Monolingual
Monolingual is a free, open-source Mac utility that removes unused language files and optional architecture binaries from applications to save disk space. It strips out localisations for languages you don't use and can optionally remove Intel x86_64 code from Universal Binaries on Apple Silicon Macs, or PowerPC code from older Intel Macs. The app has been popular among power users seeking to reclaim storage, though modern macOS security features and larger storage capacities have significantly reduced the practical benefit over time.
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1 suggestionMonolingual has not been updated to run natively on Apple Silicon and remains Intel-only, running under Rosetta 2 today. The app is actively maintained on GitHub, with the developer indicating work towards version 1.9 in recent issues, so there is a possibility of a native Apple Silicon build eventually arriving. However, there is no confirmed native release yet. Given that Apple is removing Rosetta 2 in macOS 28 (September 2028), you should monitor the project's GitHub repository (github.com/IngmarStein/Monolingual) periodically for updates. If a native build does ship before September 2028, updating will keep Monolingual functional on future macOS releases. If development stalls without a native version, the utility will stop working entirely on macOS 28 and later. In the meantime, the Intel build remains usable but offers diminishing returns: modern macOS restricts file deletion due to code signing and System Integrity Protection, and storage costs have fallen sharply, making the space savings less compelling than when the tool was first created.
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