Free Storage Space On Mac

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Free Storage Space On Mac

One of the best ways to free up a significant amount of storage space is to take some or all of your files, photos, videos and transfer them to a backup storage device and then deleting the original. If your Mac computer has USB or Firewire ports, you can connect external storage devices to.
To run well a mac hard disk needs at least 20% free. Here's how I freed up some more space. I ran Disc Inventory X to see where the excess space was taken.
MacOS Sierra includes a new built-in storage optimization feature. This feature is specifically designed to free up storage space on your Mac. Upgrading to the latest macOS version may fix your storage problems. Because one thing I realized is that installing macOS sierra increased available hard disk space on my Mac. How to Free Up Disk Space on Your Mac. Don't have enough storage on your Apple computer for all the apps and documents you need? It's time for some cleanup. Here's how to free up disk space on. Sometimes you just use the app once and never use it again, the app remains inside your Mac for no use and consume the storage space. Better remove it to free up some storage on your Mac.
It's recommended that you keep at least 15-20% of your Mac's memory free to keep it running smoothly. Optimizing storage is an efficient way to do this. But there are also several other steps you can take to free up space on MacBook Air, Pro, or any other macOS device. Doing these routinely will ensure you don't face any storage issues and are able to make the most of your system. So let's have a look.
12 Easy Ways to Free Up Space on MacBook Air or Pro Running macOS Catalina#1. Delete Large Files on your Mac
Instead of deleting a hundred small files and images, first of all, let us go for the big fish.
Click on the Apple logo from the upper left and select About This Mac.
Now, click on Storage and then click on Manage.
Click Documents. Mostly, this is where the big files are. Here you will see the video files, ZIP/RAR files, etc. By default, the biggest files are at the top. Select one or hold the command key and select multiple files
Finally, click on Delete from the bottom right and confirm.
#2. Remove iOS and iPadOS BackupsClick on the Apple logo from the upper left and select About This Mac.
Now Select Storage tab and click on Manage.
Click iOS Files from left sidebar
Select and 
Related:How to Find iPhone Backup Location on Mac & Windows
#3. Delete Unwanted ApplicationsYou can delete Mac applications in various ways. Hdrsoft photomatix pro 6 1 3. You may follow the above steps, click on Applications, and remove the large ones.
#4. Clear Cache to Free Up Space on MacBe in Finder and click on Go from the top menu bar
Click Go to Folder.
Type or copy-paste ~/Library/Caches
Delete the files from here that are taking the most space. You may even delete everything. With normal usages, these files and folders will be recreated by macOS.
Next, click on Go again and then Go to Folder. Now type or copy-paste /Library/Caches
You may delete files from here too. After this empty the trash and restart you Mac
#5. Remove Old DownloadsThis comes down to what you are willing to keep and what you are happy to let go of. Nowadays everything is online in the cloud. Thus there is no point in storing too may videos, music, etc. on the local storage.
Click on the Finder icon (leftmost) from the Dock
Click Downloads and remove unnecessary files from here, by right-click and selecting Move to Trash.
You may also right-click and sort by size to quickly locate and delete the biggest files first.
#6. Compress Folders and FilesIf you have many images and word files that you rarely use, but can not delete, then it is a handy idea to compress them. Here is how to zip and unzip files on Mac.
#7. Empty Trash AutomaticallyRight-click on the Trash icon in the dock (the rightmost option)
Click Empty Trash and confirm
How To Free Up Space On MacTo empty Trash automatically:
Click on the Apple logo from the upper left and select About This Mac.
Now, click on Storage and then click on Manage.
Click on Recommendations from the top of the left sidebar
Click Turn On for Empty Trash Automatically.
Many times, GBs of files pile up and are stored in the Trash, thus occupying significant space. It is better to empty it regularly. How to use mac movie maker.
#8. Use iCloud to Store DocumentsIt is best to use iCloud to Store docs etc. on Mac if you have a paid iCloud plan that gives you more than 5 GB of online storage. Here is how to use iCloud to Store Documents.
