Free Space On My Mac

Now click on the Manage button. Here you will see four tools to help free up some space. One clears out Apple TV content you have already watched (which you can download again for free later), one can be set to automatically empty your Mac's trash can every 30 days, and another shows a list of your big files, sorted from largest to smallest, ready for you to inspect, move or delete.

1. How To Free Space On My Macbook Air
2. How To Free Space On My Mac Computer
3. How To Free Up Space On Mac

Nov 16, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

Truth to be told – this is one of the major queries of almost every Mac user these days. While Mac offers a wide range of features, most of the models suffer from limited storage. Therefore, a lot of people find it hard to manage storage on Mac and seek the assistance of external sources. Though, if you want, you can take some preventive measures and clear up space on Mac. Some several techniques and methods can help you do the same in less time. To make things easier for you, we have come up with several solutions that will clear space on Mac and resolve this situation.

• Ideally, about ten percent of the storage space on your Mac should be free at all times so your computer can run smoothly. Depending on which model you have, this can be tricky to accomplish routinely. Maybe you need to delete some older apps you're not using, or the app isn't supported anymore.
• Watch my latest video: the channel by downloading the best browser on the market (8 times faster than Goo.
• Your computer keeps a collection of temporary files on its hard drive so it can re-access them later. Many people advocate clearing these caches occasionally to free up space, but unlike the above.

Part 1. How to See How Much Space Is Left on Mac

Before you learn how to clear space on Mac, it is important to know about the system's available storage. In this way, you can get a clear idea of how much space in left in Mac and you can clear other content accordingly. Here's how to see how much space is left on your Mac storage.

1. Firstly, launch Finder on your Mac and from its sidebar, go the Devices section, and select the root directory.
2. Here, you can view all the partitions and external devices. Select the Macintosh HD (or Fusion drive). Right-click to get the context menu and go to the 'Get Info' section.
3. A pop-up window will open stating all the essential details of the hard drive. The 'Capacity' section will display the total storage while the 'Available' option will inform you of the total free space on it.

How to See What's Taking up Space on Mac

After knowing how much space is left on your Mac, you can also take some extra measures as well. For instance, you can know what type of data is accumulating how much space on your system. To get an extensive bifurcation of the storage, follow these steps:

1. Go to Mac's desktop and click on the Apple logo at the top left corner of the screen. From here, go to the 'About This Mac' option.
2. This will launch a dedicated window with details about your system. Visit the 'Storage' section from here.
3. Now, you can view the storage details of your Mac's partition or connected external sources. It would also depict the total and the available space on it.
4. After that, you need to press 'Command + Shift + Period' to toggle to view hidden files.

Eight Solutions to Free Up Space on Mac

1. Downloads Folder

The Downloads folder is the default location on Mac that stores all the content that you have downloaded from the web. If you have been using your Mac for a while now, then the Downloads folder can accumulate a lot of data. Therefore, you should consider visiting the Downloads folder every now and then, and delete the unwanted files from it to clear disk space on Mac.

1. To access your Mac's Downloads, just click on the 'Go' option on Finder and open the Downloads folder.
2. You can also just launch Finder and visit the Downloads folder from the sidebar.
3. On the right, you can view all the files stored in the Downloads folder. Simply select the unwanted data, right-click, and move it to Trash.

2. Unwanted Apps

We all use different kinds of apps on our Mac for numerous purposes. Though, there are times when the system ends up having too many unwanted apps. You can just inspect all the installed apps on Mac and get rid of the programs you no longer want. In this way, you can easily learn how to free up disk space on Mac and boost its processing as well.

1. Just go to Mac's Finder > Applications to view all sorts of apps installed on Mac under various categories.
2. Select the application you wish to delete, right-click, and move it to Trash to get rid of it.
3. If you are removing any important application, then you would get a confirmation prompt like this. Just enter the admin username and password to confirm your choice and delete the app.
4. Apart from that, you can also go to Launchpad to view the programs installed from Mac's App Store. Long press any app to get the delete option (as the icons would start to wiggle).
5. Click on the cross button (delete option) at the top of the app icon and confirm your choice to delete the app.

3. Duplicate Photos and Media Files

This is something that almost every Mac user suffers from. Since we all move our photos, videos, music, and other media files from one place to another, it often results in redundancy. If you wish to free up space on Mac, then check for any duplicate content and get rid of unwanted files.

1. Mostly, users observe the presence of duplicate photos on Mac. To analyze this, go to Finder > Pictures from the sidebar.
2. Here, you can find both the Photos Library and iPhoto Library. You can choose either of these options and import photos from one library to another to get rid of duplicate files.
3. Apart from that, you can take the assistance of iTunes to detect duplicate content as well. Simply launch iTunes and go to its File > Library > Show Duplicate Items.
4. This will display all the duplicate songs, videos, and other media files on iTunes. You can just remove the files of your choice from here.

