Delete local
Single file delete
Free up one file or a small batch without running the full bulk action. Same safety guarantees, smaller surgical scope.
Single file delete removes the local copy of one file. The backup copies on your destinations stay where they are. Use this when you want to free space on a per-file basis, not for an entire project.
Common cases:
- You re-exported a clip and want to free the older version locally.
- You want to free the local copy of one giant file (a master ProRes export) but keep the rest of the project workable.
- You're cleaning up after a delivery, file by file.
How to do it
Open the project, find the file in the table, and pick Delete localfrom the row's context menu (three-dot icon on the right of the row). Tusk shows a single-file confirmation modal with the file name, path, size, and a per-destination backup confirmation. Confirm to move it to Trash.
You can also select multiple rows by Cmd-clicking and use the Delete local action in the bulk action bar at the bottom of the table. Same safety logic applies per file.
Screenshot
Single-file delete-local confirmation modal. Show the file name and path, file size, a per-destination backup status row showing 'Verified on External SSD' and 'Verified on Backblaze B2', and the Delete button.
alt: The single-file delete confirmation modal
The safety check
Before deleting, Tusk verifies that the file has at least one fully verified backup at the moment of the action. If it doesn't, the Delete button is disabled and the modal shows why:
- “No backup found” (the file isn't on any destination).
- “Backup not yet verified” (the file is mid-transfer or pending verification).
- “All backups failed last verification” (run a re-check or fix the underlying issue first).
To unblock the action, run a re-check on the file from the row's context menu (Re-check backup) or wait for the pending sync to finish.
What happens after delete
The local file moves to the macOS Trash (recoverable until you empty it). The file's row in the table flips to Not local. Backup statuses on destinations stay unchanged. The file is restorable any time using the Restore action from the same row.
Files in protected paths
Tusk refuses to touch files in macOS system locations (/System, /Library, /usr, ~/Library, ~/.Trash, the user's home root, the system root). The Delete local action is disabled for any file inside one of these paths regardless of the file's backup state.
Single file delete is reversible until you empty the Trash
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