How to free up space on Mac? Here we'll introduce 10 quick tips to clean up gigabytes of disk space on your Mac.

Jul 21, 2021 Free up storage space on your Mac Save space by storing your content in iCloud or using built-in tools to find and remove large or unneeded files. The Optimized Storage features of your Mac help you save storage space by storing your content in iCloud and making it available on demand.

• Check out these popular apps that help you free up space on your Mac: CleanMyMac X: This 'all-in-one' app functions as a macOS cleaner, a performance monitor, a malware remover, and more.
• You can then sort the files by size, kind or last access date and determine if you want to delete any of them to free up some space on your storage device. How to Clear Purgeable Space on a Mac. Your macOS system will only remove purgeable space from your Mac when there is a need for additional storage.
• How to free up disk space on Mac OS automatically? We recommend you to use CleanMyMac X. This program allows you to keep your hard drive in a good state with the help of various applications such as junk files cleaner, shredder, system performance optimizer and etc. Download CleanMyMac X right now and clean your Mac hard drive easily and fast!
• Free Up Space In MacOS – Steps To Fix Mac Disk Space Issue In spite of its amazing features, the Macbooks hard drives fill up quickly after storing few data on it. We are unable to save a massive amount of data in the MacBooks.

Hi, I've had a Macbook Pro for about a year now, and I'm pretty happy with it. I've used up about 255GB of the disc space on it and I'm wondering how I can free up more space (Like get it back so there's 250+GB left). I'm used to doing this on a PC and I'm still fairly new on a Mac. Thanks. - Daniel

The problem 'startup disk is full on mac' is all too common for Mac users. Even if you buy a Mac with a 750GB hard disk, you can run out of the Mac space quickly with lots of media files such as movies, music and photos. Worse still, iTunes or Photo library can quickly fill up the 64GB or 128GB SSD of Macbook Pro/Air, leaving little room for anything else. It's awfully terrible to have low space on Mac, and you'll get crazy when your Mac runs slowly. So how to free up space on MacOS? Here are 10 quick tips to clean up gigabytes of disk space on Macbook Pro, Macbook Air and iMac, iMac Pro.

Pre-preparations Before You Make more Space on Your Startup Disk

Before you start to free up drive space on Mac, there are two things to do:

1. Check the used/available disk space - Click the Apple menu > Select 'About This Mac' > Click on the 'More Info' button > Choose the 'Storage' tab to check the disk storage overview and capacity.
2. Backup important or useful files - We cannot rule out the possibility that you need to delete files to clean up disk space on Mac. So you'd better backup important and useful files before Mac disc cleanup. Then follow tips below to figure out how to win back some storage space on Mac.

iTunes Alternative - Backup iPhone iPad to Mac without Duplication

MacX MediaTrans is the best alternative to iTunes that can backup music, photos and videos from iPhone iPad to Mac (macOS 11 Big Sur incl.), and reversely. No longer worry about taking too much space on Macbook Pro/Air, iMac.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Mac Disk Cleanup Features on macOS

If you have upgraded to macOS 11 Big Sur, you may notice a small feature of it – 'When you need more space, let your Mac find it for you'. The new macOS 11 Big Sur will help you clear out duplicates, app installers and other superfluous stuff, which could solve Mac startup disk full problem very well.

Just go to the menu and choose 'About This Mac' and then flip over to the Storage tab. Once you are there, you can go through the settings to clean out iTunes movies and shows, find large files, set the trash to empty automatically every 30 days, and a number of other settings. By the way, the Mac disk cleanup will speed up MacOS as well in return.

Part 2: Delete Old Devices Backups to Free Up Drive Space

Actually every time you synced your iPhone iPad iPod with iTunes, it automatically backs up specific files and settings to your Mac, which will take up too much space on your Mac computer. So if you wanna clean up Mac disk space, you can delete your old iDevices backups. You are suggested to keep the most recent backups of your iPhone iPad iPod and delete the older ones.

Find them: Home > Library > Application Support > MobileSync > Backup.
Delete them within following steps: Choose iTunes > Preferences > Click Devices > Select the backup you want to remove > Click Delete Backup.

Note: If you do not want to have too many backups on your Mac computer daily, you can switch to an iTunes alternative to backup iPhone to Mac. MacX MediaTrans is a nice choice, which transfers iPhone iPad iPod to Mac without duplication. And surely it won't take up too much disk space on your Mac computer.

Part 3: Uninstall Unused Applications and App Caches

Free Up Space Mac Os X Download

Applications occupy disk space of Mac of course. But are you sure you used all applications installed on your Mac? I guess there must be some of rarely-used. You can uninstall apps like Pokemon Go, Super Mario Run etc. you got from Mac App Store or other websites to free up disk space of Mac. And there are still some other barely used apps belongs to Mac OS X, which is unable to install. But you are clear the caches of these apps for more space reserved on Mac.