4. Get rid of Trash

Whenever we delete something from Mac, it is moved to Trash. This lets us recover the files that we have deleted accidentally. Though, if you wish to clear space on Mac, then it is important to wipe the Trash folder as well. In this way, you can delete files from Trash permanently and clear disk space on Mac easily.

1. If you want to empty the entire Trash folder, then select its icon first and go to Finder. Click on the 'Empty Trash' option from here and confirm your choice.
2. In addition to that, you can also select the Trash icon from the dock and right-click. From the context menu, click on the 'Empty Trash' option.

5. iTunes Backup

To make it easier for iOS users to manage their devices, Apple has provided several options in iTunes. Chances are that you must have taken its assistance to back up your iOS device as well. For instance, if you have an iPhone, then you can easily take its backup on iTunes as many times as you want. Though, multiple backups can take a toll on Mac storage and should be checked regularly. If you want to learn how to free space on Mac, then follow this simple drill.

1. Start by launching iTunes on your Mac and go to its iTunes menu > Preferences.
2. As the Preferences window will open, you can go to the 'Devices' section to view the available backup files.
3. Simply select the file you wish to get rid of and click on the 'Delete Backup' button. Confirm your choice and the iTunes backup would be erased from your Mac.

6. Temporary Files

Just like every other leading operating system, Mac also stores temporary and cache data while processing. Ideally, these temp files help us with the processing of certain actions and the overall Mac performance. Nevertheless, they can also accumulate after a while and consume a large chunk of your Mac's storage. Thus, it is recommended to remove temporary files every now and then to free up space on Mac.

1. Since every application can have its own temporary files, you can start by visiting the relevant folders. Visit Finder's Go > Go to Folders and enter '~/Users/User/Library/Application Support/' in the address bar.
2. Once the Application Support folder would be opened, you can visit different files and search for temporary files (with temp or tmp extensions). Subsequently, you can move the relevant files to Trash.
3. Apart from temporary files, you can also check the Cache data on Mac too. Just visit Library > Caches and remove all kinds of unwanted cache from here.

7. Mac Mail Attachments

Mac comes with tons of native apps like Mail that can help us manage our emails and messages in one place. Needless to say, the constant use of the mails and the downloading of several attachments can consume a lot of storage. If you want, you can get rid of individual or bulk attachments in the following way.

1. Firstly, open the Mail app from Finder and go to the mail that has the respective attachment.
2. Once the attachment is loaded, go to the Message option from the Finder and choose to Remove Attachment.
3. If you want to manually delete bulk attachments that are already downloaded on Mac, then go to the ~/Library/Mail folder.
4. Here, you can view all the stored Mac mail attachments. Make the relevant selection and delete the unwanted files.

8. Move Files to an External Storage

While we can delete unwanted content from Mac, there are certain files that we can't get rid of. In this case, you can simply move them to external storage like an SD card, pen drive, or external hard disk. This will free up disk space on your Mac while still keeping your important data safe.

1. Simply connect an external data source to your Mac. Most likely, you can see its icon on the desktop from where you can access the storage.
2. If you want, you can also launch Finder and visit the location of the files you wish to move.
3. Select the respective files, right-click, and cut them from the source. Go to the external source from Finder's sidebar and paste your files here instead.

Part 4. How to Manage Storage on Mac

By following the above-listed techniques, you would be able to clear disk space on Mac. Apart from that, you can also manage storage on Mac more efficiently by following these suggestions:

• Manage iCloud Sync

By default, every Apple ID gets access to 5 GB of free storage on iCloud. If you want, you can even buy more storage as well. You should make the most of it by syncing certain things on iCloud with your Mac. This will maintain a dedicated backup of your data (like Photos) and improve their availability. Simply Go to Finder > System Preferences and launch the iCloud app. Set up your account if you haven't already and enable the syncing option for your photos, contacts, notes, etc.

• Auto Empty Trash

A lot of users forget to empty the Trash after moving files to it. If you want, you can make sure that the data would only be stored for 30 days in Trash. After that, it will automatically be removed from Trash to make more space on Mac. Just go to Finder > Finder Preferences > Advanced. Now, enable the option to remove items from Trash after 30 days automatically.

• Optimize Storage

There are also different ways to manage storage on Mac by optimizing it. To start with, de-clutter your system and try to have an organized hierarchy of the file system. If you want, you can automate this feature as well. Just go to Finder and click on the Apple icon > About this Mac > Storage > Manager. Here, you can enable the Optimize Storage option to remove the iTunes movies and shows that you have already watched.

There is also an option for 'Reduce Clutter' that you can turn on. This will organize your Mac and get rid of the documents you no longer need.

• Delete App Data

Sometimes, uninstalling apps is not enough as they can leave residual data on Mac. If you won't remove the leftover app data, then it can consume a lot of storage of your Mac in the long run. Just go to your Mac's Library and visit the folder of the app you have already uninstalled. From here, you can carefully remove the existing app data that is no longer needed by Mac.

