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Filelight is a free, GPL-licensed KDE application that shows where storage space is being used as an interactive map of concentric rings. Choose a folder, local disk, removable drive, or remote mount; Filelight measures the directory tree and sizes each segment in proportion to the space it occupies. The outer rings reveal the broadest consumers, while clicking a segment lets you descend into subfolders until you reach the files responsible. Use the path and size information to decide what to move or delete in a file manager, then rescan to verify the result. Its usefulness depends on choosing the right scan scope and exclusions: mounted filesystems, virtual folders, permissions, and network mounts can otherwise make the statistics incomplete, noisy, or expensive to collect.
What is Filelight, and what do its disk-usage statistics mean?
Filelight is a graphical disk-usage analyzer from KDE. Instead of presenting a flat list, it represents the scanned filesystem as nested, segmented rings. Each ring corresponds to another directory level. A segment’s angular size is proportional to the space used by that directory or file within the selected tree, so the largest segments immediately identify the areas worth investigating.
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The Filelight Handbook describes the purpose this way: “Filelight allows you to quickly understand exactly where your diskspace is being used by graphically representing your file system as a set of concentric segmented-rings.” The map is a hierarchy, not a pie chart of unrelated categories. The center is the folder or filesystem you selected; moving outward follows its descendants.
How to read the hierarchy
- The center represents the scan root.
- Each successive ring is one directory level deeper.
- Large sectors indicate directories or files consuming a large share of the scanned tree.
- Small sectors can represent many tiny files; depending on the display setting, they may be shown individually or merged into a multi-segment.
- Clicking a directory recenters the map on that directory, making its children easier to compare.
- Hovering over a segment displays its name and size details.
Because the proportions are calculated only from what the scan includes, a ring is meaningful only within its selected scope and settings. A root scan that excludes another mounted filesystem cannot be compared directly with a scan that crosses into that mount.
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How do I scan a folder or disk with Filelight?
Start with the smallest scope that can answer your question. Scanning a project folder is faster to interpret than scanning an entire system, while a full-disk scan is useful when you do not know where the problem is.
- Launch Filelight. Open it from your desktop application launcher, or pass a path directly from a terminal. For example,
filelight /homestarts with the home directory as the scan root. - Choose the scan target. Use the Scan menu to select a folder or disk, or enter a path in Filelight’s location bar. The target can be a local directory, a complete local disk, a removable device, or a mounted remote location.
- Wait for the filemap to complete. The rings become useful only after Filelight has finished reading the selected tree. Do not treat a partially populated view as final statistics.
- Start at the outer rings. Identify the largest sector, then click it to recenter the map and repeat the process through deeper levels.
- Inspect the path before changing anything. Hover for the item name and size, and use the context actions or an integrated file manager to examine the location.
- Rescan after changes. The Scan menu includes a rescan command. Run it after moving or deleting files so the map reflects the current filesystem state.
For an external drive, mount it in the desktop environment first, then select its mounted folder in Filelight. The same approach applies to a network share: mount it through the operating system and scan the resulting path, while considering the network-traffic implications described below.
How do I use the rings to find large files?
Follow the largest visible branch from the outside toward the center until the map shows individual files or a small set of candidate folders. This turns a vague “disk almost full” warning into a path you can verify.
Trace the largest branch
At each level, compare neighboring sectors rather than relying on color alone. Colors identify segments visually, but area is the statistic that matters. A large outer sector may contain dozens of subdirectories; recenter on it and continue until one or more files account for most of the space.
Verify the item and its purpose
Use the hover details and path to determine whether the item is a personal download, a build artifact, a media folder, an application cache, or something required by the operating system. Filelight’s map is diagnostic; it does not know whether a particular file is safe to remove.
Use a file manager for the action
Open the selected item in the integrated file manager or use Filelight’s context actions to inspect, copy, move, or remove it. Check the complete path before deleting. Items under system, application, or shared directories may be needed by other users or programs, and a large size by itself is not evidence that removal is safe.
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Confirm the result
After the operation completes, rescan the same scope. A successful cleanup should reduce the relevant segment. If it does not, check whether the item was moved to a trash location, whether another mounted filesystem is being counted, or whether you rescanned a different path.
Which Filelight settings change what gets counted?
The configuration determines whether the map is complete, intentionally limited, or protected from problematic paths. Review these options before interpreting an unexpected total.
Do not scan these folders
Add folders to Do not scan these folders when they are inaccessible, irrelevant, or likely to create noise. Virtual filesystems such as /proc can be unsuitable for a normal storage report, and permission-restricted directories may produce an incomplete-looking tree. Exclusions are useful, but remember that excluded space will not appear in the statistics.
Scan across filesystem boundaries
Scan across filesystem boundaries controls whether Filelight follows mounted filesystems found below the starting path. Leaving it disabled keeps mounts under paths such as /mnt out of a root-level scan. Enable it only when you deliberately want those additional filesystems represented in one map; otherwise, a separate scan gives clearer accounting.
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Scanning NFS or Samba mounts can generate high network traffic, according to KDE’s configuration documentation. Enable Exclude remote filesystems when you want a local report without reading large remote trees, or when the connection is metered, slow, or shared with other work.
