Reclaim Mac storage without deleting first.
ColdShelf is a local-only, archive-first desktop MVP for Apple silicon. Scan folders you already have, review exact duplicates, archive them to an external drive, restore if you need to, and only then consider guarded Trash cleanup.
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ColdShelf 0.3.0 will be a one-time $39 purchase, not a subscription. Leave your email and we'll tell you when checkout is actually available. Joining the list does not charge you and does not reserve a license.
Archive-first
The differentiator is the order of operations.
Most disk cleaners push delete. ColdShelf copies verified exact duplicates to an attached external drive first, keeps restore in the same workflow, and treats Trash as a guarded last step for individual files. Fast candidate matching can surface groups. It never authorizes cleanup.
- Local-only: no files uploaded, no cloud APIs in this build.
- No auto-delete and no emptying of Trash.
- 102 tests passed on the 0.3.0 MVP.
Scan → review → archive → restore → optional Trash
That sequence is the product. ColdShelf 0.3.0 is an unsigned Mac Apple silicon test build, not a signed production installer and not a cloud cleaner. Google Drive, Google Photos, and phone/MTP are not included yet.
How the workflow runs
Built and tested as a local desktop MVP. The steps below describe the real 0.3.0 workflow, not a future cloud product.
Scan local folders
Point ColdShelf at local, read-only, or exported folders on your Mac. It inventories files on disk. Nothing is uploaded.
Review duplicate groups
Inspect exact-duplicate groups with Quick Look previews, adjustable rules, and excludes. Fast candidate matching never authorizes cleanup.
Archive to an external drive
Copy verified duplicates to an attached external drive first. Restore is part of the same archive workflow.
Guarded cleanup, if you choose
Only then can you send individual files to Trash. There is no auto-delete and ColdShelf does not empty Trash for you.
What 0.3.0 actually does
Local, read-only, and exported folders
Scan folders you already have on disk, including read-only volumes and exported libraries. ColdShelf does not connect to Google Drive, Google Photos, or phone/MTP.
Exact duplicate detection
Groups files that match exactly. Fast candidate matching is a review aid only; it never authorizes cleanup.
Adjustable rules and excludes
Tune what gets grouped and skip paths you want left alone before you archive anything.
Quick Look previews
Preview files in duplicate groups with macOS Quick Look so you can confirm what you are looking at.
Duplicate-group review
Work through groups instead of a raw file dump. Review comes before archive, and archive comes before any Trash step.
Verified external-drive archive and restore
Archive duplicates to an attached external drive and restore them from that archive. Reclaim space without treating delete as the first move.
Saved sessions
Come back to a scan and review session instead of starting from scratch every time.
CSV, JSON, and Markdown reports
Export what you found for your own records. Reports stay on your Mac.
Guarded individual-file Trash cleanup
Cleanup is opt-in, per file, and goes to Trash. ColdShelf does not auto-delete files and does not empty Trash.
Safety and trust
ColdShelf is local-only. Matching is not permission to delete. Archive is verified to an external drive. Trash is opt-in and per file.
Archive first, delete last
The product is built to copy verified duplicates to an external drive before any Trash step. Cleanup is never the default action.
Local-only. No uploads.
ColdShelf works on folders and drives attached to your Mac. Files are not uploaded to Bozoma Labs or any cloud API.
Matching does not authorize cleanup
Fast candidate matching can surface likely duplicates. It does not delete, archive, or send anything to Trash on its own.
No auto-delete. No empty Trash.
There is no bulk auto-delete. Guarded cleanup is individual files to Trash, and emptying Trash stays a macOS action you take yourself.
Unsigned early-access test build
Version 0.3.0 is a real Mac Apple silicon MVP with 102 tests passed. It is not a signed, notarized, or App Store installer. Gatekeeper will warn; that is expected.
No invented cloud or phone support
Google Drive, Google Photos, and direct phone/MTP access are not in this build. Those remain a later technical track.