Click on the Apple logo from the upper left and select About This Mac.
Now, click on Storage and then click on Manage.
Click on Recommendations from the top of the left sidebar
Click Store in iCloud.
Review what all will be stored. Uncheck if you wish to exclude photos, messages, desktop, and documents. Finally, click on Store in iCloud.
You may also, enable iCloud Photos from System Preferences → Apple ID → iCloud → Photos or the Preferences of the Mac's Photos app.
#9. Optimize Storage AutomaticallyClick on the Apple logo from the upper left and select About This Mac.
Now, click on Storage and then click on Manage.
Click on Recommendations from the top of the left sidebar
Click on Optimize next to Optimize Storage. Now, all the movies and TV shows you have watched will be automatically removed.
#10. Delete Attachments from Mac Mail App
Following these steps, you can delete the attachments that have been saved locally on the Mac from the mail app. Depending on the number of emails you receive, this data can be huge.
Be in Finder and press and keep holding the Option key. Now click on Go from the top menu bar
Click Library.
Now, Click on Containers.
Go to com.apple.mail.
Click on Data.
Select Library.
Now, click on Mail Downloads.
Select all folders and delete them. Or open the individual folders, see the content, and delete the unnecessary ones.
Even if you delete from here, the attachments are still in your email that you can view or download anytime. Further, you may also choose to stop the Mac Mail app from downloading attachments.
#11. Remove Duplicate Files using Third-Party AppsDuplicate files are a big headache and unnecessarily occupy space. We have a list of some of the best mac cleaner apps that can help you delete duplicate files on your Mac.
#12. Use External Drives for Large Infrequently Used FilesDo you have data that you do not use much but can neither delete them nor store them in the cloud? Well, consider investing in an external drive and move infrequently used large files to it.
Signing off…
These were some of the easiest ways to free up space on your MacBook Air. It's a good idea to do these steps every now and then to keep your system performing well. Are there any other Mac tips you're looking for? Let us know in the comments below and we'll help you out.
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You must take the time to manage your iCloud storage quota. Everything from backups, photos, and documents, to apps syncing data across the iPhone and the Mac, uses iCloud. Unless you go on regular cleaning sprees, you are bound to burn through a storage plan sooner rather than later.
A while back, we looked into freeing up iCloud storage on iPhone and iPad. In this post, we shall explore ways to do that on the Mac as well. By the end, you will hopefully have lots of spare iCloud storage available. Let's get started.
1. Delete Obsolete BackupsBy default, iPhones and iPads are automatically configured to back up data to iCloud. However, you can choose to delete the backups of any devices that you no longer use (or own) to free up huge chunks of storage right from your Mac.
On the Mac, head over to System Preferences > Apple ID > Manage. Microsoft office for mac 3 users. Then, pick an obsolete backup and click Delete ' — '.
How To Free Storage Space On Macbook AirIf you delete any iPhone or iPad backup that is in active use, you put that device at risk. In that case, we strongly recommend that you create regular local backups to your Mac using Finder.
Free Storage Space On Mac Also on Guiding Tech  How to Easily Share iCloud Drive Folders from iPhone, Mac, and iCloud.com Read More2. Delete Unwanted PhotosAll the photos that you capture on an iPhone or iPad end up using a lot of space on iCloud. If you have iCloud Photos enabled on your Mac, you can choose to delete unwanted photos and screenshots to free up space.
Open the Photos app, and then dive into categories such as Screenshots (located underneath Media Types within the sidebar) to locate and delete unwanted images (right-click an image and select Delete Photo).
You can also select multiple photos for removal; hold down the Command key while clicking on items.
Note: Deleting photos will also remove them from other devices that use iCloud Photos.3. Switch to Google PhotosConsider using Google Photos for photo backups. In addition to 15GB of free storage, Google Photos lets you upload and sync an unlimited number of photos and videos (although at compressed quality).
On the Mac, install the 'Backup & Sync from Google' client to upload and access photos. On the iPhone and iPad, use the Google Photos app instead.
