Mac storage guides

Clear, careful answers to the questions people ask when their Mac runs out of space. Every guide starts with the tools already on your Mac.

• 8 min readHow to free up space on your Mac without deleting the wrong thingA safe, step-by-step way to free up storage on your Mac: check Storage settings, empty the Trash, clear Downloads, remove unused apps and find big files.
• 7 min readWhat is System Data on a Mac, and how do you reduce it?System Data is the catch-all storage category on a Mac. Learn what it contains, why it grows, and safe ways to reduce it without breaking macOS.
• 7 min readHow to clear Xcode DerivedData and other developer files safelyWhere Xcode DerivedData, device support files, simulators and package caches live on your Mac, what is safe to delete, and the commands to clean them.
• 6 min readIs it safe to delete cache files on a Mac?Most app caches on a Mac are safe to delete because apps rebuild them. Here is where caches live, how to clear them properly, and what not to touch.
• 5 min readHow to find large files on your MacThree ways to find the biggest files on your Mac: Storage settings, a Finder search by file size and a Terminal command, plus what usually takes space.
• 6 min readHow to uninstall apps completely on a MacDelete an app on your Mac and remove the support files, caches, preferences and login items it leaves behind, without touching data you still need.