In this age of terabyte flash drives and cloud storage, it's easy to forget that storage space is finite. But it is, and as software gets more sophisticated and must-have apps become more plentiful, you can eat through a 1TB SSD in no time at all.
Sure, in theory, if your Mac hard drive gets full you can just upgrade, but at around $800 for a 2TB iMac SSD and $2800 for a 4TB SSD neither option is exactly affordable. Plus, it's not just room for files that you get from a hard drive, it directly affects performance too. Let your hard drive get full and see how sluggish your Mac runs. Actually, don't do that you'll drive yourself crazy.
How to check disk space on Mac. Most of the things that take up disk space on Mac can't be seen from a top-level overview, but it's worth keeping a close eye on how much space you have available. You can do this by clicking on the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen and selecting 'About This Mac.'. Method 2 – About This Mac. If you are running a newer macOS, Yosemite or above, you can easily check on storage space using the About This Mac method. This is the method I personally use the most and it is a really easy way to get this information quickly. Open and Apple menu on the top left-hand corner of your screen and click on About This Mac. Check out the products mentioned in this article: MacBook Pro (From $1,299.99 at Best Buy) How to check your Mac storage via 'About This Mac' 1. Click on the Apple logo at the top left of your screen. People need to check their storage space for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's just good device management; sometimes your computer is running slowly, and storage is the first culprit you think of. Ideally, about ten percent of the storage space on your Mac should be free at all times so your computer can run smoothly. The app permits to visualize hard drive usage, check disk space on Macs, identify which items can be removed or transferred onto another drive and clear disk space on Mac. The results are presented in a very clear and intuitive manner, showing not only size values, but also a bar-type chart for easy visualization, with files organized according.
For optimum performance, you should continually monitor Mac hard drive space to make sure there's always room for your next big download. Keep reading to learn how to find storage on your Mac and use it more efficiently.
How to check storage on your Mac?
The simplest way to check Mac hard drive space is by accessing About This Mac.
- Click on the Apple icon and choose About This Mac.
- Click on Storage.
Note: If you're running an older version of OS X, you may need to click More Info to find the Storage option.
The Storage tab will show you how much space is being taken up by the System, Documents, Apps, and more. It will also display available space.
What to do when your hard drive is full?
If your Mac hard drive is nearing capacity, your system will let you know with a 'disk almost full' warning prompting you to free up some space.
If you see this warning it's best to act on it. To free up space on your startup disk you'll need to do one or all of these three things:
- Delete files
- Move files over to cloud storage or an external hard drive
- Install a second hard drive or add a larger startup disk
Options 1 and 2 are the easiest, but if you're thinking of upgrading your existing disk, check out our guide.
If you're running macOS Sierra or higher, you can get some free space by optimizing your storage with in-build tools. To do this, go to the Apple menu and select About This Mac. Extract a zip file mac. Here, go to the Storage tab and press Manage.
In the window that appears, you can see some tips on reclaiming free space. Here's how to manage storage on your Mac:
- Click Store in iCloud. Choose what data you want to transfer to iCloud and confirm.
- Click Optimize to remove movies and TV programs.
- Turn on Empty Bin Automatically.
- Click Reduce Clutter to review all your documents.
This is a quick and easy way to free up space but it's not ideal. You see, when files are moved to iCloud, junk and useless files are moved too. This means you max out your iCloud storage quicker and end up having to pay for more. For this reason, we recommend using CleanMyMac X to detect junk files and completely remove them from your system.
Delete large and old files first
Usually, old large files are the biggest space wasters on our Macs. It probably happens to anyone: you open your brand new MacBook and download multiple files, which seem to be very useful at first. But, later, you forget about these items, and they end up cluttering your storage. It's time to dig up these old massive files. And CleanMyMac X can help you out with that task.
With a dedicated Large & Old Files module, you can quickly clear your Mac.
- Download CleanMyMac X (a free trial is available).
- Install and launch the app.
- Go to the Large & Old files module.
- Press Scan.
