![]() Click on the Apple icon in the top menu bar.But while your own mileage may vary, heading to Optimize Storage and trying out some of the options are worth a shot. There are conflicting reports about whether Optimize Storage actually causes purgeable space or whether it can help clear it out. Method 1: Optimize Mac Storage Applying some of these storage-saving settings to your Mac may clear out purgeable files.Īpple first introduced the idea of purgeable space back in macOS Sierra, when it also debuted a new Optimized Storage feature to the Mac ecosystem. There are a few other options and workarounds for clearing out additional space on your Mac’s drive, including purgeable storage, however. But the problem is that the fact that Apple doesn’t allow users to clear out purgeable space manually. So purgeable space is space that isn’t necessary, so you can go about safely clearing it out, right? Theoretically, yes. That’s because purgeable space is technically still “allocated” system storage. If you’re trying to partition your drive, download a major software update or install a large app, you may run into a brick wall. While macOS will theoretically clear out purgeable space as needed, there are some instances when it may not do so. For many of the data categories, macOS is making an educated guess as to whether or not you’ll actually need or access those files anytime soon. There are also reports that data sent to Trash but not deleted immediately will show up as purgeable space.Īs you might notice, there’s another element to purgeable storage: guesswork.Locally stored Time Machine data, which is separate from the backups on your Time Machine drive.(And, if deleted, can easily be re-downloaded from iTunes.) Movies and TV shows that you’ve already watched.Dictionaries that you haven’t used or accessed in a while.Large font files that you rarely use, or may never use.Various cached data and temporary system files that macOS can delete if necessary.Full-resolution versions of photos stored in iCloud (that can be downsampled if needed).This helps speed up opening those files if you need them. Locally stored copies of files that you have stored in iCloud.Purgeable space shows up as white space with a diagonal gray pattern over the top (see above).īut what files or documents does the purgeable storage category actually refer to? Well, there are a couple of things that fall into it, including the following: To see how much purgeable space is on your Mac, you can head to Apple menu -> About This Mac -> Storage. Don’t worry, macOS isn’t going to delete any of your important files - the files in purgeable space are actually more of a redundancy feature. In a nutshell, purgeable storage refers to files or documents on your disk that macOS can remove if more space is needed. In any case, here’s everything you need to know about purgeable storage on your Mac. As a workaround, it could require some technical tweaking. My Mac Won’t Start or Boot: How To Fix White Screenīased on the name, you may think that purgeable space is simple to get rid of.How to Cancel Your iCloud Storage Subscription Without Losing Data.How to use storage recommendations and optimization in macOS.New Year, Quick Fixes for Your Mac for Better Performance and More Storage.But how do you go about clearing out storage that’s “purgeable”? Related: Then expand them when you need to use them again.ĭid you empty the Trash? When you move a file to the Trash, its storage space doesn't become available until you empty the Trash.Local storage is one of the most important things to manage on your Mac. If you don't want to delete certain files, you might be able to save space by compressing them. Check the Users folder on Macintosh HD for any shared files that you no longer need to share.If your Mac is set up for multiple users, delete users that no longer need access to your Mac. Or ask them to follow the steps in this article after logging in to their user account. Also check the Users folder on Macintosh HD for any undeleted data belonging to deleted users.If you use your Mac to back up your iPhone or iPad, you can delete old backups.Also choose Mailbox > Erase Deleted Items. If you use the Mail app for your email, choose Mailbox > Erase Junk Mail from the menu bar in Mail.Delete files in your Downloads folder. Open this folder from the Dock, or by choosing Go > Downloads from the menu bar in the Finder.Delete music, movies, podcasts, or other media, especially if it's media that you can stream or download again as needed.You can also delete files that you no longer need. If you have another storage device, such as an external drive connected to your Mac, you can move files to that device. Media files such as photos and videos can use a lot of storage space, so you can take steps such as these:
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