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Macs are some of the most popular computers on the market today. In fact, as of 2017, there were over 100 million active Mac users!
This isn’t surprising when you consider that Mac computers are known for their power, versatility, and long lifespan. But keeping your Mac in top shape requires maintenance!
Free up storage space on a Mac is one of the easiest ways to prevent your device from reaching peak performance. Because of this, it’s crucial that you take the time to free up as much space as you can and keep up with it once you have done so.
And we’re here to help you do it! To learn everything you need to know about opening more storage space on your Mac, just keep reading!
1. Empty Your Trash
If you use your computer often, you probably put things in the trash can daily. This removes the clutter from your desktop and other folders, but it doesn’t remove these files from your computer.
By opening your trash can, you’ll notice that you have the option to restore any of the “deleted” files back to your computer. This is a great safeguard in case you accidentally delete something you need, but all those trashed files add up quickly and clog up your system.
To keep your system running smoothly, you need to empty your trash often. This will remove the files from your computer completely, opening up some much-needed space.
2. Clear Your Desktop
A cluttered desktop is not only unsightly but also slows down your computer. All those screenshots and random images saved from the internet can make it impossible to even see everything you have.
Luckily, Mac has the stacks feature, which allows you to sort everything on your desktop into categories with a single click. Once you have all the files in stacks, you can go through each category, delete the things you don’t need, and move the rest into the appropriate folder of your computer.
Keep the important things, but be as ruthless as possible with your file deleting. You’ll thank yourself when your computer is neat and organized!
3. Compress Large Files
Have you ever downloaded a file that was so large, it had to be unzipped with a program like a Mac unarchiver in order to view its contents? Well, just as you can decompress large files, you can make them smaller by compressing them!
This is a fantastic option for those files that you aren’t quite sure are okay to delete, but you don’t use them often, either.
Say you have a few folders of documents from college or an old job that you might want access to in the future. You can compress all of these into one zip file, minimizing the storage space they take up in the process, but keeping them for future reference.
4. Uninstall Unnecessary Applications
When was the last time you inspected your applications list to make sure that you actually use all of the ones you have? Over the years, it’s normal to download apps, find that you don’t like them, and forget that they’re there. But app files can be quite large, which is why you should delete any that you have no use for.
Certain apps can be deleted directly from the launchpad by holding it down until it begins to shake. If an x appears in the upper lefthand corner, you can delete it here. If not, you’ll need to go to the Applications folder in the finder and drag any unwanted apps to the trash can.
5. Clear Out Old Backups
One of the benefits of having a Mac computer is that it can be used with any other Apple products. Because of this, many people have their iPhones and tablets linked with their computer to store backups and other files.
If you’ve been doing this for some time, you likely have a massive catalog of backups stored somewhere on your Mac. While it’s a good idea to have one or two backups, you don’t need twenty. Delete any backups that have been made obsolete by more recent variations.
6. Clear Out Your Downloads Folder
Ah, the downloads folder. Where everything you’ve ever pulled from the internet is housed. Like your trash can, you may not be aware of just how much is kept in this particular location of your computer.
And from duplicate files to ones that you might have needed at one point but haven’t used since, your downloads folder is likely absolutely full of junk that can be deleted to free up space. One of the most efficient ways to clear storage space on Mac is to empty this folder.
Go through it carefully, as there may be a file here and there that you need, but delete the rest. You could clear up dozens of gigabytes worth of space with this one step!
7. Use Storage Tools to Help You
It’s important to check storage space on Mac often to ensure that you aren’t overstuffing your computer. To do this, go to the “About This Mac” option in your menu and click the storage tab.
Here you’ll find a breakdown of how much storage is used on your computer, and how much is taken by each type of file, such as documents, photos, music, etc. You’ll also find a variety of storage tools to help you free up some storage space.
For example, you can choose to have your trash empty itself every 30 days, or store your documents and photos in iCloud rather than your hard drive. Take advantage of the many helpful settings offered in your Mac and it will do most of the work for you!
Optimize Your Computer by Freeing Up Storage Space on Mac
Cleaning up your computer can take some time, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve done so. But ignoring the “Your disk is almost full” message will lead to a slow system. By freeing up some of your storage space on Mac, you’ll be surprised by how much faster and more efficient your computer becomes!
And once you’ve taken the time to clean it out, as long as you keep up with maintaining it, you’ll never have to worry about that error message again. For more tips and tricks for becoming a better Mac owner, be sure to take a look at our blog!