Download Backup & Sync (Mac)Download Google Photos (iPhone & iPad)After backing up your photos and videos to Google Photos from all your devices, you choose to disable iCloud Photos and free up the associated cloud storage. Head into System Preferences > Apple ID > Manage. Then, select Photos and click Turn Off and Delete.
Recommended: Refer to this guide for more details on what happens when you disable and delete iCloud Photos.4. Delete Unwanted Files in iCloud DriveDo you use iCloud Drive to sync files and folders between devices? Head over to Finder, select iCloud Drive from the sidebar, and then remove any unwanted items to free up space.
Tip: While inside any folder, switch to List view, and then click the Size column to arrange files by size. That should help you to identify large files that you no longer have any use for.

5. Switch to Google DriveInstead of using iCloud Drive, consider switching to an alternative cloud storage service. Google Drive, for example, not only offers 15GB of free storage but also doesn't count certain forms of data toward your quota.
To start using Google Drive, download 'Backup & Sync from Google' to your Mac. You can access your Google Drive contents on the iPhone and iPad via the Google Drive app.
Download Backup & Sync (Mac)Download Google Drive (iPhone & iPad)6. Delete iMessage AttachmentsIf you use iMessage on your iPhone or Mac, you will often end up consuming lots of iCloud storage since messages and conversations are set to sync among devices by default. In terms of gigabytes, this could very well run into double digits if left unchecked.
 Also on Guiding Tech  #icloud Click here to see our icloud articles pageOpen the Messages app, and then search for and delete unwanted photos, attachments, or conversation threads—right-click an item and select Delete. If you use macOS Big Sur, you can use the improved search capabilities in Messages to locate unwanted items faster.
7. Disable Messages in iCloudDon't have the time to delete attachments and conversation threads in iMessage? If so, you can choose to disable the Messages app from syncing data between devices and quickly free up lots of storage in iCloud.
Go to System Preferences > Apple ID > Manage. Brackets text editor download for mac. Then, select Messages, and click Turn Off and Delete.
8. Delete Attachments in MailIf you use an iCloud.com email account, consider deleting emails with attachments to free up space. Use the Mail app's filters to get to them quickly.
Open the Mail app on your Mac, and then click View > Filter > Enable Messages Filter. Then, head back into the Filter menu, and set the criteria to 'Only Mail with Attachments.'
You can then start deleting unwanted email messages and conversations with large attachments. For more details, check out this guide.
9. Delete Voice MemosDo you record lots of voice memos? Since they are set to sync between devices, your recordings can end up using iCloud storage. So, open the Voice Memos app and delete any unwanted voice memos. 
You must also remove them from the Recently Deleted folder in Voice Memos. Otherwise, they will continue to reside both locally and on iCloud for the next 30 days.
10. Review and Delete Other BackupsFinally, head into System Preferences > Apple ID > Manage again and go through the list of the various backups performed by apps or services to iCloud.
Then, delete any that you deem unnecessary. For example, you could remove an obsolete WhatsApp backup that you no longer have any use for. Passwordtool 1 1 1 – generate random passwords.
Be careful while doing that because deleted iCloud data is often irrecoverable.
 Also on Guiding Tech  How iCloud Saved My Mac (and Why You Should Upgrade) Read MoreSunny DayRegularly reviewing and managing your iCloud storage quota from yourMac (or your iPhone) will ensure that you don't run out of space at theworst of times. Sure, not all of the ways listed above may suit everyone.But a single action like switching to Google Photos (with its unlimitedstorage offering) can help prevent what would've seemed like anunavoidable upgrade to the next iCloud storage tier for a long time tocome.
Next up:iCloud has lots of nuances to it. Check out these 8 tips and tricks to start using it like a pro.

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Read Next8 Best iCloud Tips and Tricks to Use It Like a ProAlso See#macos #storage Did You KnowOne of the first apps in the Apple App Store was Shazam, in 2008.
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