The Small Business Times

How To Free Up Space On Your Mac In Just Minutes

If you’re like most people, you’re constantly battling the temptation to fill up your hard drive with unnecessary files. You might have hundreds of photos you’ve never used, videos you never watched, or songs you never listened to.

But with a little effort, you can free up space on your Mac and make room for the things that matter most to you. Read more on freeing up space on your Mac:

#1. Delete Unnecessary Files 

One of the best ways to free up space on your Mac is to systematically delete any files that you no longer need. If you have a lot of photos that you’ve never used, for example, you can easily delete them using the Mac’s file management system.

#2. Clear Your Mac’s Internet Cache

Working online and shuffling between different applications can build up and clog your internet cache. Clearing this internet cache will allow more space for you to browse through the internet and use online sources without buffering creeps in to stall memory-intensive programs. 

#3. Disable Extensions And Apps 

If you don’t need certain extensions or apps installed on your Mac, you can disable them to free up space. This will also disable any features that the extensions or apps offer.

#4. Clear Your Desktop 

When you have lots of icons and folders on your desktop, you can clear them to free up space. This will also make your desktop more organized and easier to use.

#5. Remove Duplicate Files 

Duplicate files can be a pain, but you can easily get rid of them using the Mac’s file management system. This will not only free up some precious space on your hard drive, but it will also make it easier to find the files you’re looking for since they won’t be lost in a sea of identical copies.

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

#6. Consolidate Files

If you have a lot of different files that you use regularly on your Mac, you can easily consolidate them into one file or folder. 

You can free up considerable space on your hard drive and you’ll find it easier to access your files. This is as easy as creating a new folder and dragging all of your related files into it. Once you’ve done that, you can access the folder quickly and easily from the Finder or Spotlight.

#7. Move Files To The Cloud 

When you don’t need a particular file on your Mac, you can easily move it to the cloud using the Mac’s file management system. This will make the file available for use by other devices that you own, such as your iPhone or iPad.

Not only does this make it more convenient for you to access your files from anywhere, but it also helps free up space on your Mac.

#8. Delete Unused Applications 

You may have unwanted applications installed on your Mac that you may want to delete. Do this to free up space on your hard drive. This will make it easier to use your Mac.

#9. Delete Photos That You No Longer Need

If you have a lot of photos that you no longer need, you can easily delete them using the Mac’s file management system. Your Mac will start working faster when you free up space on your hard drive this way. This will make it easier for you to find the photos you’re looking for.

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

#10. Use The Mac’s File Compression Feature

There may be some large files that you have downloaded in the past. You can use the Mac’s file compression feature to reduce the size of these files. There will be less load on your hard drive, and you’ll find it easier to store files on your Mac.

#11. Disable Unused Services

You probably use online services when you need them. However, these services take up space on your Mac unless you delete them after usage. Try disabling those services that you don’t need. This can free up space on your hard drive and prevent any potential crashes.

#12. Clear Your Browser’s History

Similar to clearing your desktop, clearing your browser history can also help free up a lot of space. Not only will this remove any old web pages that you’ve been browsing, but it’ll also clear any cookies that you may have saved.

If you are finding that you are running out of disk space on your Mac, or if you just want to free up some space quickly, these are the simple steps that you can take. 

You can delete temporary files, files that you don’t need anymore, and files that are older than a certain period of time. By deleting these files, you will free up space on your Mac and make it easier to use.