• Organize Mac Partitions

You might already know that Mac lets us create different partitions to logically separate the disk. It is recommended to empty the partition and delete it to defragment the disk space. Once you have taken a backup of your data, go to Applications > Disk Utility and view the existing partitions. Delete the unwanted partitions, create new ones, or merge existing partitions from here to make the most of the provided space.

Part 5. How to Recover Lost Data While Clearing Space

As you can see, there are different ways to learn how to make space on Mac by managing the storage and getting rid of unwanted content. Though, there are times when we end up deleting something by mistake. In this case, you can take the assistance of Recoverit Data Recovery for Mac to get back the lost, deleted, or inaccessible data. Recoverit 8.0 is the latest release of the application that provides a wide range of data recovery features and an extremely simple user interface. Here are some of the new and advanced features of this data recovery tool.

• Recoverit 8.0 runs an extensive scan on Mac through its advanced recovery algorithm. This yields comprehensive results in less time.
• Using Recoverit, you can get back all kinds of lost and deleted data back. The application supports 1000+ different data types for photos, videos, audios, files, documents, etc.
• It is fully compatible with every major file system used in Mac like APFS, HFS+, exFAT, and more.
• You can preview the extracted content on its native interface and pick the type of data that you wish to get back.
• It doesn't matter if you have accidentally deleted something, the storage has been corrupted, or an entire partition has been formatted – Recoverit can handle every scenario.
• Apart from Mac's HD, you can also perform data recovery on SD cards, cameras, external hard disks, pen drives, and all the popular sources.

Since the basic version of Recoverit 8.0 is available for free, you don't have to spend a single dime to have a hands-on experience of the tool first. Later, you can follow these simple steps and restore your lost data from Mac using Recoverit 8.0:

Step 1: Select a Location

Install and launch Recoverit 8.0 on your Mac, whenever you wish to get back your lost files. On its home, you need to select a location to scan. This can be Mac's entire storage, a partition, or even a particular folder. You can browse to a specific location of your choice as well.

Step 2: Scan the Location

As you would click on the 'Start' button, Recoverit will scan the source and extract all the essential files from it. It might take a few minutes for the process to be completed, and hence, it is recommended not to close the application in between.

Step 3: Preview and Recover

When the scan is complete, the interface will let you preview all the extracted data. It will already list everything under different categories. Recoverit 8.0 now also provides a bigger and better preview for photos, videos, and documents. Select multiple files if you want to and click on the 'Recover' button to save them to any location of your choice.

Conclusion

Who knew it would be so easy to manage storage on Mac and even recover lost data from it. To make things easier for you, we have listed eight different solutions on how to free up space on Mac. Furthermore, we have even provided a smart guide on how to see storage on Mac beforehand. In this way, you can see the difference in your Mac storage before and after following the listed suggestions. Additionally, if you have deleted something by mistake, then simply take the assistance of Recoverit Data Recovery. Developed by Wondershare, it is one of the most advanced and reliable data recovery tools for Mac that you should certainly keep handy.

A full startup disk is something that every Mac user will experience. This problem used to be known as 'Startup disk full' notification. However, on newer macOS versions this message has been changed to 'Your disk is almost full.'

But luckily, it's a problem that has many solutions. And in this article, we'll go over:

• What is startup disk full?
• What's causing 'Your disk is almost full' alert?
• How to fix startup disk full?
• How to prevent 'Your disk is almost full' problem?

However, we also understand that some people are short on time and just want to fix startup disk full. So, if you're not really interested in what it is and why it happens, just skip the next two sections and head to 'How to Clean Your Startup Disk'.

Or, even better, if you're looking how to clear space on Mac, we'd highly recommend a utility called CleanMyMac X. It'll help you clean up gigabytes of disk space in just minutes (you can download it here).

Note: if you're running macOS Sierra (or higher), it has a built-in option of Optimized Storage that is supposed to solve the problem of the full hard drive by moving files into the cloud.

By clicking 'Manage' you can open the menu and see what Optimized storage offers. However, it moves junk and useless files to the cloud together with your files, and eventually, you end up paying for iCloud storage to store junk. So we still recommend getting CleanMyMac and actually dealing with extra files rather than simply moving them.

Now, with all that said, let's get into what exactly 'Your disk is almost full' means.

Understanding What 'Your Disk is Almost Full' Means

What is a startup disk?

A startup disk, as taken from Apple Support article, is a volume or partition of a drive that contains a usable operating system. Still confused? Let's break it down for you.

Your Mac hard drive consists of disks (or partitions). Each disk (or partition) has your Mac data on it, which consists of your operating system, applications, etc. Most Mac users have just one disk but power users may have two or more.

Let's look at an example of a Mac with only one hard disk:

• Your Mac's hard drive is 500GB.
• It has one 'disk' on it, so all 500GB of storage is on that disk.
• The disk has an operating system (OS X El Capitan), and user data (apps, etc).
• And since you only have one disk, this is your startup disk: all 500GB.

