Make Mac BetterHow to free up storage space on a Mac
“Your disk is almost full” usually arrives at the worst moment. Most of the space is recovered in a few places, and you don’t need to delete anything important.
Step by step
See what is taking up space
Open System Settings › General › Storage. The bar shows how much apps, documents, photos and system data use, and each category has an info button to see its largest items.
Turn on the recommendations
On the same screen, “Empty Trash Automatically” removes items after 30 days, and “Optimise Storage” removes films and series you have already watched. “Store in iCloud” moves files to the cloud if you pay for the space.
Clear the Downloads folder
Open Downloads in the Finder, switch to list view and sort by size. Old installers (.dmg, .pkg), videos and compressed files are usually the heaviest and the easiest to remove.
Empty the Trash
Nothing is freed until you empty it: Control-click the Trash in the Dock and choose Empty Trash. Check what is inside first.
What can I delete without risk?
Installers of apps you have already installed, downloads you have saved elsewhere, old screenshots and exact duplicates. Don’t delete folders in Library or files you can’t identify.
How do I find the biggest files quickly?
In the Finder, press ⌘F, choose “File Size” as the criterion and “is greater than” 1 GB. Make Mac Better’s Files module shows Downloads, Desktop and Documents grouped by type, with the largest and the ones you probably don’t need in plain sight.
Is it safe to use a cleaning app?
Be wary of apps that promise to “speed up” your Mac or delete things on their own. Make Mac Better always asks first, only moves files to the Trash, never deletes them permanently, and skips technical folders so it doesn’t break projects.
What takes up “System Data”?
Caches, backups and temporary files that macOS manages. They shrink on their own when space is needed; it’s better not to delete them by hand.