Issue Description
macOS shows “Startup disk is almost full” warnings and performance drops.
Common Causes
- System Data growth
- Old backups
- Downloads and caches
Step-by-Step Solution
Step 1: Check Storage Breakdown
- System Settings → Storage
Step 2: Remove Large Files
- Use Recommendations
- Delete old installers and media files
Step 3: Reduce System Data
- Remove old Time Machine local snapshots:
tmutil listlocalsnapshots /
tmutil deletelocalsnapshots <date>
Step 4: Empty Trash and Restart
- Confirm storage freed
Explore Further
- Move files to external drive
Prevention & Best Practices
Keep at least 20–25% disk free.