A Mac with two disks will have the storage divided between them. The Mac drive with the OS on it is the startup disk while the other drive is just used for storage of files. It's possible to have multiple startup disks, but most Macs will only have one.

Why your disk is almost full?

This is easy. It's a lot like why is your fridge full? There is no more space! Your disk is almost full and this is very bad news for any drive. A hard disk should never get beyond 85% capacity (especially a startup disk) as you will experience slowness and errors the further you get above that mark.

If your startup disk is full and you get a message of warning from your Mac, this is a serious indication that you need to clear up storage immediately.

What to do when your disk is almost full?

So how do you fix your almost full startup disk? The same way you solve the problem of a packed fridge - you need to clear up storage, of course. To make more space on your startup disk you will need to:

1. Delete files from your Mac.
2. Move files to an external hard drive or cloud storage.
3. Or install a second internal hard drive on your Mac.

So, now that we know what a startup disk is, we need to talk about how to fix it. Let's take a closer look at your disk space to see exactly what is causing your disk to be almost full.

What's Causing 'Your Disk Is Almost Full' Alert?

Short version: Take a look under-the-hood of your Mac.

Before we can see what is taking up space on your startup disk, first we have to find it:

1. Hover on the Dock at the bottom of your screen and open Finder.
2. Click on 'Finder' in the menu bar at the top of your screen.
3. Then select 'Preferences…'
4. In the window that opens, checkmark the 'Hard disks' checkbox.

After selecting this box, your desktop should now show the hard disks on your mac, in the form of icon(s), like this:

These are disks on your Mac that you can 'startup', this is because they have operating systems on them. If there is more than one of these hard disk icons that show up on your desktop, it means you've got multiple hard disks on your Mac. If you only have one, skip the down to 'What is taking up all of my startup disk space?' section.

If you have more than one, continue with the next step:

Click on the Apple icon at the top left of your screen System Preferences > Startup Disk.
Here, again, you'll find your hard disk(s); they're probably named something like MainSSD or MainHD. It will also display 'OS' and the version number of that OS. If you have more than one OS drive, your startup disk should be the one with the latest version of macOS running on it, but we're going to make sure of that in the next step.

I only have one and it looks like this:

To make 100% sure that you know what drive is your startup disk, follow these steps: How to mount a hard drive mac.

1. Click on the Apple Icon in the menu at the top-left of your screen.
2. Select 'About This Mac.'
3. Under macOS, you'll find a version number. Mine is 10.15.1, like so:

See how my version number in the 'About This Mac' window matches the number in my Startup Disk section? Yep — That's my startup disk. Found yours? Good.

What is taking up all of my startup disk space?

Now that we've identified our startup disk, let's take a closer look at how to clear up space on Mac:

1. Click the Apple Icon in the menu at the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Choose 'About This Mac.'
3. Click Storage.
   Note: If you are running an older version of OS X you may have to first click 'More Info…' and then 'Storage'.

How To Free Space On My Macbook Air

Take a look at my hard drive disk:

I've got 500GB of storage, and about 275GB of it is free.

So, how big is your hard disk? How much free space do you have (if any — *gulp*)? And what's taking up the most space? It is important to consider drive capacity and data storage needs for future storage plans — we're not just here to fix the problem, for now, we're going to make sure you never have this problem in the future as well. Sketch 53 2 tnt.

Now that we have the knowledge, it's time to take action and fix your Mac's 'Startup Disk Full' problem.

Let's go over 11 things you can do to help fix 'your disk is almost full.' These should also give you other ideas as to how else to fix it — You know your Mac better than we do!

1. Clear system storage on Mac

System storage cleanup sounds like a serious undertaking. But, technically, it boils down to just one thing: having the courage to scrap the old files.

1. Search for large ZIP/RAR archives in Downloads
2. Open your Desktop (Command + F3) and delete screenshots
3. In Applications, sort your apps by size. Delete the largest ones
4. Get rid of system junk files with a free version of CleanMyMac X
5. Restart your Mac to free up RAM.

2. Clean up cache files on your Mac

Cache files are files that help your Mac run programs a bit more smoothly. Think of them like blueprints for a house: your Mac has the blueprints for how a program is supposed to load/run/look, so it loads it faster; without them, it'd be like building it from scratch. However, over time, these caches can start to take up some serious space. Periodically, removing them can help clear storage. And don't worry, your Mac will create fresh, new ones after you restart your Mac. To remove caches:

1. Open a Finder window and select Go in the menu bar.
2. Click on 'Go to Folder…'
3. Type in ~/Library/Caches
   Delete the files/folders that are taking up the most space.
4. Now click on 'Go to Folder…'
5. Type in /Library/Caches (simply lose the ~ symbol)
   And, again, delete the folders that take up the most space.

Deleting cache files is generally safe for your Mac. And once you delete them, the applications and processes you run on your Mac will generate fresh, new ones. But, when deleting, worry more about removing them based on size rather than just removing all of them.

