Too much hard disk space used

[tailwind_mrs]

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Description of the issue:
I’m using a MacBook Pro (2017) and have 1.39.111 version of Brave.
When looking to free up hard drive space on my laptop I saw that inside the folder “Application Support” a folder named “BraveSoftware” is storing 28.,12 GB worth of data.
Inside this folder there is a folder called “Defaults” occupying 10,87GB and then another folder called “Snapshots” that itself contains two other folders each with roughly 8,5GB.

In all these folders, the largest file is a text file named “History”.

How can this issue be reproduced? It seems I have several machines in sync and each of the folders corresponds to one of them.

Expected result: less space occupied by the browser. This is very strange to me… not sure why I would have this amount of disk required to run Brave.

Brave Version( check About Brave): 1.39.111

Additional Information:

[tailwind_mrs]

Just to ad something here, I also noticed that another file, under those same folders is huge:

together with the History.txt (size 4,36GB) I have another called “Favicons.txt” with 4,17 GB. I have these repeated in all the other folders mentioned above, that I assume relate to my other synced computer (also a Mac).

[289wk]

@tailwind_mrs

In order for you to have some reference . . .

You know the following, but for clarification re Mac OS Brave Browser installation:

The default profile folder, ‘Default’ is at:

• /Users/username/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/
• and that may also be written:
• $HOME/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/

‘Bookmarks’ file:

• $HOME/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Bookmarks

‘Favicons’ file:

• $HOME/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Favicons

‘History’ file:

• $HOME/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/History

‘Sync Data’ folder:

• /Users/username/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Sync Data/

‘Web data’ file:

• $HOME/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Web Data

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My setup:

• no Brave Sync
• no Extensions
• no IPFS
• no Brave Rewards
• no ‘secure DNS’
• aggressive Shields settings
• allow JavaScripts by individual source selection at: brave://settings/content/javascript
• use a Brave Browser > New Private Window
• routinely clear caches and cookies
• routinely export Bookmarks; result: Bookmarks.html file
• routinely back up the BraveSoftware folder (located within the paths mentioned, above)
• settings are lean - Disabled or otherwise set - toward reducing the influence of websites

Sizes:

• ‘Default’ folder: 63 MB
• ‘Favicons’ file: 94 KB
• ‘History’ file: 197 KB
• ‘Sync Data’ folder: 37 KB
• ‘Web Data’ file: 98 KB

NO ‘Snapshots’ folder exists.

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Your hunch: ‘It seems I have several machines in sync and each of the folders corresponds to one of them.’

. . . is likely, from my perspective.

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Recommended in order to Start Up Brave Browser lean instead of burdened:

In a Brave Browser - New Window, go to: brave://settings/getStarted

• Select: Open a specific page or set of pages
• Select: Add a new page
• Enter: about:blank (notice the colon)

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Recommended Brave Shields version is v1

In a Brave Browser - New Window, go to: brave://flags

Search for Enable Brave Shields

• DISABLE: Enable Brave Shields v2
• ENABLE: Enable Brave Shields v1

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Recommended GLOBAL SHIELDS settings:

In a Brave Browser - New Window, go to: brave://settings/shields

• Enable: Show the number of blocked items on the Shields icon

If ‘Default view’ option is available, select: Advanced view

• Disable: Auto-redirect AMP pages (AMP - Google’s Accelerated Mobile Page)
• (Alternate setting for older Brave Browser versions, try: Disable Enable De-AMP at brave://flags)
• Enable: Prevent sites from fingerprinting me based on my language preferences
• Trackers & ads blocking: Aggressive
• Enable: Upgrade connections to HTTPS
• Enable: Block scripts
• Block fingerprinting (aka Fingerprinting blocking): Strict, may break sites
• Block cookies (aka Cookie blocking): Only cross-site

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Recommended in order to reduce influence by websites:

In a Brave Browser - New Window, go to: brave://settings/content

Scroll down to “Additional permissions” . . . and set:

• Protocol handlers: Don't allow sites to handle protocols
• File editing: Don't allow sites to edit files or folders on your device
• Clipboard: Don't allow sites to see text or images on your clipboard
• Window placement: Don't allow sites use info about your screens to open and place windows

Scroll down to “Content” . . . and set:

• Pop-ups and redirects: Don't allow sites to send pop-ups or use redirects

–

In a Brave Browser - New Window, go to: brave://settings/cookies

• Enable: Block third-party cookies
• Disable: Clear cookies and site data when you close all windows

–

[tailwind_mrs]

heya, thanks for all of this. I will try it.

I wonder how much it will break my normal “browsing experience” and how much I’ll need to adjust myself. I use some extensions and would like to continue using them.

I still find it strange that with a normal usage I get those extremely large files, including the Favicons (4GB) which is in the same place you mentioned.

If you have any idea of why $HOME/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Favicons and $HOME/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/History could get to be so large please share.

[289wk]

@tailwind_mrs

You could create 2 new Brave Browser Profiles for the purpose of testing.

Set up one of those Profiles to be similar to your Default, but use it sparingly - in order to ‘populate’ its files and folders little.

You then have an available collection of Profile folders and files with which to compare against the same-named items of your Default folder.

Set up the 2nd new Profile - lean, secure. No frills.