Using Terminal to delete 'dot-underscore' files

[smartyy]

Tom, accept my thanks, we need more people like you. No 2minute intro, No ads, no bullshit, pure information. Please set up some way for me to donate to you.

[Joeysan]

It's 2025 and this video is still helping people. THANK YOU SIR!

[StephenCooteNZ]

Wow... thank you. I bought a digital projector for showing images. When I plugged the USB stick into the projector (which was loaded on our Mac) I found I had those dot underscore files and these would interrupt my slide show. I followed your instructions and solved the problem. Much appreciated. Best wishes from New Zealand.

[davidjmcgraw]

Thank you so much for posting this video. It is still helping people 5 years later!

[oldmanbanksia]

Excellent. Even somebody very wary of using Terminal (which is me) could follow your clear step-by-step instructions. So appreciative of you taking the time to make this video. Others in the Comments section have said the same - I join with them all expressing my sincere thanks to you.

[LeRatVisseur]

In Terminal, type:

dot_clean -mn

Put a space after the -mn. Don't hit Enter yet. Now drag and drop your USB drive's icon from the desktop into the Terminal window. It will fill out the correct path for you, like this:

dot_clean -mn /Volumes/FLASH\ DRIVE

I happened to use a flash drive that has the name "FLASH DRIVE". That's why the \(space) between the two words in Terminal.

What you've done is:

1) Entered the basic command
2) Added the command argument m, which means "Always delete dot underbar files." This is automatically done recursively (all folders and subfolders on the drive).
3) Added the command argument n, which means "Delete dot underbar file if there is no matching native file." Without it, Mac files on the DOS formatted drive such as ._Trash would be left behind.
4) Told it what drive to run this command on.

Now press Enter. It's done when Terminal goes to the next prompt

COPIED FROM AN APPLE FORUM, IT WORKED FOR ME

[rebeccasimons]

yes, you saved my day Tom! My mediaplayer didn't want to play my files due to the ._ files. I never used the terminal for anything, but now I did and it worked ! Thank you !

[_kanon_]

You just relived me of such a huge headache. Thanks for the help!

[aldoohare]

omg! you have no idea how hard I have been trying to find out how to get rid of these files as they was causing mega programs with the menus in work!! weeks and weeks of people given off to me for a problem I had no idea how to get rid off! thank you so god damn much@ lol thank you!!!

[RobertPrince]

Super helpful! Thanks! This was driving me nuts.

[DagleyMedia]

Working with a retail store to play video files on repeat. This solved many of the issues we were having. Thanks.

[betsydamon]

SO CONCISE!!! I when a video tutorial doesn't waste our time! Wonderful thank you so much!!

[michellehoughton]

Super helpful video to find after too much time trying to figure out the hidden problem! Thanks for all your help.

[handsomedubbledee]

tom, you are a gotdamn boss. it worked as you said. thank you so much. learned more about using terminal because of this

[marct]

So glad this was posted by you. Lifesaver for me to get those pesky hidden files to go away!!!

[pamschmidt]

Thank you Tom... now I can play my mpeg-4 using my Micca Speck G2! Halloween isn't cancelled!!! :-) You are the man!!

[stevebrennan]

The dot underscore files were driving me nuts. Not to mention my radio would not play the flash drive properly. Thanks to your video, everything works now.

[LukasDaras]

Thank you! I was trying to solve this for hours, to put songs in my car without ._ files beeing in the way. It works prefectly, even thugh I was little bit affraid to use terminal at first. I am glad that I gave it a chance.

[WoolTribeStudio]

Exactly the answer we needed! Thanks so much, Tom!

[steveskinabobarabbit]

Worked perfectly, thank you. Needed to get rid of the ._ files from a SD card for my car. 👍