Free up storage space on Mac

Find out what to do if your Mac startup disk is almost full or you don’t have enough storage space to download, install or copy.

• Find out how much storage space is available

• Optimise storage space

• Move or delete files to free up storage space

• Temporarily free up more storage space

Find out how much storage space is available

In macOS Ventura 13 or later, choose Apple menu  > System Settings, click General in the sidebar, then click Storage on the right. (In earlier versions of macOS, choose Apple menu  > About This Mac, then click Storage.)

The Storage information in System Settings shows how much storage space is used by various categories of files. As you follow the steps in this article to free up space, this storage information will update automatically.

• If you see a More Info button next to a listed category, click it for more information and options for managing storage in that category. This is particularly useful for the Applications, Documents, Messages, Music Creation, Podcasts, Recycle Bin and TV categories.

• The category named System Data (or Other) is a general category that measures the storage space used by all Apple and third-party files that don’t belong to any more specific category.

Optimise storage space

Your Mac can optimise storage by using iCloud to make more storage space available automatically when needed.* It includes built-in utilities to help you quickly find files that are taking up space, and delete any that you longer need.

• macOS Ventura 13 or later: How to optimise storage space.

• Earlier versions of macOS: How to optimise storage space.

Move or delete files to free up storage space

• If you have another storage device, such as an external drive connected to your Mac, you can move files to that device. Media files such as photos and videos can use a lot of storage space, so you might want to move your Photos library or move your iMovie library, for example.

• Delete music, films, podcasts or other media, especially if it’s media that you can stream or download again as needed.

• Delete files in your Downloads folder. Open this folder from the Dock, or by choosing Go > Downloads from the menu bar in the Finder.

• If you use the Mail app for email, choose Mailbox > Erase Junk Mail from the menu bar in Mail. Also choose Mailbox > Erase Deleted Items.

• If you use your Mac to back up your iPhone or iPad, you can delete old backups.

• Uninstall apps you no longer use.

• If your Mac is set up for multiple users, delete users who no longer need access to your Mac. Or ask them to follow the steps in this article after logging in to their user account.

• Check the Users folder on Macintosh HD for any undeleted data belonging to deleted users, as well as any shared files that you no longer need to share.

• If you don’t want to delete certain files, you may be able to save space by compressing them. Then expand them when you need to use them again.

• Empty your Bin. When you move a file to the Bin, its storage space doesn’t become available until you empty the Bin.

Temporarily free up more storage space

To temporarily make more storage space available, it may help to start up your Mac in safe mode. Your Mac then clears certain system caches, which are automatically created again as needed. This may provide enough storage space to complete a task that needs more space only while the task is underway, such as when installing a macOS update. To leave safe mode, restart your Mac normally.