With the progress of technology and our reliance on data, the demand for more storage space has exponentially increased. As the measure of storage increases, we tend to forget storage limits until that point when we find ourselves running out of space.
It’s common to continuously upgrade your operating systems and install software. However, you may forget to check your storage needs. To avoid this, you need to perform the monitoring and optimization of your storage space regularly.
How to check your disk space
Before you start deleting files or taking other steps in optimizing your hard drive, it’s a good move to check the storage details first. As a Mac user, you can view these details by clicking on the Apple Icon –> About this Mac –> Storage. If you discover that you’ve used more than 80% of your drive’s capacity, your computer will start getting slower.
One reason for this is an issue called fragmentation. When fragmentation occurs because of limited space, your Mac will start splitting each new file into fragments or pieces so they can fit into available spaces on your computer.
This slows down your Mac’s processing capabilities. Also, a certain amount of RAM will also have to compensate for the lack of storage space.
How to recover your space
After finding out your computer’s storage details, it’s time to start clearing some space in your disk. Here are 5 ways to recover space on your Mac:
1. Store Your Files on iCloud
To do this, click the button that says, Store in iCloud. Select which files you want to store on iCloud. Doing this uses the storage space on your iCloud storage instead of your computer.
When you exceed or reach your storage limit, you have their purchase more storage space or make more space available. You should learn how to purchase and how to cancel iCloud storage plan without iPhone so that you can make the most out of this feature for your Mac.
2. Remove Duplicate Files and Unused Apps
You may have a lot of duplicate files cluttering your computer’s hard drive and these take up a lot of space. This happens when you have owned the computer for a long time. Fortunately, today, there are many applications that you can use to locate and delete these files.
Also, you may have applications installed on your Mac that aren’t necessary. If so, it’s better to uninstall them. You can determine which apps use the most space by opening the Finder window then selecting Applications. Click on Show Items in a List on the toolbar and then click on the Size to determine which apps to uninstall.
3. Optimize Storage and Empty the Trash Automatically
If you store media files, this uses a lot of space. To optimize your storage, delete shows and movies you’ve already watched. This won’t pose any problem as you can always download them again without repayments.
Remember that deleted files aren’t completely removed from your system until you have cleared your computer’s trash can. You can automate this process to ensure that the trash can is regularly emptied, even if doing this slips your mind.
4. Clean Up Your Desktop
Many people don’t care how their desktop looks and often, it’s already cluttered with icons, many of which aren’t used. You should organize your desktop as this can help your Mac add storage while making it run a bit faster.
5. Delete Cache Files
Cache files are the files that help your device run programs smoothly. But you should remove these files periodically to clear up your storage. You don’t have to worry because your computer will generate new ones when you restart.
What are the things you can do to manually recover space?
If you want to restore space on your computer, there are certain things you can do manually. Although these require more effort, they will go a long way into achieving your goal of increased storage.
Delete media – Music, movies, and other types of media take a lot of storage space in your Mac. Delete these files from your computer as soon as you realize that you don’t need them anymore.
Get rid of miscellaneous files – Go through your file list and delete those that you don’t need by moving them to the trash can. When you’re done, empty the trash can. One of the best places to find these files is your Download folder. You can also revisit other folders that you haven’t used in a while.
Compress files or move them – When you compress a file, you will reduce its file size. Compressing is important for files that don’t want to delete, as this helps clear up space. You can also choose to move your files to an external storage device.
Conclusion
We can all agree that Apple computers are highly advanced and integrated systems that provide many cool features. But the main issue you will face with these devices is low storage spaces. Hopefully, this article will help you fix this issue. Consider doing the tips you learned here as they can help you deal with space issues. Applying them will help you keep your Mac fast, optimized, and ready for anything.
Author Bio: James Dorian is a technical copywriter. He is a tech geek who knows a lot about modern apps that will make your work more productive. James reads tons of online blogs on technology, business, and ways to become a real pro in our modern world of innovations. Let me know when you publish my article and I will send you the payment.