In this age of terabyte flash drives and cloud storage, it's easy to forget that storage space is finite. But it is, and as software gets more sophisticated and must-have apps become more plentiful, you can eat through a 1TB SSD in no time at all.
Sure, in theory, if your Mac hard drive gets full you can just upgrade, but at around $800 for a 2TB iMac SSD and $2800 for a 4TB SSD neither option is exactly affordable. Plus, it's not just room for files that you get from a hard drive, it directly affects performance too. Let your hard drive get full and see how sluggish your Mac runs. Actually, don't do that you'll drive yourself crazy.
How to check disk space on Mac. Most of the things that take up disk space on Mac can't be seen from a top-level overview, but it's worth keeping a close eye on how much space you have available. You can do this by clicking on the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen and selecting 'About This Mac.'. Method 2 – About This Mac. If you are running a newer macOS, Yosemite or above, you can easily check on storage space using the About This Mac method. This is the method I personally use the most and it is a really easy way to get this information quickly. Open and Apple menu on the top left-hand corner of your screen and click on About This Mac. Check out the products mentioned in this article: MacBook Pro (From $1,299.99 at Best Buy) How to check your Mac storage via 'About This Mac' 1. Click on the Apple logo at the top left of your screen. People need to check their storage space for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's just good device management; sometimes your computer is running slowly, and storage is the first culprit you think of. Ideally, about ten percent of the storage space on your Mac should be free at all times so your computer can run smoothly. The app permits to visualize hard drive usage, check disk space on Macs, identify which items can be removed or transferred onto another drive and clear disk space on Mac. The results are presented in a very clear and intuitive manner, showing not only size values, but also a bar-type chart for easy visualization, with files organized according.
For optimum performance, you should continually monitor Mac hard drive space to make sure there's always room for your next big download. Keep reading to learn how to find storage on your Mac and use it more efficiently.
How to check storage on your Mac?
The simplest way to check Mac hard drive space is by accessing About This Mac.
- Click on the Apple icon and choose About This Mac.
- Click on Storage.
Note: If you're running an older version of OS X, you may need to click More Info to find the Storage option.
The Storage tab will show you how much space is being taken up by the System, Documents, Apps, and more. It will also display available space.
What to do when your hard drive is full?
If your Mac hard drive is nearing capacity, your system will let you know with a 'disk almost full' warning prompting you to free up some space.
If you see this warning it's best to act on it. To free up space on your startup disk you'll need to do one or all of these three things:
- Delete files
- Move files over to cloud storage or an external hard drive
- Install a second hard drive or add a larger startup disk
Options 1 and 2 are the easiest, but if you're thinking of upgrading your existing disk, check out our guide.
If you're running macOS Sierra or higher, you can get some free space by optimizing your storage with in-build tools. To do this, go to the Apple menu and select About This Mac. Extract a zip file mac. Here, go to the Storage tab and press Manage.
In the window that appears, you can see some tips on reclaiming free space. Here's how to manage storage on your Mac:
- Click Store in iCloud. Choose what data you want to transfer to iCloud and confirm.
- Click Optimize to remove movies and TV programs.
- Turn on Empty Bin Automatically.
- Click Reduce Clutter to review all your documents.
This is a quick and easy way to free up space but it's not ideal. You see, when files are moved to iCloud, junk and useless files are moved too. This means you max out your iCloud storage quicker and end up having to pay for more. For this reason, we recommend using CleanMyMac X to detect junk files and completely remove them from your system.
Delete large and old files first
Usually, old large files are the biggest space wasters on our Macs. It probably happens to anyone: you open your brand new MacBook and download multiple files, which seem to be very useful at first. But, later, you forget about these items, and they end up cluttering your storage. It's time to dig up these old massive files. And CleanMyMac X can help you out with that task.
With a dedicated Large & Old Files module, you can quickly clear your Mac.
- Download CleanMyMac X (a free trial is available).
- Install and launch the app.
- Go to the Large & Old files module.
- Press Scan.
Now, all you have to do is select old files that CleanMyMac X has found and press Remove.