Also, you can check the /System/Library/Caches folder as well, but it might be better not to touch this folder without knowing what the items are. A utility that correctly cleans up these files (and pretty much everything else on this list) is, you guessed it, CleanMyMac X. It cleans up even your system caches with just a few clicks.

Oh, and once you're done with this list, restart your Mac so it can create these new cache files. Moviesherlock 6 0 for mac free download.

Read more: How to Clear Cache on a Mac?

3. Get rid of localization files

Localization files are also known as 'language packs.' Lots of apps come with other languages that you probably don't need. To clear up space on your Mac, delete the ones you don't need:

1. Open a Finder window.
2. Go to Applications.
3. Ctrl+click on an application.
4. Select 'Show Package Contents.'

From here, go to Contents > Resources and look for files ending in .lproj. These are the languages your app has just in case you want to use it in another language, like Spanish (es.lproj). Drag the ones you'll never use to the Trash.

Again, a safer alternative to this would be to use CleanMyMac X. It gets rid of all of them with a click. No digging through application folders, just a cleaner Mac.

Read more: How to Delete Language Files from macOS?

4. Delete duplicate files

Even if you have the most organized Mac on a planet, duplicates happen one way or another. It can be a file you've mistakenly downloaded twice or a mail attachment you've opened several times. Regardless of how they appeared, those files sit on your Mac and gobble up storage.

But finding and deleting them is a time-consuming process if you do it one by one. So here's what you can do to save up time:

1. Open the Finder app on your Mac
2. Move cursor over File and click New Smart Folder
3. Click the '+' button in the upper right corner and choose the type of files you want to see
4. Now sort them by name to quickly spot duplicates.

Remember to pay attention to the date of creation to make sure you keep the true original, not the copy.

While this is the best way to remove duplicates manually, it takes lots of your time and dedication. It'd be much easier to leave this to Gemini 2: The Duplicate Finder.

This app quickly scans your Mac for duplicate and similar files and allows you to delete them within minutes. It keeps your originals safe and helps you easily retrieve files deleted by accident.

5. Remove old iOS backups

Backups can tend to take up a lot of space. You can find and remove them by:

1. Launching a Finder window.
2. Clicking 'Go' in the menu bar.
3. Selecting 'Go to Folder…'
4. Then, type in ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/

Get rid of all the old, outdated backups your Mac has been storing for a bit more extra space.

6. Remove iOS software updates

You can find all the unnecessary data for your devices by:

1. Opening Finder.
2. Selecting 'Go' in the menu bar.
3. Clicking on 'Go to Folder…'
4. And entering for iPad ~/Library/iTunes/iPad Software Updates
   or entering for iPhone ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates

Delete downloaded files for any of the devices that you are not using anymore, or ones which software just already updated. Remember that after any of your devices have been updated, you don't need those files.

Read more: How to Delete iOS Software Updates from Mac?

7. Remove unnecessary applications

This isn't often overlooked, but definitely under-appreciated. Removing old, unused applications is a great way to get some extra space on your startup disk. Go through your applications folder and get rid of all the apps you rarely use. But make sure you remove them correctly, don't just drag them to the Trash. If you do, you'll leave behind tons of leftover parts and pieces, and we're trying to get back startup disk space — It'll kinda defeat the purpose, no?

This is another place we'd suggest using CleanMyMac X. To completely remove any application, just launch CleanMyMac X, click Uninstaller, select your application, and then click Uninstall. You won't have to search all over for development junk that's left behind when Trash'ing an application. It's incredibly easy and saves you tons of time.

8. Clean up your photo library

Photos, photos, photos. Talk about tons of space! First and foremost, select only what you can get rid of, like image copies and maybe some photos that were mistakenly taken. You know, ones of the ground or something?

Ok, once your own files are taken care of, it's time to get rid of the files your system created. In Photos for Mac, it's cache files. In iPhoto, it's service copies. Both are a pain to find, but here's how you can get rid of them.

Photos cache includes iCloud local copies (created when you view pics from your iCloud photo library on a Mac), Faces cache (generated when you use Faces), and other app-related caches. You'd be surprised how much all that takes up if you regularly use Photos. For OS versions prior to macOS Sierra, here's the path to locate the cache:

1. Open Finder and navigate to your Photos library (normally, it's in the Pictures folder).
2. Ctrl+click your Photos library, and select 'Show Package Contents.'
3. Open resources, and then modelresource.

You should now see a lot more folders in your Finder window. Photos cache sits in these folders, but the tricky thing is that it's really hard to say what is safe to remove and what isn't. Deleting the wrong file can compromise the performance of Photos, which is why we highly suggest you use CleanMyMac X to clear the cache and system junk. It only removes files that are safe to delete, never a critical file or important image.

You can download CleanMyMac X for free and see how it works, it's so much safer than cleaning up system junk manually. Beatunes 5 2 6 x 2.

9. Clean up your Downloads, Movies, and Music folders

Have a closer look at these three folders. You'd be surprised at how many downloads can accumulate when you aren't paying attention. Clean out anything you don't need (or don't know) and organize the rest. It'll take a load off your mind to know that there's nothing excess there.

