How to Free Up Space on Your Mac Without Deleting Important Files
- jonathanmoreno92
- Mar 26
- 3 min read
Effective Methods to Manage Storage Without Losing Essential Data
If your Mac is warning you that storage space is nearly full, it's time to free up space to keep your system running smoothly. However, deleting important files is not the best solution. In this guide, we’ll show you how to recover storage without compromising essential data, using macOS native tools and some advanced tricks.
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1. Check Storage Usage
Before deleting anything, it’s essential to know what is taking up space on your Mac.
How to check available storage:
Go to Apple Menu > About This Mac > Storage.
Click Manage to see a detailed breakdown of space usage.
Identify which categories take up the most storage, such as Documents, Applications, or System.
2. Use macOS Optimization Feature
macOS has a built-in tool that helps free up storage without deleting essential files.
How to enable it:
Go to Apple Menu > About This Mac > Storage > Manage.
Enable the following options:
Store in iCloud: Automatically moves documents and photos to iCloud, keeping only recent files on your Mac.
Optimize Storage: Automatically removes movies and TV shows you've already watched in Apple TV.
Empty Trash Automatically: Deletes files from the Trash after 30 days.
3. Delete Large and Unnecessary Files
Some large files may be taking up space without you realizing it.
How to Find Large Files on Your Mac:
Open Finder and press Cmd + F.
In the search filter, select File Size > Greater Than and choose, for example, 500 MB.
Review the largest files and delete the ones you no longer need.
📌 Tip: Consider moving large files to an external hard drive instead of deleting them.
4. Clean Temporary Files and Cache
Applications store temporary files that, over time, can take up a lot of space.
How to manually clear the cache:
Open Finder and press Cmd + Shift + G.
Type ~/Library/Caches/ and press Enter.
Delete the contents of the folders inside Caches, but do not delete the main folder.
⚠️ Caution: Only delete files inside the "Caches" folder to avoid system issues.
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5. Uninstall Unused Applications
Many applications take up more space than you think, and some include unnecessary additional files.
How to properly uninstall apps:
Go to Finder > Applications and drag the app to the Trash.
To remove residual files, use AppCleaner (a free app that deletes all traces of the application).
📌 Tip: Check which applications take up the most space by going to Apple Menu > Storage > Manage > Applications.
6. Move Files to an External Drive or iCloud
If you have photos, videos, or large projects that you need to keep, consider moving them to external storage or the cloud.
Recommended options:
External hard drive or SSD: To store large files without taking up space on your Mac.
iCloud Drive: Sync files with the cloud and access them from any Apple device.
Google Drive / Dropbox: Cloud storage alternatives with more capacity.
7. Delete Old Downloads
The Downloads folder often gets filled with files you no longer need.
How to clean the Downloads folder:
Open Finder > Downloads.
Sort the files by date or size.
Delete documents, installers, or images you no longer need.
📌 Tip: If you download a lot of files, get into the habit of checking and cleaning this folder once a month.
9. Reduce the Space Taken Up by Photos and Videos
High-quality photos and videos can quickly fill up storage.
Options to optimize photos and videos:
Enable iCloud Photos in System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud.
Use the Optimize Storage on Mac option to store only low-resolution versions and download the originals when you need them.
10. Restart Your Mac After Cleaning the System
Once you've freed up space, restart your Mac to ensure the changes are applied correctly and to clear temporary memory.
Keep Your Mac Storage Free
Freeing up storage on your Mac doesn’t have to mean deleting important files. By following these tips, you can recover space without compromising essential data.
If your Mac still has storage issues after applying these solutions, iProX can help you optimize your device and ensure it runs efficiently.
📌 Need expert advice? Contact us and optimize your Mac’s performance.
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