Another CleanMyMac X useful feature is Space Lens. It builds a virtual map of your storage, so you can see where all your space is gone. You need just to hover over any folder to find out its weight or click it to view its contents.
How to free up Mac hard drive space manually
Deleting files manually is a simple task, but it can also be time-consuming. The best way to go about it is to find old documents, downloads, music, and applications you no longer need and drag them to the Trash.
When you do this you'll need to remember to empty the Trash, otherwise, files will just sit there and free up no space at all.
- Right-click Trash in the Dock.
- Select Empty Bin and confirm.
You can also remove old iTunes Library backups, iOS backups and updates, and clear cached files using the Finder.
- Open a Finder window and select Go in the menu bar.
- Click on Go to Folder and enter one of the following commands:
- Caches:
~/Library/Caches - iTunes Library backups:
~/Music/iTunes/Previous iTunes Libraries - iOS backups:
~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/ - iOS software updates iPad:
~/Library/iTunes/iPad Software Updates - iOS software updates iPhone:
~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates
3. Browse each of the folders and delete any files you no longer need.
As said, clearing files manually is easy but it comes with one rather sizeable caveat: moving things to Trash leaves behind a residue — leftover pieces of files that serve no purpose other than to take up hard drive space. There you are doing your best to remove files only for Mac to be incapable of fully deleting whatever you want to get rid of.
So, what can you do about that? Yep… CleanMyMac X.
Freeing up Mac hard drive space with CleanMyMac X
CleanMyMac X scours your system for all old, outdated, and broken files, and completely removes them from your system. It's the quickest and easiest way to free up a lot of space at once.
If you need to optimize disk space in a hurry, download CleanMyMac X and select the option to clean up System Junk. This will remove old cache files and logs, broken app data, unused languages, and excessive versions of documents in a couple of clicks.
- Download and launch CleanMyMac X.
- Choose System Junk from the menu.
- Click Scan.
- Click Clean.
A full disk is something all Mac users experience at some point. Thankfully, it's easy to reclaim space using Mac's own optimization feature or the Finder if you're doing things manually, or CleanMyMac X if you prefer a more comprehensive solution. As you'll likely need to clean up the hard drive a few times a year, we'd suggest going down the CleanMyMac X route but, of course, we're biased. Try the different methods and see what works best for you.
Keep your Mac in good shape
I hope you managed to find out what exactly took too much space on your Mac. Here're some tips to prevent clutter in your storage in the future:
- Clear old files
To use your storage more efficiently, you need to declutter your Mac once in a while. Remove apps, documents, photos, and media that you don't need on your Mac. Transfer your data to the hard drive or store it in the cloud. A perfectly organized storage also boosts your productivity, which is another advantage of keeping your space tidy.
- Delete apps completely
And by 'completely,' I mean together with all the files associated with the app. Dragging an app to the Trash will probably leave its data in your system. So, make sure you remove your apps using native uninstallers or special tools, like CleanMyMac X.
- Empty Trash
This is pretty straightforward advice, but many of us still forget to do it. Trashed files can take gigantic amounts of space. Remember to clear the Bin after you deleted some files on your Mac.
- Update your software
When you Mac acts laggy, you may think it's running out of space. But, outdated software can cause the same symptoms. Updates often contain bug fixes and improvements that can positively affect how your app and your Mac run. Updating both OS and apps to the latest version will ensure the smooth performance of your machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is taking up so much space on my Mac?
To find out what's taking storage on your Mac, go to the Apple menu. Here, choose About This Mac. Go to the Storage tab and click Manage to see how much space takes each category.
How to find large files on Mac?
In Finder, press the little gear icon and select Show Search Criteria. Click Kind filter and choose Other. Then select File Size from the list. Select 'is greater than' criteria in the second box. Enter the size (for example, 400 MB), and then the search results will update, showing you the large files on your Mac.
How much space should the system take up on Mac?
Mac's system takes about 20 GB on average. If your Mac's system is considerably bigger than 20-25 GB, try emptying the Trash. Performing a clean install may be necessary in some cases – it will reinstall your OS and clear your storage. But, make sure to back up your data first.