The Movies folder can be a pain, not because you're searching through tons of files, but it can be difficult to choose what to delete. Personally, I never want to get rid of Top Gun. It's amazing. I watched it 3 times in a row last weekend. But alas, sometimes you need to make sacrifices for the health of your Mac. Though, what you can do with movies you want to keep is to archive them. So, archive what you wish to keep and remove the rest.

How to archive/compress a file

Archiving a file doesn't mean to store deeper into the abyss of your Mac — but to turn the file into something smaller, into a compressed file (like .zip or .tar). By archiving a file, you shave off some memory. Archiving is essential for things you want to keep on your Mac, but don't often use, and helps you clear up some space. And that's what this is all about right? We're essentially doing the hokey-pokey on your Mac. To archive a file, just:

1. Ctrl+click the file you want to compress (recommended for movie files).
2. Select, 'Compress .'

The last place to sweep through is the Music folder. Find and remove duplicate music files first, and then clean up all the songs you downloaded on a weird Sunday afternoon cleaning the house.

10. Clean your Desktop

'Clean my desktop… but why?' Because some people's desktops are hard to look at, that's why. Organize your desktop and get rid of the stuff you just don't need on there. It looks better and helps your Mac act a bit faster (I don't know the rocket science behind this one, but it feels too good to be false). Your Mac doesn't waste time loading all those icons and junk, just… Just clean it, please.

11. Empty out the Trash (No, we're not joking…)

Seriously: It may sound incredibly basic, but it could clear a surprising amount of storage. I forget to do it all the time. The thing is, that when you delete something, your Mac doesn't remove it — it just moves it to the Trash. Plus, you've probably deleted way more than you realize, and all that could be sitting in the Trash, wasting space. So get rid of all that junk by emptying the Trash:

1. Ctrl+click your Trash in the Dock.
2. Select 'Empty Trash.'
3. And click 'Empty Trash.'

And, the easiest step is done.

A few more tips to clear storage on Mac

1. Manage your Optimized Storage

This option comes with your operating system starting macOS Sierra. Go to the Apple menu > About this Mac > Storage

Now, click on Manage to reveal the space-saving options:

2. Erase your Junk Mail

How To Free Space On My Mac Computer

Open your Mail app, and click Mailbox in the upper menu. Here you can erase spam and already deleted items.

3. Delete system junk with CleanMyMac X
Again, this is an incredible utility when it comes to cleaning your startup disk. And this app is notarized by Apple, meaning it's safe.

To avoid the annoying 'your disk is almost full' error, download the free edition of CleanMyMac X.
Once you've installed the app, click on the System Junk tab. It will clean up caches, logs, language packs, binaries, duplicate photos, outdated backups, Trashes, and more.

Full Startup Disk Prevention

How To Free Up Space On Mac

We've cleaned up a few things on your Mac, and hopefully, it's given you more ideas as to what else you can clean. But, let's take a look at how much space you saved from cleaning the list above. Remember how we checked your Mac's free space? Open that window again and see how much space you've cleared up:

To make 100% sure that you know what drive is your startup disk, follow these steps: How to mount a hard drive mac.

1. Click on the Apple Icon in the menu at the top-left of your screen.
2. Select 'About This Mac.'
3. Under macOS, you'll find a version number. Mine is 10.15.1, like so:

See how my version number in the 'About This Mac' window matches the number in my Startup Disk section? Yep — That's my startup disk. Found yours? Good.

What is taking up all of my startup disk space?

Now that we've identified our startup disk, let's take a closer look at how to clear up space on Mac:

1. Click the Apple Icon in the menu at the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Choose 'About This Mac.'
3. Click Storage.
   Note: If you are running an older version of OS X you may have to first click 'More Info…' and then 'Storage'.

How To Free Space On My Macbook Air

Take a look at my hard drive disk:

I've got 500GB of storage, and about 275GB of it is free.

So, how big is your hard disk? How much free space do you have (if any — *gulp*)? And what's taking up the most space? It is important to consider drive capacity and data storage needs for future storage plans — we're not just here to fix the problem, for now, we're going to make sure you never have this problem in the future as well. Sketch 53 2 tnt.

Now that we have the knowledge, it's time to take action and fix your Mac's 'Startup Disk Full' problem.

Let's go over 11 things you can do to help fix 'your disk is almost full.' These should also give you other ideas as to how else to fix it — You know your Mac better than we do!

1. Clear system storage on Mac

System storage cleanup sounds like a serious undertaking. But, technically, it boils down to just one thing: having the courage to scrap the old files.

1. Search for large ZIP/RAR archives in Downloads
2. Open your Desktop (Command + F3) and delete screenshots
3. In Applications, sort your apps by size. Delete the largest ones
4. Get rid of system junk files with a free version of CleanMyMac X
5. Restart your Mac to free up RAM.

