Is your Mac starting to feel a little sluggish? One of the most common culprits is a lack of storage space. Whether you’re dealing with the dreaded “Your disk is almost full” message or simply want to keep your system running smoothly, freeing up space on your Mac is easier than you might think. Below are nine simple and effective ways you can reclaim storage and boost performance.
1. Empty the Trash
It might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how often users forget to empty the Trash. Files in the Trash still occupy disk space until you permanently delete them.
Tip: Right-click the Trash bin icon in your Dock and select Empty Trash to completely remove these files.
2. Delete Old iOS Backups
If you’ve ever backed up an iPhone or iPad to your Mac using Finder or iTunes, those backups can eat up several gigabytes of space.
To remove them:
- Open Finder
- Select your device under Locations
- Click Manage Backups
- Delete any old or unnecessary backups
3. Clear Cache Files
Cached files help apps load faster, but over time they build up and consume storage. You can manually delete cache from:
~/Library/Caches/Library/Caches
Just be careful not to remove anything you’re unsure about. It’s best to delete only the contents of the individual app folders, not the folders themselves.
4. Uninstall Unused Apps
Take a moment to evaluate the apps you seldom use. Each application can take up hundreds of megabytes — or more.
To uninstall:
- Open Finder
- Go to Applications
- Drag unused apps to the Trash, then empty it
5. Move Files to External Storage
If you have media files or documents you don’t need daily, consider offloading them to an external hard drive or SSD. This frees up space while keeping your data accessible.
And don’t forget cloud services like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox. These can also act as storage extensions for your Mac.
6. Optimize Storage with Built-in Tools
Apple provides integrated tools to manage storage:
- Click on the Apple menu → About This Mac → Storage
- Click Manage and explore the suggestions like Store in iCloud, Optimize Storage, and Empty Trash Automatically
These tools can help you quickly clear out data you don’t need.
7. Remove Duplicate Files
Duplicates can eat up storage without you even knowing. There are apps like Gemini 2 that help identify and delete duplicate files safely.
Alternatively, do a quick manual check in your Downloads or Documents folder—these are common places for duplicates to pile up.
8. Clean Up Your Downloads Folder
Your Downloads folder is a common dumping ground for everything from images to installers. Often, many of these files are no longer needed.
Set a recurring reminder to review and clean your Downloads folder every few weeks. You’d be surprised how much junk can accumulate.
9. Clear Your Mail Downloads
Every attachment you open in Apple Mail is saved to a hidden Mail Downloads folder. Over time, these can amount to gigabytes.
To find and clear it:
- Open Finder and click Go → Go to Folder…
- Type
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Mail Downloads/ - Delete the files inside
Keep Your Mac Running Smoothly
Regular maintenance is the key. By spending just a little time each month cleaning and organizing your Mac, you can avoid performance slowdowns and annoying full disk warnings.
Try incorporating these tips into your routine. Not only will your Mac thank you, but you’ll also ensure it stays fast and functional for years to come.
