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The Ultimate Guide To macOS Storage Management: Optimizing Your Mac’s System Data

The amount of data stored in a Mac determines the performance of your computer. Managing storage on MacBook can help optimize its system data.

It comprises your computer’s operating system and all its extensions. There are different ways you can use to effectively manage data stored in Mac.

You can use the storage manager Mac. Alternatively, you may use clean junk on Mac, remove files in the trash, or move files to the cloud. 

Using Storage Manager Mac To Optimize Your Computer

The Storage Manager is a feature built-in Mac operating system. Every time you open it, it displays all the files that take up space in your hard drive.

It even categorizes the files to help you manage them with ease. If they are not critical system files, you can remove them to free up more space in the system.

To view files in Mac storage apps and files in your hard drive, follow these steps. 

  • Open the menu button and click the Apple feature. 
  • Navigate to the System Settings icon and open it.
  • Under the sidebar displayed, look for General and click on it.
  • Navigate the icons that will be displayed and select Storage. From there, you will be able to view all the files and apps on your hard drive. 

You can select the files you need to manage from the Storage Manager. The only challenge you might have is when the files are too many.

In this case, you need to search for information about how to select all files in a folder on Mac system.

There are different approaches you can use to select multiple files Mac. You may click the first file and hold down the Shift key on your keyboard.

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If you click the last file on this page, this command will select all on Mac under your view. Another method about how to select all on Mac is to hold down the Command key.

While holding it, click the files you want to select multiple Mac items. It’s not a must for the files to be next to each other. 

Delete Junk Files To Optimize System Data Mac Storage

Mainly, junk files in your computer come from the system cache. They are micro pieces of data used by your computer to enhance its performance.

Another source is the user cache created when you open applications and use them. It doesn’t take long before your computer gets filled with all the files you don’t want to be there.

At this level, they impact negatively on your computer speed. If you are experiencing Mac system data large web or user cache, the best solution is to delete them. Here are the steps. 

  • Under the Apple menu, scroll and open Finder
  • Use the keyboard shortcut Cmd + Shift + G 
  • Under the field that opens, type the command /Library/Caches and press enter.
  • You will be able to view all the system cache and delete it from each folder. 
  • To delete the user cache, follow the same process but enter the command ~ /Library/Caches.

Use Mac Disk Space Analyzer

If you are not sure how to see storage on Mac, one of the methods is to use Disk Space Analyzer. Its purpose is to scan your hard drive and analyze its storage space.

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It then displays the files occupying the largest space. You can then delete unused or unwanted files from the hard disk. Here are the steps to launch it. 

  • Locate the Apple menu and open it.
  • Scroll down and select System Settings
  • Scroll further to General
  • On the right side of the screen select Storage.
  • Navigate and select All Volumes. If you hover your pointer over a file, you will view the space it occupies. 

Clean Your Mac Trash folder

Another method about how to manage storage on Mac is to clean the Trash folder. Every time you delete a file it goes to the Trash folder.

Many people forget to empty it and it keeps building trash which impacts performance. The solution is to delete them and optimize Mac performance.

Follow these steps. 

  • The Trash folder could be located on your desktop. It resembles a paper bin. Open it and delete everything.
  • If the icon is not on the desktop, open the Dock icon. 
  • Locate the Trash icon and open it.
  • Confirm that you want to delete and click Delete. 

Conclusion

Optimizing Mac storage creates more room for your computer to perform better. There are many methods you can use for Mac optimization.

You might want to delete files from the Trash folder or remove the cache. Use a disk space analyzer to see which files are occupying too much space.

No matter the method you use, it frees up space in your computer and enhances speed.