Uninstall unused apps: Click the Launchpad icon in the Dock, hold down an app's icon until all the icons begin to jiggle, then click an app's delete button . If you later want the app, you can re-install it from the Mac App Store.

Part 4: Delete Unnecessary Media Files From iTunes

iTunes has grown from a humble MP3 manager to massive application which handles music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and iOS apps these years, which can take tons of GB. We benefit a lot from iTunes, but it does become the single largest consumer of your Mac's precious storage space. So removing unnecessary media files that take up the most space on your Mac seems to be effective to make more space on Mac.

Check your current storage situation by launching iTunes and selecting a media type - movies, TV shows, music, etc. Take 'Movies' as an example, you can delete the movies without a cloud icon on the lower-right corner, which tells you the movie is local rather than purchased or movies transferred from iPhone to Mac in the cloud.

Part 5: Locate and Compress Large files to Smaller Size

There are always some files are essential but in big size. They take up too much space, but you cannot delete them. How t free up space on Mac in this situation? Never mind, you can compress the large files to smaller size in .zip, .rar, .mp4 etc. Generally speaking, a zip file will be about 10% smaller than all of the files were before they were compressed, this feature works best with medium size files. And a mp4 video is smaller than mkv, m2ts, avi formatted video, not to mention you can also compress UHD 4K to 1080P, 720P, 480P, 360P resolution.

Mac Free Up Disk Space

▶ Compress Large files to ZIP:

1. Select multiple files and folders by holding down the Shift key (for multiple items) or the Command key (for several individual items) and clicking.

2. Right click the files and folders, choose 'Compress Items' and a compressed file with the .zip extension will be created. And you can delete the original files and folders.

▶ Compress/Convert Videos to MP4:

Powerful Mac video converter can do you a favor on converting and compress videos to MP4 for smaller size. And MacX Video Converter Pro is the one to help you free up disk space on Mac by converting videos to MP4 or other smaller size formats as well as compressing MP4 video file size.

Free download the MP4 video converter and launch it > Load the target big size video > Choose MP4 as the output format > Decrease resolution (optional) > Click 'RUN' to compress video to MP4.

Part 6: Clear Temporary Files for Mac Disk Cleanup

Your Mac's hard drive probably has temporary files you don't need. These files often take up disk space for no good reason. When you are struggle on how to free up space on Mac, you are suggest to clear temporary files such as browsers caches, internet history cookies, download history and so on.

Meanwhile, you can also quit the running applications to release Mac hard drive space since Apps like Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Photoshop, Spotify, and many others, create temporary cache files while they're in use.

Part 7: Tackle the Contents in Downloads Directory

The Downloads folder is notorious for growing gigantic when left unchecked for a while. It's the default location for all of the files you download in Safari, Chrome, or Firefox, but thanks to the way that these browsers can automatically open or launch files once they're downloaded, many users build up a huge pile of old and unneeded junk in this folder.

To free up drive space on your Macbok Air/Pro, iMac, you can go Downloads directory and sort by file size, then delete anything (everything) you don't need any more. BTW, if you have a good habit that once you install an app, delete the installer .DMG file, zip file, or archive it came from, you will not be rarely be bothered with how to free up space on Mac.

Part 8: Empty Trash Cans to Free Up Disk Space Mac

Free Space On Mac

Emptying Trash cans obviously works on how to get more free space on your mac. But you'd be amazed at the numbers of big files that sitting in the trash for years. Here are three options to remove trash cans files:

• Open Finder in the menu bar on the top > Click Empty Trash
• Right-click on the Trash icon in your Dock > Choose Empty Trash
• Launching Finder and use the keyboard shortcut Shift-Command-Delete

Part 9: Remove Unused Languages to Free Up Space on Mac

As one of the computer giants, Macs are worldwide popular, which has been sold in more than 100 countries around the world with different languages. Almost every Mac application comes with several language files it supports so that it satisfies all almost all its users. But the fact is that you only need one or several languages indeed. So removing unused languages is another way to free up disc space on your mac's hard drive.

You can used Monolingual to remove those language files for Mac disk cleanup. Actually it does help you on freeing up drive space, but not suggested. If you have a big hard disk with more than enough free space, just keep them for the possibility of future use.

Part 10: Restarting the Mac & Installing System Updates

If it's been a while since you restarted your Mac, sometimes doing so will reclaim a bit of space, as the macOS reboot process involves clearing certain cache and temporary files which may have accumulated in the days and weeks since your last reboot. Of course, you'll do that under the Apple Menu at the top-left of your screen.

