Check what's taking up space before you delete anything

Your Mac stores information about how much space each file and folder uses. Before you start deleting, look at what's actually consuming your storage. Open Finder, click on your hard drive name in the sidebar (usually "Macintosh HD"), then go to File menu and select Get Info. A window will show your total capacity and how much space is used.

For a more detailed breakdown, use the Storage management tool built into macOS. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, select About This Mac, then click Storage. This shows you categories like Applications, Documents, Photos, and Other — and tells you exactly how many gigabytes each category uses. This view helps you decide where to focus your cleanup effort.

Key Takeaways

  • Check your storage breakdown in About This Mac > Storage before deleting anything, so you know which category is using the most space.
  • Empty the Trash bin after deleting files, because deleted files stay on your Mac until you empty it.
  • Large photo libraries, old downloads, and duplicate files are the fastest sources of freed-up space.
  • Move files you rarely use to an external drive or cloud storage instead of keeping them on your Mac's main drive.
  • Uninstall applications you no longer use by dragging them from Applications folder to Trash, then empty Trash.

Delete files from your Downloads folder

The Downloads folder accumulates files you've saved from the internet and often contains duplicates or files you no longer need. Open Finder, click Downloads in the sidebar, and look through the list. Most people can delete months or years of old installers, PDFs, and documents here without losing anything important.

Sort the Downloads folder by date modified to see what's oldest. Select files you recognize and no longer need, then press Command+Delete to move them to Trash. After you've selected everything you want to remove, empty the Trash by right-clicking it in the Dock and selecting Empty Trash. Files do not actually leave your Mac until you empty Trash.

Remove applications you don't use

Applications take up significant space, especially large programs like video editors, design software, or games. Open Finder and click Applications in the sidebar. Look through the list and identify programs you haven't opened in months or years. Right-click each one and select Move to Trash, or drag it directly to the Trash icon in your Dock.

Some applications leave behind additional files in other folders even after you delete the main program. For a thorough removal, you can use the built-in method: delete the app, then go to Library folders (which are hidden by default). Press Command+Shift+Period in Finder to show hidden files, then navigate to Library > Application Support and Library > Preferences to find and delete leftover files related to that app. This step is optional but frees up more space.

Manage your photo and video library

Photos and videos consume enormous amounts of storage. Open the Photos app and check how much space your library uses by going to Photos menu > Preferences > General. If your library is large, look for videos you can delete — they use far more space than photos. Select videos you don't want to keep, press Delete, and confirm the deletion.

Another option is to move your photo library to external storage. In Photos, go to Photos menu > Preferences > General, then click Change next to Library Location. Select an external drive, and your entire library moves there. Your Mac will still show the photos in the Photos app, but they'll be stored on the external drive instead of your main hard drive. This frees up significant space if you have thousands of photos.

Clear out cache and temporary files

Your Mac stores temporary files and cache data that can add up over time. These are files applications create to run faster, but they're safe to delete. Open Finder, press Command+Shift+G to open the Go to Folder dialog, type ~/Library/Caches, and press Enter. You'll see folders for each application. You can delete entire folders here — applications will recreate them if needed.

Be cautious and only delete cache folders for applications you recognize. If you're unsure about a folder, leave it alone. After deleting cache folders, go back and empty your Trash. Another safe location is ~/Library/Logs, which contains old log files that applications no longer need. You can delete everything in this folder without affecting your Mac's performance.

Use external storage for files you want to keep

If you have files you want to keep but don't use regularly — old projects, archived documents, or backup photos — move them to an external drive instead of deleting them. Connect an external hard drive or USB drive to your Mac, then drag folders or files from Finder directly onto the external drive. Once the transfer completes, you can delete the files from your Mac.

External drives are inexpensive and provide a safe way to store files without taking up space on your Mac. You can also use cloud storage services like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox to store files online. Move files to cloud storage, then delete them from your Mac. You'll still be able to access them from any device with internet, but they won't take up local storage space.

Empty your Trash and restart if needed

After you've deleted files, your Mac doesn't actually free up the space until you empty Trash. Right-click the Trash icon in your Dock and select Empty Trash. A confirmation dialog will appear — click Empty Trash again to confirm. The space is now available for new files.

If you've deleted a very large amount of data, restart your Mac. This clears temporary files and allows your system to reorganize storage more efficiently. After restarting, go back to About This Mac > Storage to confirm that your available space has increased. If you still need more space, repeat the steps above, focusing on the categories that use the most storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much free space should I keep on my Mac?

Apple recommends keeping at least 10 to 15 percent of your total storage capacity free. If your Mac has a 256 GB drive, that means keeping at least 25 to 40 GB available. Having free space helps your Mac run faster and prevents performance problems when you need to save new files.

Is it safe to delete files from the Library folder?

Deleting from Library > Caches and Library > Logs is safe — applications recreate these files. Avoid deleting from other Library folders unless you're certain what you're removing. When in doubt, leave Library folders alone and focus on Downloads, Applications, and Photos instead.

What's the difference between moving files to external storage and deleting them?

Moving files to external storage keeps them safe on another drive, so you can access them later if needed. Deleting files removes them from your Mac permanently. Move files you might need again; delete files you're certain you'll never use.

Will clearing cache slow down my applications?

No. Applications will recreate cache files the next time you use them. You might notice a slight delay the first time you open an app after clearing its cache, but performance returns to normal immediately after.

Can I recover files after I empty Trash?

Once you empty Trash, recovery is difficult and may require paid data recovery software. Before emptying Trash, open it, review what's inside, and make sure you don't need any of it. If you're unsure about a file, move it to external storage instead of deleting it.