When a Mac starts running out of space, it slows down, updates fail, and apps start complaining. Before you buy an external drive or a bigger Mac, it is worth spending twenty minutes with the tools macOS already includes. Most people find several gigabytes, often tens of gigabytes, that they do not need.
Check what is using your storage
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click General in the sidebar, then click Storage. (In macOS Monterey or earlier, choose Apple menu > About This Mac > Storage > Manage.)
After a moment, a coloured bar shows how your disk is divided into categories such as Applications, Documents, Photos, Messages, iOS Files, macOS and System Data. Below it you will see Recommendations and a list of categories. Click the ⓘ button next to a category to see and manage what is inside it.
Don't worry if the numbers take a minute to settle. macOS calculates them in the background.
Empty the Trash
Files you move to the Trash still use space until the Trash is emptied. Right-click the Trash in the Dock and choose Empty Trash, after checking there is nothing you want to keep.
Some apps, such as Photos and Mail, have their own trash or "Recently Deleted" area. Check those too.
To stop the Trash filling up again, turn on Empty Trash Automatically in the Storage recommendations. It permanently removes items that have been in the Trash for more than 30 days.
Clear out Downloads
Downloads is often the biggest pile of forgotten files on a Mac: installers you ran once, ZIP archives you already expanded, and attachments you opened and forgot.
- Open a Finder window and click Downloads.
- Choose View > as List, then click the Size column header to sort by size.
- Delete anything you no longer need. Disk images (
.dmg), installer packages (.pkg) and.zipfiles you have already used are usually safe to remove.
Before deleting an installer, check you can download it again if you might need to reinstall that app.
Find large files
In Storage, click ⓘ next to Documents. The Large Files tab lists your biggest files, with the largest first. Downloads shows the same for your Downloads folder, and Unsupported Apps lists apps that no longer run on your version of macOS.
Select a file and click Delete to remove it, or click the magnifying glass to show it in Finder first. For more ways to track down big files, see how to find large files on a Mac.
Delete apps you do not use
Some apps, especially games, creative tools and developer tools, take many gigabytes. In Storage, click ⓘ next to Applications and sort by size. Select apps you no longer use and click Delete.
If an app came with its own uninstaller, use that instead; it usually removes supporting files too. See how to uninstall apps completely.
Remove old iPhone and iPad backups
If you have ever backed up an iPhone or iPad to your Mac, those backups can be very large. In Storage, click ⓘ next to iOS Files to see them listed by device and date. Delete backups for devices you no longer own, but keep at least one recent backup of each device you still use unless you back up to iCloud. Our guide on deleting old iPhone backups on a Mac covers this step by step.
Use iCloud to store files you rarely open
If you have enough iCloud storage, the Store in iCloud recommendation keeps your Desktop and Documents folders and your photos in iCloud, and keeps only recent files and optimised photos on your Mac. Files download again automatically when you open them, as long as you are online.
See using iCloud to optimise Mac storage for the trade-offs.
Clear media you can download again
Movies and TV shows you have watched, downloaded podcasts and offline music can usually be downloaded again. The Optimize Storage recommendation removes watched Apple TV movies and shows automatically. Also check the download settings in apps like Music, Podcasts and streaming services.
Look at caches and System Data
Apps keep caches to speed things up, and these can grow large over time. They are safe to remove for most apps, because apps rebuild them as needed, but the space will gradually be used again. See how to clear the cache on a Mac.
If System Data looks unusually large, read what System Data is and how to reduce it.
Developers: check build output and package caches
If you write code, tools like Xcode, Homebrew, npm and Docker can quietly use tens of gigabytes. See clearing Xcode DerivedData and simulators and clearing developer caches.
Restart, then check again
After clearing space, restart your Mac. Some space, such as temporary files and swap, is only released on restart, and the Storage figures will be more accurate afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Mac storage still full after deleting files?
Deleted files stay in the Trash, and in some apps in a Recently Deleted area, until you empty them. macOS may also take a few minutes to update the storage figures. Empty the Trash, restart, and check again.
Is it safe to delete files in System Data?
You cannot manage System Data directly from Storage settings, and you should not delete files in system folders you do not understand. Restarting, updating macOS and clearing app caches and old backups are the safe ways to reduce it.
What is safe to delete on a Mac?
Generally safe: files in the Trash and Downloads you no longer need, installers you have already used, apps you do not use, old backups of devices you no longer own, and app caches. Avoid deleting anything inside the System folder or Library folders without knowing what it is.
How much free space should I keep on my Mac?
Aim to keep at least 10 to 20 percent of your startup disk free. macOS uses free space for virtual memory, caches and installing updates.
Want this done for you?
spacerecover scans your Mac for caches, old installers, app leftovers, large files and developer build-up, explains each one in plain words, and clears what you approve in one step. Items go to the Trash first, so you can undo.