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Safely Freeing Up Storage Space on a Mac

Issue Description 

Mac storage fills up, causing slowdowns and update failures. 

Common Causes 

  • Large system data 
  • Downloads and media files 
  • Old backups 

Step-by-Step Solution 

Step 1: Review Storage Breakdown 

  • Open System Settings → Storage 

 

Step 2: Remove Large Files 

  • Use Recommendations 
  • Delete unused videos and installers 

 

Step 3: Clear System Caches (Safely) 

  • Finder → Go → Go to Folder 

~/Library/Caches 

  • Delete folder contents (not folders) 

 

Step 4: Empty Trash 

  • Right-click Trash → Empty Trash 

Explore Further 

  • Move files to external drive 

Prevention & Best Practices 

Keep at least 20% free disk space.