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Nov 16, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
Whether you are a student, businessman, writer, or programmer, you will have terabytes of storage space on your Macbook and still struggle with the data.
If you check the storage disk space on Mac and are keep an eye on it, you will notice how quickly the storage gets consumed. Therefore, sooner or later, the speed of your MacBook will decrease, and you will have to take action for it. In case you don't know how to check disk space on Mac or optimize it, this post is just the thing for you. It will walk you through the various options to even check CPU usage on Mac and regulate its hard drive space.
So, without any delay, let's get down and have a look at how to check disk space on Mac.
Part 1. How to Check Storage on Mac
Those who are using MacBook for their daily work like programming, coding, designing, photography, and other important work know how quickly their storage space gets filled. They know that even the most abandoned storage devices available in the market eventually fail to keep up with their daily need.
The thing is there is too much data that needs processing. There are high-quality 4k videos, full-size photographs, RAW files, documents, and a lot more. The data like the iTunes movies, log files, and applications will use the space.
Even if you somehow avoid all the unnecessary data, the MacBook has to deal with log files, backups, operating system files, updates, and a lot of others. The duplicated files and the cache files created in your system are also an active contributor to the storage problems.
Problems Caused Due to Low storage Space
The filling space of the MacBook doesn't only prevent you from adding data, but it also has a drastic effect on your system. It gets your system bloated, slows the hard drives, decreases the CPU performance, and even causes heating problems. If you have a hard disk, you will literally be able to hear the spinning of the drive, once it's full.
Solutions for the Issue
The only solution to deal with this problem is to regularly check the storage on Mac and optimize the system whenever it's nearly filled. If you don't know how to check Mac storage, here are the steps that you have to take.
Step 1: Open the hard drive
Step 2: Click on the application tab
Step 3: Now select the utilities from the list
Step 4: Open the activity monitor from here
Step 5: A menu to Check CPU usage Mac will open
Step 6: Click the storage space button
It will display all the storage media with their storage space details
Part 2. How to Check Hard Disk Space Available
If you are in a situation where your MacBook has started to present slower performance and is taking too much time to boot, maybe its time you take a look at the hard disk space.
Mac desktop usb. Low storage in the hard disk increases the data processing load on the system, which then acquires most of the working memory. It hinders the regular working cycle of the Macbook and turns it to a slow and unreliable machine. So at least 10% of the hard drive must be available all the time.
If you have no idea of the space available in your guide and don't know how to check space on Mac, here's how you can do it without using any third-party software or complex processing.
Step 1: Click on the Apple logo on the top Screen.
Step 2: Select 'About This Mac'
Note: To check the storage on Mac with an older version of OS X, you have to click on more info button before the next step.
Step 3: Click on the Storage tab in the windows that open.
After this step, you will find a list of hard drives and other connected devices with their storage details. Look for the one you need, and you are good to go.
Part 3. How to Free Up Space on Mac
In today's life, many Mac users are constrained by the limited storage space. The SSDs are quite expensive while the traditional HDDs are slow and not ideal for the fast pace of life. Therefore, the best rescue you have is to check the storage on Mac and optimize it regularly.
Now that you know how to check space on Mac let get down with the optimization process and options you have. Here are the things you have to do:
Step 1: Open the menu that you previously used to check the memory on Mac
Step 2: Click on the manage button that sits next to flash storage media detail
Step 3: It will show you the following options for optimizing the memory space.
i. Store in iCloud
iCloud is the online storage space that comes with every Apple device. You can sign into the storage space using the Apple id and then use it to store data.
After clicking on the iCloud, you will have the following options:
Desktop and documents: If you click this option, all the files in these folders will get uploaded to the cloud storage. Only the recently used records will be kept on the Mac. You have to download the older files if you need them.
Photos: This option let you upload original and high-resolution photographs and video to the cloud library. Only an optimized and space-saving version of the data remains on the Mac. In case you want the original file, you can download it from the iCloud whenever you want.
