Can a Mac clean itself automatically?

macOS can empty the Trash after 30 days and remove some caches when space is low, but it doesn’t clear old downloads, screenshots or duplicates. A Routine does those on a schedule you choose.

Will a routine delete files permanently?

No. Files go to the Trash, and every run can be put back from Activity.

Can Shortcuts run a routine?

Yes. The Run Routine action runs any routine from Shortcuts, and Clean Safe Items and Organize Folder are actions of their own.

Does it run when the app is closed?

Routines run while Peekaboo is running. Add it to System Settings › General › Login Items so it starts with your Mac and keeps the schedule.

Peekaboo · Routines

Let your Mac clean up after itself, with the undo button kept

Cleaning up once is easy; remembering to do it every week isn’t. Routines do it for you, and because every run is recorded, an automatic cleanup is as reversible as a manual one.

Download free trial14 days free · macOS 14+ · Updated November 7, 2026

What it does

Three ways to start: On a schedule (every day at 9, every Friday), when the app launches, or when a new file arrives in a folder and has finished downloading.
Written as a sentence: “Move screenshots older than 30 days to the Trash”, “tag new PDFs in Downloads” or “organize Downloads by kind”. A routine can move, organize, tag, move to the Trash, notify you or Clean Safe Items. The condition uses the same plain-English search as the rest of the app, and anything not understood is pointed out.
Templates and built-ins: Start from a template, or turn on the built-in ones: Keep Organized, automatic Clean Up rules and Clean Safe Items, which clears only caches marked Safe.
Every run, recorded: Each run is a session in Activity with Put Back. Moves to the Trash ask for consent once, and nothing is ever deleted outright.

How to use it

1Open Routines and pick a template, or write your own sentence.
2Choose when it runs: a schedule, at launch, or when a file arrives.
3Check Recent Runs, and put back anything you didn’t want.⇧⌘Y

When another app fits better

Routines don’t run shell scripts, rename from file contents or watch network shares. For that depth, [Hazel](/alternatives/hazel/) is the long-standing choice. If you’d rather clean up only by hand, leave Routines empty: nothing runs until you add one.

Questions

Can a Mac clean itself automatically?: macOS can empty the Trash after 30 days and remove some caches when space is low, but it doesn’t clear old downloads, screenshots or duplicates. A Routine does those on a schedule you choose.
Will a routine delete files permanently?: No. Files go to the Trash, and every run can be put back from Activity.
Can Shortcuts run a routine?: Yes. The Run Routine action runs any routine from Shortcuts, and Clean Safe Items and Organize Folder are actions of their own.
Does it run when the app is closed?: Routines run while Peekaboo is running. Add it to System Settings › General › Login Items so it starts with your Mac and keeps the schedule.