Or if you have downloaded System Updates but haven't install it yet, rebooting the Mac will find out the wasted sizable gigabytes space the System Updates occupied and install it to free up drive space on Mac.

No matter which approach you take to free up space on your Mac, keep in mind that you should always make sure that your backups are solid before getting started. And DO NOT delete anything if you don't know what it is. The effective solution of 'How to free up extra hard drive space on Mac' is definitely not to delete stuff in System folder, all right?

Finally, if you are also an iPhone user, you might also in wondering how to free up space your devices with 8GB, 16GB or 32GB storage. Yes, we gathered some effective tips to clean up space on iPhone iPad as well, please refer to How to Free Up Space on iPhone >>

So, you’ve decided to download an older version of Mac OS X. There are many reasons that could point you to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, you may have noticed your Mac’s performance went down right after the last update. Finally, if you want to run a parallel copy of Mac OS X on a virtual machine, you too will need a working installation file of an older Mac OS X. Further down we’ll explain where to get one and what problems you may face down the road.

A list of all Mac OS X versions

We’ll be repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions below, so it’s good to know the basic macOS timeline.

STEP 1. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn’t new and is filled with data, you will probably need enough free space on your Mac. This includes not just space for the OS itself but also space for other applications and your user data. One more argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory so your apps have “fuel” to operate on. The chart below tells you how much free space is needed.

Note, that it is recommended that you install OS on a clean drive. Next, you will need enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to free up space on your drive:

• Uninstall large unused apps
• Empty Trash Bin and Downloads
• Locate the biggest files on your computer:

Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange by size
Then you can move your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.
If you aren’t comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic “room cleaners”. Our favorite is CleanMyMac as it’s most simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.

Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.4 - 10.8 (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.9 (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.10 - 10.14 (free version)

STEP 2. Get a copy of Mac OS X download

Normally, it is assumed that updating OS is a one-way road. That’s why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The main challenge is to download the OS installation file itself, because your Mac may already be running a newer version. If you succeed in downloading the OS installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the OS on your computer.

How to download older Mac OS X versions via the App Store

If you once had purchased an old version of Mac OS X from the App Store, open it and go to the Purchased tab. There you’ll find all the installers you can download. However, it doesn’t always work that way. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to check it:

1. Click the App Store icon.
2. Click Purchases in the top menu.
3. Scroll down to find the preferred OS X version.
4. Click Download.

This method allows you to download Mavericks and Yosemite by logging with your Apple ID — only if you previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.

Without App Store: Download Mac OS version as Apple Developer

If you are signed with an Apple Developer account, you can get access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you desperately need a lower OS X version build, consider creating a new Developer account among other options. The membership cost is $99/year and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you can only find 10.3-10.6 OS X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.7, the App Store has become the only source of updating Apple OS versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

You can purchase a boxed or email version of past Mac OS X directly from Apple. Both will cost you around $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can only be installed from DVD.

Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard 10.6
Get an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8

The email edition comes with a special download code you can use for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer OS on top of it.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it’s possible too. But before your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to OS X 10.6.8. So, here are main steps you should take:

1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.

“I can’t download an old version of Mac OS X”

If you have a newer Mac, there is no physical option to install Mac OS versions older than your current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don’t expect it to run any OS released prior of that time, because older Apple OS versions simply do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

But as it often happens, workarounds are possible. There is still a chance to download the installation file if you have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to get an installer for Lion, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, once again, set up a virtual machine running Lion. Then you will need to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.

After you’ve completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, but you can click Cancel and copy the file you need. Below is the detailed instruction how to do it.

STEP 3. Install older OS X onto an external drive

The following method allows you to download Mac OS X Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.

1. Start your Mac holding down Command + R.
2. Prepare a clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
3. Within OS X Utilities, choose Reinstall OS X.
4. Select external drive as a source.
5. Enter your Apple ID.

Now the OS should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to do a restart, but at this point, you should completely shut it down. Now that the installation file is “captured” onto your external drive, you can reinstall the OS, this time running the file on your Mac.

1. Boot your Mac from your standard drive.
2. Connect the external drive.
3. Go to external drive > OS X Install Data.

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file you need to reinstall Lion OS X. The same steps are valid for Mountain Lion and Mavericks.

Free Up Space On Mac Os X Yosemite

How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.13, it is possible to revert it to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the experience. You can do it either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction to downgrade from macOS High Sierra

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Mojave

Free Up Space Mac Os X

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before you do it, the best advice is to back your Mac up so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to clean up your Mac from old system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download it for free here).

Visit your local Apple Store to download older OS X version

Free Up Space Mac Os X El Capitan

If none of the options to get older OS X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should have image installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. You can also ask their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So here you are. We hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS X. Below are a few more links you may find interesting.