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Show Folder Size In Nautilus

5 min read Oct 11, 2024
Show Folder Size In Nautilus

How to See the Size of Folders in Nautilus?

Nautilus, the default file manager in GNOME, offers a handy feature that enables you to view the size of folders directly within the file browser. This can be incredibly useful when managing your hard drive space or when trying to identify large files or folders.

Why should you want to know the size of a folder?

  • Disk Space Management: Knowing the size of folders can help you identify which directories are consuming the most space and determine if you need to delete or move files to free up storage.
  • File Organization: By quickly seeing the size of folders, you can easily organize your files into logical groups based on size, allowing for efficient browsing.
  • Troubleshooting: In cases where you are experiencing disk space issues or slow performance, checking the size of folders can help pinpoint the culprit.

How to See Folder Size in Nautilus:

1. Enable the "Size" Column:

  • Open Nautilus.
  • Right-click on the header bar (the area where the "Name," "Type," and "Date Modified" columns are displayed).
  • Select "Show Hidden Columns" from the context menu.
  • In the list of available columns, check the box next to "Size".

2. Change the Size Display Units:

  • Right-click on the "Size" column header.
  • Choose the desired size units from the context menu: "Bytes," "KiB," "MiB," "GiB," or "TiB."

3. Enabling Recursive Size Calculations:

  • Note: This feature is not directly available in Nautilus itself. It requires a third-party extension.
  • Install the nautilus-folder-size extension. This extension calculates the size of each folder, including its subfolders, providing a more comprehensive view of the total size.

Example:

Let's say you have a folder named "Documents" and want to see its total size, including the size of all subfolders and files within it.

  1. Navigate to the "Documents" folder in Nautilus.
  2. Once the "Size" column is enabled, you will see the size of the "Documents" folder itself displayed.
  3. If you have installed the nautilus-folder-size extension, the folder size will display the cumulative size of all the files and subfolders within it.

Tips and Additional Information:

  • Customize the "Size" Column: You can customize the width of the "Size" column by dragging the right edge of the header.
  • Sort by Size: You can sort folders by their size by clicking the "Size" column header.
  • Use the "Find" Feature: Nautilus offers a "Find" feature that allows you to search for files and folders by size. You can use this to quickly locate large files or folders that are taking up significant space.

Conclusion:

By enabling the "Size" column in Nautilus, you can easily see the size of folders and efficiently manage your disk space. The nautilus-folder-size extension provides a more comprehensive view of the total size of folders, including their subfolders. By using these features, you can better understand how your files and folders are organized and optimize your disk space usage.

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