When you use a PC, there is no issue regarding space as you can always switch from a smaller HDD to a higher capacity one but with the new laptops and more specifically, the Macbooks, storage is a big issue as the storage option is limited to just SSD. If storage space is running out there might be issues with the performance of the Mac.
So today we will talk about how to free space on Mac.
Table of Contents
Use Optimized Storage
- Starting with macOS Sierra, Apple added a new Optimized Storage feature. This feature lets you delete the files you don’t need but keep a copy of them on the cloud.
- When you go to ‘About Mac’ and click the Storage tab, it will show you the total available space and the total space used. It also shows how much storage is allocated to what kind of files.
- To optimize storage click the Manage button which will provide four options: Store in iCloud, Optimize Storage, Empty Trash Automatically, and Reduce Clutter.
- From there you can select the best option that is suitable for you. Automatic Optimization deleted the files that are no longer needed.
- Auto Empty Trash deletes files that are lying down in the trash for 30 days. Clicking on Reduce Clutter will review the content of your Mac and delete older documents.
Use iCloud
The next option is iCloud where you can store data. Apple provides 5GB of iCloud storage for free. However, if you cross the 5GB mark there are paid which you can avail.
Remove Useless Photos
Removing photos is another way a lot of storage can be freed up. Mostly there are many photos that take a lot of storage because sometimes you would take a lot of photos but will end up posting the best ones online on social media.
So in that case, removing the photos that have already been uploaded or the photos which look quite terrible, is a good idea.
Free up iTunes/Offline Apple Music
Removing music and videos from iTunes is another way you can use to free up a lot of space. If Music and video files are taking up a lot of space you can just migrate the entire iTunes library to an external hard drive and set the location as default in your iTunes.
Also, Apple Music is a great alternative to iTunes as it lets you stream and play music on demand. But if you have saved a lot of music offline for on-device playback then removing that can be a great step too.
Clean up Old Downloads/Apps/Language Files
Cleaning up the downloads folder is another step. There could be PDFs, images, video files, and apps, which are not always or no longer needed. So always keep it clean.
Finding out and cleaning the apps is also required as some apps take up a lot of space. Some applications use a lot of temporary space when they are open in the background or are not closed for a long time. Restarting the system is the best way to get rid of unwanted storage used by these apps.
Most people use a PC in only one single language and for them, other language files are junk. Removing the optional languages will free up some space for sure.
Opt for Third-Party Cloud Storage
iCloud has pretty limited storage space so it is better to use some other cloud-based storage. Multiple cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and others can be used to back up files and folders into the cloud automatically.
Compress Unused Stuff
Compressing existing files into zip and RAR is another option that you can always use.
For big folders, which contain a lot of big video files or any kind of big files, those folders can always be compressed at the best rate to reduce.
We hope this guide was useful for you and will help you in getting the most out of your Mac. For all tech-related updates and best how-to guides stay tuned to Inspire2Rise!
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