The basic storage of iCloud is free, but you will have to go for a paid plan if you need additional space. So, it best if you check the storage on Mac that these categories are using, before clicking the options.
ii. Optimize Storage
How To Check Space On Macbook Pro
This option gives you three options for clearing space. You can use it to remove the watched iTunes downloads, prevent automatically download email attachments, or restricting the email attachment downloads to the recent emails only.
iii. Empty the trash
The data that you delete often stay in the trash can and still use the storage space. 'Empty the trash' helps you to automate the cleaning of this trash bin. It clears all the files that are older than 30 days.
iv. Reduce Clutter
Reduce the clutter option lets you filter out the large files that you haven't used for a long time. You can then select the once you don't need and delete them permanently.
You can also try to free up the storage space manually. Have a look at the things you can do for it.
- Delete old files that are no longer required.
- Move files to external media like a flash drive or external hard drive
- Use compressor to reduce the space requirement of the data
- Remove the unnecessary programs old fonts, languages and dictionaries
- Delete unneeded emails from the mailbox and junk mail folders
- Clear cache, logs and download history of your browser
Part 4. How to Recover Accidentally Deleted Files on Mac
After gaining an overview of how to check MacBook storage space and optimize it, the next step will be to ensure that all your essential files are safe.
Losing the critical data during the optimization or due to accidental deletion can have a very drastic effect on your work. You might have to face losses and do the whole project again. Luckily, MacBook offers the freedom to use third-party recovery software to deal with the problem.
Recoverit Data Recovery Software for Mac
If you have lost data from your MacBook whether it's in the form of an image, document, video, or even camera raw, you will need high-performance software to recover them. Download Recover its data recovery software for this task.
Here's how you can use Recoverit data recovery software to recover your data.
Step 1. Select the Location
Launch Recoverit data recovery software and select the last location of your deleted files. Now, click on the start button on the lower side of the software window and proceed with the next step.
Step 2. Scan the Drives
Use the all-rounder scan to find the required files from the drive. You can also use filters to enhance the searching process while the software is performing its task.
Step 3. Preview and Recover Files
After the software check memory on Mac, it will list all the files that it has found in the drive. You can then preview the files and select the ones you need. Once you are sure of the data, just click on the Recover button and the software will restore them.
However, the files won't be getting back to their previous location. You have to either assign them a new address or they will go to the Recoverit's default location.
How To Check Space On Mac Air
Part 5. Tips Against Full Storage on Mac
Knowing how to check MacBook storage may help you to eliminate the memory issues, but its haste. First, you have to check the storage on MacBook, then you have to transfer or delete the data, and if something goes wrong, you have to recover trashed files and deleted data. It is not that bad, but it's not something that you can do too often.
Therefore, you should try to avoid storage issues in the first place. Have a look at some tips that you can use.
- Use Disk Utilities
Disk utility can limit the background Ram usage and even deleted the unnecessary logs from the system.
- Prefer Cloud and online streaming
The movies and music that you download need a considerable amount of space. Therefore, if you step up for the online streaming of these things, you can save a lot of system memory. It is also preferable that you start storing the data on a cloud-based server. It will not only decrease the storage but also help to prevent data loss issues.
- Keep an external backup drive
There are a lot of external storage devices that can offer you high storage space. You can use this device to retain a copy of the data that you rarely use and even use it as a backup device.
- Delete localization data
Most of the applications that you buy or download will have support for multiple languages and other regional features. It is vital to keep up with the diversity but is very storage effective for your Mac. So make sure to localize data files that you don't need.
How To Check Space On Mac Harddrive
Closing Words
Apple tries to provide the very best in their Macbooks. They install high-speed SSD memories, provide support for iCloud services, and have introduced some advanced optimization tools for the storage cleaning.
It's you who have to understand the limits of the machine and find ways to deal with it. Therefore, get down to your Macbook check its storage usage and take all the necessary action to keep it optimized. Use the cloud sources the external and other storage locations that the technology has offered against the storage problems.
And don't forget to download Recoverit hard drive recovery software. It can come in handy if you lose an essential file in the optimization process, or due to any other issue.
