If you are reading this article, you probably face problems with your Mac and are tired of the annoying ‘disk is almost full’ message flashing across the screen. Unfortunately, the lack of space may not allow you to upgrade your system to macOS Ventura or prevent you from downloading the movie you want to watch for your upcoming family movie night.
Want to know how you can free space on your Mac? Continue reading for the answer.
Clear all the junk files on your device
If you have been using your Mac for a long time, your system may have accumulated a lot of junk files. These files might be in the form of cache files, residual files left behind apps after you’ve uninstalled them, etc. There also might be files waiting to be deleted in the Trash or the separate trash cans of iMovie, iPhotos, and other Mac apps.
It is critical to delete these junk files to free up a sizable space on your hard drive. It is wise to set the Trash to automatically delete the files after thirty days so that even if you forget, the files won’t remain on your device and continue to take up space.
However, clearing junk files manually can be time-consuming. You have to search, identify and then delete the junk files. The process can be automated by installing a Mac cleaning app. The app will scan your system, find the junk files and delete them with only a few clicks.
Convert image files from HEIC to PNG
Although this is an unconventional solution, it works to free up hard drive space. The HEIC is the default image file format on your Mac computer. However, it is a high-resolution image file format; hence, it takes up a lot of space. In addition, the image file sizes are much larger than other popular file formats like PNG or JPEG. So, if you are a photographer or work with many pictures, you can consider converting your image files to PNG to allow your hard drive to breathe. Furthermore, the HEIC format is incompatible across platforms, so converting the files will ensure you can upload your pictures anywhere or even share the files with your friends or colleagues. Learn how to convert HEIC to PNG by clicking https://setapp.com/how-to/convert-heic-to-png.
Remove DMG files
After an application is installed, the DMG files are useless. Most applications will not remind you to delete the DMG files after installation, and you will end up with a pile of these files. These files will rob you of valuable disk space.
Fortunately, you can quickly delete the DMG files via Finder. Or you can take help from a Mac cleaner app.
Uninstall Applications You Don’t Need
If you have many apps and programs installed on your Mac, it is time to scroll through them and delete the ones you don’t need. Your system is probably filled with apps you don’t use anymore, which are taking up a lot of space without any good reason. Head to the App Store and delete the apps you don’t need anymore. Uninstall them, and then remember to remove the residual files. You can install these apps again if you need them in the future.
Delete Duplicate and Large Files
Removing duplicate files is an excellent way to reclaim storage space. Like it or not, your system might be overflowing with duplicate files. You may have downloaded the same file multiple times or accidentally copied the duplicate files.
You can manually find the duplicate files and delete them. But first, send them to the Trash, and then don’t forget to clear the Trash.
Optimize Storage with In-Built Tools
Optimizing your Mac’s storage with its built-in tools is one of the best ways to free space without hassle. You can optimize storage by opening the Apple menu > clicking About This Mac > clicking Storage > clicking Manage.
If you want to transfer all the large photos, files, and messages to the cloud to free space on your hard drive, you can click Store in iCloud. You will get 5GB of free storage space; if you need more, you can purchase 50GB to 2TB of additional storage.
Use the Reduce Clutter feature to solve the problem of finding redundant files for deletion. You can click Review Files to see the unsupported apps and containers you don’t need anymore. Then, scroll through the list and quickly remove the unnecessary files.
The Bottom Line
Lack of storage space can prevent you from upgrading your Mac’s operating system, downloading your favorite movie or music file, etc. It can also slow down your system and give rise to performance issues. The tips mentioned above will help you free space on your Mac so you can augment your system’s productivity and continue working without a fuss.
