Want to Free Up Space on Your Mac? Here Are Some Tips for Making the Most of Your Storage in Mac OS Ventura

Before you start, it's a good idea to make a time machine backup. This is especially important if you want to retrieve something you've deleted during this process. If you delete something and don't have a backup, you won't be able to get it back.

To free up space using the built-in storage management recommendations, click the Apple menu in the upper left corner of your screen, then click System Settings, followed by General, and finally Storage. This might take a moment or two to load. The recommendations are based on how much storage you have and which types of files are using the most space.

These recommendations might be different depending on your current settings. For example, if you turn on "Store in iCloud," all files from your desktop and documents folder will be stored in iCloud Drive, and only recently opened files will stay on your Mac. You can also download original files when you're connected to the internet. If you turn on "Optimize Storage Media Files," files using a large amount of space that you don't need anymore are automatically removed, like TV shows and movies purchased from the iTunes Store that you've already watched.

You can always download these again at any time. Additionally, if you turn on "Empty Trash Automatically," files you've moved to the trash will be permanently deleted after 30 days. You can also free up space manually by reviewing your app list, which is listed by size and storage amount. Each category has a storage amount displayed next to it.

Let's take a closer look at how to review our app list. We're going to click the information button next to a category and select what we'd like to delete for example, let's say we want to delete this duplicate copy of GarageBand. Clicking "Delete" will follow the prompts, allowing us to free up some space.

You can also move large files to an external hard drive or delete files manually from the finder if you still need ideas to create more space. Some sequences in this video were shortened for time.

Want to learn more about your Mac? You can subscribe to the Apple Support YouTube channel or click on another video to keep watching.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwant to free up space on your Mac here are some tips for making the most of your storage in Mac OS Ventura we'll show you how to use the built-in storage management recommendations and how to free up space manually before you start it's a good idea to make a time machine backup in case you'd like to retrieve something you've deleted if you delete something during this process you won't be able to get it back unless you have a backup first let's see how to free up space using the built-in storage management recommendations click the Apple menu in the upper left corner of your screen then click system settings click General and click storage this might take a moment or two to load recommendations are storage management suggestions based on how much storage you have and which types of files are using the most space these recommendations might be different depending on your current settings when you turn on store in iCloud all files from your desktop and documents folder will be stored in iCloud drive and only recently opened files will stay on your Mac you can download original files when you're connected to the internet when you turn on optimize storage media files using a large amount of space that you don't need anymore are automatically removed like TV shows and movies purchased from the iTunes Store that you've already watched you can download these again at any time when you turn on empty trash automatically files you've moved to the trash will be permanently deleted after 30 days you can also free up space manually here are a few ideas to get you started your files folders photos and apps are listed by size and the storage amount is displayed next to each category we're going to review our app list click the information button next to a category and select what you'd like to delete for example we're going to delete this duplicate copy of GarageBand click delete when you're ready and follow the prompts you can also move large files to an external hard drive or delete files manually from the finder if you still need ideas to create more space click done when you're finished and those are just a few ways to get started with freeing up space on your Mac time to get organizing want to learn more about your Mac subscribe to the Apple support YouTube channel or click another video to keep watching some sequences in this video were shortened foreignwant to free up space on your Mac here are some tips for making the most of your storage in Mac OS Ventura we'll show you how to use the built-in storage management recommendations and how to free up space manually before you start it's a good idea to make a time machine backup in case you'd like to retrieve something you've deleted if you delete something during this process you won't be able to get it back unless you have a backup first let's see how to free up space using the built-in storage management recommendations click the Apple menu in the upper left corner of your screen then click system settings click General and click storage this might take a moment or two to load recommendations are storage management suggestions based on how much storage you have and which types of files are using the most space these recommendations might be different depending on your current settings when you turn on store in iCloud all files from your desktop and documents folder will be stored in iCloud drive and only recently opened files will stay on your Mac you can download original files when you're connected to the internet when you turn on optimize storage media files using a large amount of space that you don't need anymore are automatically removed like TV shows and movies purchased from the iTunes Store that you've already watched you can download these again at any time when you turn on empty trash automatically files you've moved to the trash will be permanently deleted after 30 days you can also free up space manually here are a few ideas to get you started your files folders photos and apps are listed by size and the storage amount is displayed next to each category we're going to review our app list click the information button next to a category and select what you'd like to delete for example we're going to delete this duplicate copy of GarageBand click delete when you're ready and follow the prompts you can also move large files to an external hard drive or delete files manually from the finder if you still need ideas to create more space click done when you're finished and those are just a few ways to get started with freeing up space on your Mac time to get organizing want to learn more about your Mac subscribe to the Apple support YouTube channel or click another video to keep watching some sequences in this video were shortened foreign\n"