2. Clean up cache files on your Mac

Cache files are files that help your Mac run programs a bit more smoothly. Think of them like blueprints for a house: your Mac has the blueprints for how a program is supposed to load/run/look, so it loads it faster; without them, it'd be like building it from scratch. However, over time, these caches can start to take up some serious space. Periodically, removing them can help clear storage. And don't worry, your Mac will create fresh, new ones after you restart your Mac. To remove caches:

1. Open a Finder window and select Go in the menu bar.
2. Click on 'Go to Folder…'
3. Type in ~/Library/Caches
   Delete the files/folders that are taking up the most space.
4. Now click on 'Go to Folder…'
5. Type in /Library/Caches (simply lose the ~ symbol)
   And, again, delete the folders that take up the most space.

Deleting cache files is generally safe for your Mac. And once you delete them, the applications and processes you run on your Mac will generate fresh, new ones. But, when deleting, worry more about removing them based on size rather than just removing all of them.

Also, you can check the /System/Library/Caches folder as well, but it might be better not to touch this folder without knowing what the items are. A utility that correctly cleans up these files (and pretty much everything else on this list) is, you guessed it, CleanMyMac X. It cleans up even your system caches with just a few clicks.

Oh, and once you're done with this list, restart your Mac so it can create these new cache files. Moviesherlock 6 0 for mac free download.

Read more: How to Clear Cache on a Mac?

3. Get rid of localization files

Localization files are also known as 'language packs.' Lots of apps come with other languages that you probably don't need. To clear up space on your Mac, delete the ones you don't need:

1. Open a Finder window.
2. Go to Applications.
3. Ctrl+click on an application.
4. Select 'Show Package Contents.'

From here, go to Contents > Resources and look for files ending in .lproj. These are the languages your app has just in case you want to use it in another language, like Spanish (es.lproj). Drag the ones you'll never use to the Trash.

Again, a safer alternative to this would be to use CleanMyMac X. It gets rid of all of them with a click. No digging through application folders, just a cleaner Mac.

Read more: How to Delete Language Files from macOS?

4. Delete duplicate files

Even if you have the most organized Mac on a planet, duplicates happen one way or another. It can be a file you've mistakenly downloaded twice or a mail attachment you've opened several times. Regardless of how they appeared, those files sit on your Mac and gobble up storage.

But finding and deleting them is a time-consuming process if you do it one by one. So here's what you can do to save up time:

1. Open the Finder app on your Mac
2. Move cursor over File and click New Smart Folder
3. Click the '+' button in the upper right corner and choose the type of files you want to see
4. Now sort them by name to quickly spot duplicates.

Remember to pay attention to the date of creation to make sure you keep the true original, not the copy.

While this is the best way to remove duplicates manually, it takes lots of your time and dedication. It'd be much easier to leave this to Gemini 2: The Duplicate Finder.

This app quickly scans your Mac for duplicate and similar files and allows you to delete them within minutes. It keeps your originals safe and helps you easily retrieve files deleted by accident.

5. Remove old iOS backups

Backups can tend to take up a lot of space. You can find and remove them by:

1. Launching a Finder window.
2. Clicking 'Go' in the menu bar.
3. Selecting 'Go to Folder…'
4. Then, type in ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/

Get rid of all the old, outdated backups your Mac has been storing for a bit more extra space.

6. Remove iOS software updates

You can find all the unnecessary data for your devices by:

1. Opening Finder.
2. Selecting 'Go' in the menu bar.
3. Clicking on 'Go to Folder…'
4. And entering for iPad ~/Library/iTunes/iPad Software Updates
   or entering for iPhone ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates

Delete downloaded files for any of the devices that you are not using anymore, or ones which software just already updated. Remember that after any of your devices have been updated, you don't need those files.

Read more: How to Delete iOS Software Updates from Mac?

7. Remove unnecessary applications

This isn't often overlooked, but definitely under-appreciated. Removing old, unused applications is a great way to get some extra space on your startup disk. Go through your applications folder and get rid of all the apps you rarely use. But make sure you remove them correctly, don't just drag them to the Trash. If you do, you'll leave behind tons of leftover parts and pieces, and we're trying to get back startup disk space — It'll kinda defeat the purpose, no?

This is another place we'd suggest using CleanMyMac X. To completely remove any application, just launch CleanMyMac X, click Uninstaller, select your application, and then click Uninstall. You won't have to search all over for development junk that's left behind when Trash'ing an application. It's incredibly easy and saves you tons of time.

8. Clean up your photo library

Photos, photos, photos. Talk about tons of space! First and foremost, select only what you can get rid of, like image copies and maybe some photos that were mistakenly taken. You know, ones of the ground or something?

Ok, once your own files are taken care of, it's time to get rid of the files your system created. In Photos for Mac, it's cache files. In iPhoto, it's service copies. Both are a pain to find, but here's how you can get rid of them.