Who it is for
Mac Apple silicon owners with a full disk
People on Apple silicon Macs who want to reclaim local space by archiving duplicates they already have on disk.
Creators sitting on exported duplicates
Photographers, video editors, and makers who accumulate exact copies from exports, caches, and “safe copies” on the same machine or an attached drive.
Anyone who distrusts auto-cleaners
If you want review, archive, and restore before Trash, ColdShelf is built around that order. It is not a one-click cleaner.
System requirements
- macOS on Apple silicon (the 0.3.0 test build targets this architecture only).
- An unsigned desktop build: macOS Gatekeeper will warn because the app is not signed or notarized.
- Local folders, read-only volumes, or exported folders you can attach or mount on the Mac.
- An external drive if you want the verified archive-and-restore path.
Honest limitations
- Not a production-ready signed installer and not distributed through the Mac App Store.
- No Intel Mac, Windows, or Linux build in this release. Do not expect broad OS support.
- No Google Drive API, Google Photos API, or direct phone/MTP access yet.
- No payment, license-key, or download-delivery system is wired up until checkout is intentionally enabled.
- Fast candidate matching never authorizes cleanup; you still review groups before archive or Trash.
Early access, one-time $39
Not a subscription. Not an App Store listing. You would be buying the current unsigned Mac Apple silicon test build when checkout is enabled.
ColdShelf 0.3.0
one-time purchase target
Checkout is not live. Join the list and we will email you when it is.
- Unsigned Mac Apple silicon test build
- Archive-first duplicate workflow
- Verified external-drive archive and restore
- Guarded individual-file Trash cleanup
- CSV, JSON, and Markdown reports
Support: contact@bozomalabs.com
FAQ
What is ColdShelf?
ColdShelf is an early-access Mac Apple silicon desktop app for archive-first storage reclaim. It scans local, read-only, or exported folders for exact duplicates, lets you review groups, archives verified copies to an external drive, and only then offers guarded individual-file Trash cleanup. Version 0.3.0 is a real unsigned MVP with 102 tests passed.
Is this a signed, production-ready Mac app?
No. ColdShelf 0.3.0 is an unsigned Mac Apple silicon test build. It is early access, not a notarized installer and not an App Store product. macOS Gatekeeper will warn when you open it. That warning is expected for this stage.
Which computers does it run on?
The current test build is for macOS on Apple silicon only. There is no Intel Mac, Windows, or Linux build in 0.3.0.
Will ColdShelf delete files by itself?
No. Fast candidate matching never authorizes cleanup. There is no auto-delete and ColdShelf does not empty Trash. Guarded cleanup, when you choose it, is individual files sent to Trash after review and archive.
Does it upload my files?
No. ColdShelf is local-only. It scans folders on your Mac and attached drives. Files are not uploaded to Bozoma Labs or to a cloud API.
Can it clean Google Drive, Google Photos, or my phone?
Not in this build. There is no Google Drive API, Google Photos API, or direct phone/MTP support yet. You can scan local or exported folders you already copied onto the Mac.
What does archive-first mean?
Duplicates are copied to a verified archive on an external drive, with restore available, before any Trash step. The point is to reclaim local disk without treating delete as the first action.
What is the $39 price?
Early access is planned as a one-time $39 purchase, not a subscription. Purchase is not live until a checkout URL is configured. When it is, you are buying the current unsigned Mac Apple silicon test build, not a signed production installer.
Can I buy ColdShelf right now?
Only if checkout has been enabled on this page. If you see an email waitlist instead of a buy button, payment and license delivery are not live yet. Joining the list does not charge you.
How do I get support?
Email contact@bozomalabs.com. That is the support address used across Bozoma Labs products.
Early access for Apple silicon Macs
Purchase is not live. Get notified when the $39 one-time checkout actually opens.
Published by Bozoma Labs | Support: contact@bozomalabs.com
ColdShelf 0.3.0 is an unsigned Mac Apple silicon test build. It is not affiliated with Apple. macOS, Quick Look, and Gatekeeper are trademarks of Apple Inc.