Exclude removable media
Exclude removable media prevents devices such as CDs and other removable volumes from being scanned automatically. This is helpful for a broad system scan when removable devices should not influence the local-disk result.
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Appearance and readability
Filelight provides color-scheme and contrast controls, anti-aliasing, label-font sizing, and an option to show small files individually or merge them into a multi-segment. These settings change how the map is displayed, not the underlying sizes. Increase label text or contrast when you are tracing a dense directory tree; show small files when you need to investigate fragmentation among many tiny items.
Should I scan a local disk, remote mount, or removable drive?
Choose the scope based on the question you are answering and the cost of collecting the data. The same ring interface is used for each target, but coverage, permissions, and operational impact differ.
| Scan choice | Best use | Coverage decision | Operational considerations | Follow-up workflow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local folder or disk | Finding large directories on the computer’s own storage | Decide whether mounted filesystems below the path should be included | Usually avoids network traffic; permissions can still limit visibility | Inspect or manage items in the integrated file manager or another file manager |
| Remote mount (NFS or Samba) | Understanding space on a network share | Scan the mounted share intentionally, or exclude remote filesystems from a local report | May generate high network traffic and take longer on a busy or metered connection | Use the share’s normal file-management permissions and policies |
| Removable disk or media | Locating large content on an external drive or disc | Select the mounted device directly; exclude removable media from broad scans when it should not count | Availability can change if the device is disconnected or unmounted | Make changes only while the device is mounted and accessible, then rescan it |
For a clean “what is filling this computer?” report, scan the local filesystem with remote and removable exclusions enabled as appropriate. For a “what is filling this share?” report, select the remote mount explicitly rather than combining it with unrelated local paths.
Why does my Filelight map look incomplete or unexpectedly large?
Most surprises come from scope, exclusions, or permissions rather than a mathematical error in the ring display.
- A mounted volume is missing: check Scan across filesystem boundaries. A disabled setting intentionally keeps child filesystems out of the parent scan.
- The scan contains virtual or inaccessible paths: add noisy locations to Do not scan these folders, and scan directories for which your account has permission.
- A network scan is consuming bandwidth: stop or narrow the scan, then enable Exclude remote filesystems for future local reports.
- A removable device appears in a broad result: enable Exclude removable media, or scan the local filesystem separately.
- Labels are hard to read: adjust contrast, anti-aliasing, and label font size in the appearance controls.
- The result is stale: run the rescan command after any file operation or after mounting or unmounting a device.
Do not infer that an absent segment is empty. It may be excluded by configuration, outside the selected filesystem boundary, hidden by permissions, or simply not part of the path you scanned.
What should I do after Filelight identifies a large directory?
Use a cautious, path-first workflow: identify, verify, act, and then measure again.
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- Record the full path shown by Filelight.
- Open the path in a file manager and inspect representative files, timestamps, and ownership.
- Decide whether to archive, move, or delete the data according to its role and backup policy.
- Perform the change through the file manager or Filelight’s available context integration.
- Rescan the original scope and confirm that the expected segment changed.
This process is especially important for system directories, shared project trees, and remote locations. Filelight can expose a large item quickly, but responsibility for the change remains with the person managing that filesystem.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Filelight free, and where is it available?
KDE lists Filelight as free, open-source software under GPL-2.0-or-later. Flathub lists a free Filelight package for aarch64 and x86_64 systems. The KDE release listing identifies version 26.08.2 with a release date of 2026-10-08; package availability and version timing can differ by distribution, so check your operating system’s repository or Flatpak catalog for the build offered to you.
Flathub displayed 8,367 downloads per month for Filelight in 2026 when the catalog entry was accessed. That figure is a changing catalog metric, not a performance measurement or a guarantee of current popularity.
What are Filelight’s practical limits?
Filelight excels at revealing hierarchy and relative space consumption, but it is not a benchmark of scan speed and it does not determine whether data is safe to remove. No independent benchmark or published accuracy study establishes a universal scan time or performance figure; results depend on the number of files, storage device, permissions, and whether the target is local or remote.
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What is the fastest reliable workflow for routine checks?
For recurring maintenance, use a consistent scope and settings so that two scans are comparable.
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- Scan the local home or data directory first when the warning concerns personal storage.
- Trace the largest sector through two or three levels before opening a file manager.
- Keep virtual folders and irrelevant mounts excluded.
- Scan remote shares and removable media separately when they require investigation.
- After cleanup, rescan the exact same path with the same boundary and exclusion settings.
Consistency prevents a change in scan scope from being mistaken for a change in disk usage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Filelight scan a path supplied from a terminal?
Yes. Pass the folder as an argument when launching it, such as filelight /home. This is useful for opening a known project or mount directly instead of navigating to it after startup.
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Reading an NFS or Samba tree requires Filelight to request directory and file information across the network. KDE warns that this can create high traffic, so exclude remote filesystems for local-only reports or scan a specific share during a suitable maintenance window.
Does Filelight provide a universal scan-time or accuracy guarantee?
No published independent benchmark or accuracy study establishes a universal figure. Scan duration and visibility vary with file count, storage hardware, permissions, and whether the target is local or remote.
Which computer architectures are listed for the Flatpak package?
The Flathub listing identifies packages for aarch64 and x86_64. Your distribution may also offer a native package, with its own release cadence and version naming.
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