all; and cleanup moves things to the Trash rather than deleting. The Reclaim tab keeps a history with a Restore button.
Do I need Full Disk Access?
Without it, macOS hides Mail, Messages, Safari and a few Library folders, so totals come out low. DiskScout shows a banner with a one-click link to the right System Settings pane. It is optional.
How many Macs does one key cover?
One at a time. Moving to a new Mac: open Settings on the old one, choose Deactivate This Mac, and the key is free to activate elsewhere.
Does it need to be online?
Only to activate. After that, DiskScout re-checks the key in the background when it can, and keeps working for two weeks without any connection.
Intel Macs?
Yes. The app ships as a universal binary for Apple silicon and Intel, macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
I lost my key.
Email support@piplistudio.com from the address you bought with and we'll resend it.
