Deleting system storage space on your Mac can be a real pain. Slow performance, limited file space, and even crashes are all consequences of a cluttered hard drive. Fear not. This article will show you five efficient ways to clear up storage and get your Mac running smoothly again.
Did you know that the average Mac user has over 60GB of unnecessary files taking up space? Don’t be a statistic, take control of your storage now and get started on the road to using a more efficient Mac.
1. Free Up Your Mac’s Storage by Deleting Junk Files
System Junk refers to files generated by the system and applications that can accumulate over time, taking up valuable space on your Mac. These files can include the following:
- App cache files
- Time machine backups
- Old iOS backups
- Unused disk images.
While the OS will automatically delete some of these files to free up space for system functions, it doesn’t always happen. As a result, system data categories can still increase and take up more space on your Mac.
Using tools that offer a Mac cleaner feature is a great way to remove system junk and free up storage space effectively. These tools are specifically designed to scan your Mac and identify all the junk files, including the ones listed above.
2. Disable Time Machine Local Backups
Time Machine is a powerful backup tool that protects your important files. However, this tool can also take up a lot of space on your Mac, especially if you have multiple local backups.
The backups are stored on a network or external drive. They also keep a backup copy on your startup drive to help ensure file restoration if the external drive is unavailable.
These local backups take valuable storage space, potentially slowing down your Mac. To disable local backups and free up space, follow these easy steps:
- Go to Time Machine preferences
2. Select the backup disk
3. Click the “-” button to remove it.
Even after deleting the local backups, Time Machine can still be used with an external hard drive.
3. Improve Your Storage with MacOS Features
MacOS has features to help you manage your Mac’s storage space effectively. These features can also help you detect and remove malware from your Mac.
When facing a cluttered storage system, these are the features you should rely on to free up space and improve your Mac’s performance. To access these features, follow these simple steps:
- Go to the Apple menu
- Select About This Mac
- Select More Info
- Select Storage Settings.
You’ll find several useful suggestions in the new window to help you manage storage space. These suggestions include:
- Store in iCloud: This option allows you to transfer your files to cloud storage, freeing up valuable space on your Mac.
- Empty Trash Automatically: This option enables you to automatically empty the trash, removing any files you no longer need.
4. Uninstall Old iOS Backups
Stored-up backups from old Apple devices can quickly add up a significant portion of your Mac’s storage space. Learn how to free up space on a Mac by identifying and removing any old iOS backups you no longer need.
The good news is, MacOS has a built-in Storage Management feature that makes this process quick and straightforward. Follow these simple steps to access this feature on your Mac:
- Choose the Apple menu
- Go to System Settings
- Click General in the sidebar
- Click Storage on the right.
By accessing the Storage Management feature, you can quickly view how much space your iOS backups are taking up and decide whether you want to keep them or remove them.
5. Delete Large and Unused Files
Take a closer look at your hard drive; you may be surprised by the large files or folders you no longer need. This could include old movie and music files, large images, or downloaded files.
While you can move some of them to cloud storage, your iCloud account only supports 5GB of storage. You still have options when you run out of iCloud storage, but deleting these files may prove beneficial in the long run.
You can use the Storage Management feature to view how much space each file is taking up and determine which files to keep and which to delete. Once you’ve selected those you no longer need, move them to the trash and empty them.
Conclusion
Clearing system storage on a Mac is crucial for maintaining its performance and stability. The five ways outlined in this article are some of the most efficient methods to achieve this goal. Whether uninstalling unused apps, clearing caches and logs, or using third-party tools, each approach offers a different level of convenience and customization.
