.gitignore for macOS
44 ignore rules for macOS, ready to copy into your repository.
Apple's desktop operating system
The complete .gitignore for macOS
# Generated by LFGitignore - https://lfgitignore.com
# Created: 2026-09-17 17:00:39 UTC
# Technologies: macOS
### macOS ###
# macOS folder settings (Desktop Services Store)
.DS_Store
# macOS resource fork files
.AppleDouble
.localized
# macOS custom folder icon
.LSOverride
__MACOSX/
# macOS custom icon file (Icon^M)
Icon[
]
# macOS resource fork files
._*
# macOS version history
.DocumentRevisions-V100
# macOS file system events daemon
.fseventsd
# macOS Spotlight index
.Spotlight-V100
# macOS temporary files
.TemporaryItems
# macOS trash folder
.Trashes
# macOS AppleDB cache
.AppleDB
# macOS volume icon
.VolumeIcon.icns
# macOS desktop settings
.AppleDesktop
# macOS Time Machine marker
.com.apple.timemachine.donotpresent
.com.apple.timemachine.supported
# macOS network trash
Network Trash Folder
.PKInstallSandboxManager
# macOS temporary items
Temporary Items
.PKInstallSandboxManager-SystemSoftware
# macOS AppleTalk disk info
.apdisk
.hotfiles.btree
.vol
.file
.disk_label*
lost+found
.HFS+ Private Directory Data[
]
Desktop DB
Desktop DF
TheFindByContentFolder
TheVolumeSettingsFolder
.FBCIndex
.FBCSemaphoreFile
.FBCLockFolder
.quota.group
.quota.user
.quota.ops.group
.quota.ops.user
Backups.backupdb
.MobileBackups
.MobileBackups.trash
MobileBackups.trash
tmbootpicker.efi
What these macOS rules actually ignore
Every pattern below, and why it belongs in your .gitignore.
General
| Pattern | What it ignores |
|---|---|
.DS_Store |
macOS folder settings (Desktop Services Store) |
.AppleDouble |
macOS resource fork files |
.localized |
General |
__MACOSX/ |
General |
.LSOverride |
macOS custom folder icon |
Icon[
] |
macOS custom icon file (Icon^M) |
Resource forks
| Pattern | What it ignores |
|---|---|
._* |
macOS resource fork files |
Files and directories that might appear in the root of a volume
| Pattern | What it ignores |
|---|---|
.DocumentRevisions-V100 |
macOS version history |
.fseventsd |
macOS file system events daemon |
.Spotlight-V100 |
macOS Spotlight index |
.TemporaryItems |
macOS temporary files |
.Trashes |
macOS trash folder |
.VolumeIcon.icns |
macOS volume icon |
.com.apple.timemachine.donotpresent |
macOS Time Machine marker |
.com.apple.timemachine.supported |
Files and directories that might appear in the root of a volume |
.PKInstallSandboxManager |
Files and directories that might appear in the root of a volume |
.PKInstallSandboxManager-SystemSoftware |
Files and directories that might appear in the root of a volume |
.hotfiles.btree |
Files and directories that might appear in the root of a volume |
.vol |
Files and directories that might appear in the root of a volume |
.file |
Files and directories that might appear in the root of a volume |
.disk_label* |
Files and directories that might appear in the root of a volume |
lost+found |
Files and directories that might appear in the root of a volume |
.HFS+ Private Directory Data[
] |
Files and directories that might appear in the root of a volume |
Directories potentially created on remote AFP share
| Pattern | What it ignores |
|---|---|
.AppleDB |
macOS AppleDB cache |
.AppleDesktop |
macOS desktop settings |
Network Trash Folder |
macOS network trash |
Temporary Items |
macOS temporary items |
.apdisk |
macOS AppleTalk disk info |
Mac OS 6 to 9
| Pattern | What it ignores |
|---|---|
Desktop DB |
Mac OS 6 to 9 |
Desktop DF |
Mac OS 6 to 9 |
TheFindByContentFolder |
Mac OS 6 to 9 |
TheVolumeSettingsFolder |
Mac OS 6 to 9 |
.FBCIndex |
Mac OS 6 to 9 |
.FBCSemaphoreFile |
Mac OS 6 to 9 |
.FBCLockFolder |
Mac OS 6 to 9 |
Quota system
| Pattern | What it ignores |
|---|---|
.quota.group |
Quota system |
.quota.user |
Quota system |
.quota.ops.group |
Quota system |
.quota.ops.user |
Quota system |
TimeMachine
| Pattern | What it ignores |
|---|---|
Backups.backupdb |
TimeMachine |
.MobileBackups |
TimeMachine |
.MobileBackups.trash |
TimeMachine |
MobileBackups.trash |
TimeMachine |
tmbootpicker.efi |
TimeMachine |
How to use this .gitignore for macOS
- Copy the macOS rules above, or download the file directly.
- Create a file named .gitignore at the root of your Git repository and paste the rules into it.
- If some of those files are already tracked, run git rm -r --cached . then commit again — Git only applies ignore rules to untracked files.
- Commit the .gitignore so everyone on the team shares the same rules.