If you are using a MacBook with 128 GB SSD storage, you are bound to keep running into the storage low error messages over and over again. While it may seem like you have 128 GB to play with, you do not have access to all of it since the OS, and preinstalled apps will occupy a sizable chunk of it.
Your options are to use a cloud storage service or start freeing up hard drive space using the following tips.
Tip 1: Clone your hard drive
If you lose your computer or your data gets wiped out, you can clone your hard drive to alleviate the consequences of data loss. Once you clone your hard drive and find that your laptop’s performance is subpar, you can wipe it clean and do a clean install. Visit https://setapp.com/how-to/how-to-clone-mac-hard-drive to read the step-by-step guide to cloning your drive easily.
Tip 2: Check your Downloads fold
Not every file in your Downloads folder is essential or needed. Check your folder to ensure you are not storing any unnecessary files in it. You can filter it based on the size of the file to see which files are hogging up your drive. Go through your Downloads folder at regular intervals to make sure you actually need everything that is in the Downloads folder.
Tip 3: Get rid of apps
Any app that you have not opened in the last 6 months is unlikely to see any use in the future as well. You can safely offload these. If you need to access these apps again, you can download them from the App Store or from the internet. You can apply the same size filter to the apps as well if you are running really low on storage. Another alternative to downloading apps is to use the browser-based version of the app.
Tip 4: Check how much storage is available
A good way to start with your decluttering is to first check how much storage is available to you. You can check this out by clicking on the Apple icon in the menu bar and then navigating to About this Mac -> Storage. You will be able to see what type of files are hogging up space on your computer.
Tip 5: Use Apple’s recommendations
Once you check out what is taking up space, you can also follow some basic recommendations from Apple to manage your storage. There are 4 basic recommendations that you can use – store your data on iCloud, remove TV shows and movies you’ve already watched, set your trash to empty automatically, and reduce clutter. On the left-hand panel, you can also see a list of folders that have some additional recommendations for files you can delete. Doing this can save you a lot of manual effort by going and looking for files that are hogging up your hard drive.
Tip 6: Use cleaning software
If you would rather automate cleaning out junk from your computer, you can look at cleaning software. These apps can find old files, large files, and duplicate ones and delete them on your behalf. There are plenty of them to choose from – both free and paid. Make sure you choose one that works for you.
Tip 7: Save your data to the cloud
While this has been discussed briefly, it is important to discuss your options with cloud storage services in detail. It is easy to set up iCloud syncing, and the good thing is that all your data is available across all your devices. But iCloud is not the only option you have when it comes to cloud storage. There is Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and more that you can make use of based on the amount of data you need to store and the functionality you require.
Tip 8: Get rid of temporary files and cache
Using cleaning software can help you get rid of temporary files and cache, but you can do it manually as well. Temporary files and cache are created by apps and browsers to make it easier for you to pick up from where you left things and easily switch between tabs and load sites faster. However, you do not need these files for your system to operate at an optimal level. One of the things you can do to prevent the cache from accumulating is to use the private browsing mode.
To conclude
Freeing up hard disk space without investing in either a cloud subscription or cleaning software can be hard to manage without a rigorous cleaning schedule and periodic assessments. If you do want to make a one-time investment instead of recurring payments, you can look at purchasing external drives and copying your data onto them, and wiping it off your local system.
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