Photos cache includes iCloud local copies (created when you view pics from your iCloud photo library on a Mac), Faces cache (generated when you use Faces), and other app-related caches. You'd be surprised how much all that takes up if you regularly use Photos. For OS versions prior to macOS Sierra, here's the path to locate the cache:

1. Open Finder and navigate to your Photos library (normally, it's in the Pictures folder).
2. Ctrl+click your Photos library, and select 'Show Package Contents.'
3. Open resources, and then modelresource.

You should now see a lot more folders in your Finder window. Photos cache sits in these folders, but the tricky thing is that it's really hard to say what is safe to remove and what isn't. Deleting the wrong file can compromise the performance of Photos, which is why we highly suggest you use CleanMyMac X to clear the cache and system junk. It only removes files that are safe to delete, never a critical file or important image.

You can download CleanMyMac X for free and see how it works, it's so much safer than cleaning up system junk manually. Beatunes 5 2 6 x 2.

9. Clean up your Downloads, Movies, and Music folders

Have a closer look at these three folders. You'd be surprised at how many downloads can accumulate when you aren't paying attention. Clean out anything you don't need (or don't know) and organize the rest. It'll take a load off your mind to know that there's nothing excess there.

The Movies folder can be a pain, not because you're searching through tons of files, but it can be difficult to choose what to delete. Personally, I never want to get rid of Top Gun. It's amazing. I watched it 3 times in a row last weekend. But alas, sometimes you need to make sacrifices for the health of your Mac. Though, what you can do with movies you want to keep is to archive them. So, archive what you wish to keep and remove the rest.

How to archive/compress a file

Archiving a file doesn't mean to store deeper into the abyss of your Mac — but to turn the file into something smaller, into a compressed file (like .zip or .tar). By archiving a file, you shave off some memory. Archiving is essential for things you want to keep on your Mac, but don't often use, and helps you clear up some space. And that's what this is all about right? We're essentially doing the hokey-pokey on your Mac. To archive a file, just:

1. Ctrl+click the file you want to compress (recommended for movie files).
2. Select, 'Compress .'

The last place to sweep through is the Music folder. Find and remove duplicate music files first, and then clean up all the songs you downloaded on a weird Sunday afternoon cleaning the house.

10. Clean your Desktop

'Clean my desktop… but why?' Because some people's desktops are hard to look at, that's why. Organize your desktop and get rid of the stuff you just don't need on there. It looks better and helps your Mac act a bit faster (I don't know the rocket science behind this one, but it feels too good to be false). Your Mac doesn't waste time loading all those icons and junk, just… Just clean it, please.

11. Empty out the Trash (No, we're not joking…)

Seriously: It may sound incredibly basic, but it could clear a surprising amount of storage. I forget to do it all the time. The thing is, that when you delete something, your Mac doesn't remove it — it just moves it to the Trash. Plus, you've probably deleted way more than you realize, and all that could be sitting in the Trash, wasting space. So get rid of all that junk by emptying the Trash:

1. Ctrl+click your Trash in the Dock.
2. Select 'Empty Trash.'
3. And click 'Empty Trash.'

And, the easiest step is done.

A few more tips to clear storage on Mac

1. Manage your Optimized Storage

This option comes with your operating system starting macOS Sierra. Go to the Apple menu > About this Mac > Storage

Now, click on Manage to reveal the space-saving options:

2. Erase your Junk Mail

How To Free Space On My Mac Computer

Open your Mail app, and click Mailbox in the upper menu. Here you can erase spam and already deleted items.

3. Delete system junk with CleanMyMac X
Again, this is an incredible utility when it comes to cleaning your startup disk. And this app is notarized by Apple, meaning it's safe.

To avoid the annoying 'your disk is almost full' error, download the free edition of CleanMyMac X.
Once you've installed the app, click on the System Junk tab. It will clean up caches, logs, language packs, binaries, duplicate photos, outdated backups, Trashes, and more.

Full Startup Disk Prevention

How To Free Up Space On Mac

We've cleaned up a few things on your Mac, and hopefully, it's given you more ideas as to what else you can clean. But, let's take a look at how much space you saved from cleaning the list above. Remember how we checked your Mac's free space? Open that window again and see how much space you've cleared up:

1. Click the Apple Icon in the menu at the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Choose 'About This Mac.'
3. Click Storage.
   Note - If you are running an older version of OS X you may have to first click 'More Info…' and then 'Storage'.

You've probably got a bit more space, and you'll want to keep it that way. The only way to prevent a 'your disk is almost full' is by keeping your Mac clean. We'd recommend a complete cleaning every 2–3 weeks.

Say goodbye to the 'Your startup disk is almost full' message.

So, we've now covered everything that we wanted to share with you. Hopefully, this has helped you fix that full startup disk problem. Your startup disk should now be quite a bit lighter (we hope). Oh, and if you liked this article, get social with it to help others in need. And if you really liked this article, subscribe to our email list — we've got more guides on the way. And we've also got a utility that'll help you out a ton in the long run: CleanMyMac X. It helps you clean your entire Mac with just the click of a button. It's incredibly easy to use and works like a charm.

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