Sep 03, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

Whether you are a student, businessman, writer, or programmer, you will have terabytes of storage space on your Macbook and still struggle with the data.

If you check the storage disk space on Mac and are keep an eye on it, you will notice how quickly the storage gets consumed. Therefore, sooner or later, the speed of your MacBook will decrease, and you will have to take action for it. In case you don’t know how to check disk space on Mac or optimize it, this post is just the thing for you. It will walk you through the various options to even check CPU usage on Mac and regulate its hard drive space.

1. Disk Drill does all the hard work for you. It will check hard drive space on Mac and build a disk map with a list of your files with the largest ones first. That way you can see which files are taking up the most space and decide whether to delete them, move them to another drive, or leave them where they are.
2. Step 1 – Checking Available Disk Space. In order to successfully free up some disk space on your Mac, you first need to know what is actually eating up so much precious space. To do this, click on the Apple menu in the top left corner and then choose the “About This Mac” option.

So, without any delay, let’s get down and have a look at how to check disk space on Mac.

Checking disk space is really necessary, especially for those users who do excessive downloading, storage of data and heavy processing. When it comes to Mac, available disk space has even more importance. Apple Mac has a condition regarding disk space: it should have at least 10% space available.

Part 1. How to Check Storage on Mac

Those who are using MacBook for their daily work like programming, coding, designing, photography, and other important work know how quickly their storage space gets filled. They know that even the most abandoned storage devices available in the market eventually fail to keep up with their daily need.

The thing is there is too much data that needs processing. There are high-quality 4k videos, full-size photographs, RAW files, documents, and a lot more. The data like the iTunes movies, log files, and applications will use the space.

Even if you somehow avoid all the unnecessary data, the MacBook has to deal with log files, backups, operating system files, updates, and a lot of others. The duplicated files and the cache files created in your system are also an active contributor to the storage problems.

Problems Caused Due to Low storage Space

The filling space of the MacBook doesn't only prevent you from adding data, but it also has a drastic effect on your system. It gets your system bloated, slows the hard drives, decreases the CPU performance, and even causes heating problems. If you have a hard disk, you will literally be able to hear the spinning of the drive, once it's full.

Solutions for the Issue

The only solution to deal with this problem is to regularly check the storage on Mac and optimize the system whenever it’s nearly filled. If you don’t know how to check Mac storage, here are the steps that you have to take.

Step 1: Open the hard drive

Step 2: Click on the application tab

Step 3: Now select the utilities from the list

Step 4: Open the activity monitor from here

Step 5: A menu to Check CPU usage Mac will open

Step 6: Click the storage space button

It will display all the storage media with their storage space details

Part 2. How to Check Hard Disk Space Available

If you are in a situation where your MacBook has started to present slower performance and is taking too much time to boot, maybe its time you take a look at the hard disk space.

Low storage in the hard disk increases the data processing load on the system, which then acquires most of the working memory. It hinders the regular working cycle of the Macbook and turns it to a slow and unreliable machine. So at least 10% of the hard drive must be available all the time.

If you have no idea of the space available in your guide and don’t know how to check space on Mac, here’s how you can do it without using any third-party software or complex processing.

Step 1: Click on the Apple logo on the top Screen.

Step 2: Select 'About This Mac'

Note: To check the storage on Mac with an older version of OS X, you have to click on more info button before the next step.

Step 3: Click on the Storage tab in the windows that open.

After this step, you will find a list of hard drives and other connected devices with their storage details. Look for the one you need, and you are good to go.

Part 3. How to Free Up Space on Mac

In today's life, many Mac users are constrained by the limited storage space. The SSDs are quite expensive while the traditional HDDs are slow and not ideal for the fast pace of life. Therefore, the best rescue you have is to check the storage on Mac and optimize it regularly.

Now that you know how to check space on Mac let get down with the optimization process and options you have. Here are the things you have to do:

Step 1: Open the menu that you previously used to check the memory on Mac

Step 2: Click on the manage button that sits next to flash storage media detail

Step 3: It will show you the following options for optimizing the memory space.

i. Store in iCloud

iCloud is the online storage space that comes with every Apple device. You can sign into the storage space using the Apple id and then use it to store data.

After clicking on the iCloud, you will have the following options:

Desktop and documents: If you click this option, all the files in these folders will get uploaded to the cloud storage. Only the recently used records will be kept on the Mac. You have to download the older files if you need them.

Photos: This option let you upload original and high-resolution photographs and video to the cloud library. Only an optimized and space-saving version of the data remains on the Mac. In case you want the original file, you can download it from the iCloud whenever you want.

The basic storage of iCloud is free, but you will have to go for a paid plan if you need additional space. So, it best if you check the storage on Mac that these categories are using, before clicking the options.

ii. Optimize Storage

This option gives you three options for clearing space. You can use it to remove the watched iTunes downloads, prevent automatically download email attachments, or restricting the email attachment downloads to the recent emails only.

iii. Empty the trash

The data that you delete often stay in the trash can and still use the storage space. 'Empty the trash' helps you to automate the cleaning of this trash bin. It clears all the files that are older than 30 days.

How To Clear Space On Mac

iv. Reduce Clutter

Reduce the clutter option lets you filter out the large files that you haven't used for a long time. You can then select the once you don’t need and delete them permanently.

You can also try to free up the storage space manually. Have a look at the things you can do for it.

• Delete old files that are no longer required.
• Move files to external media like a flash drive or external hard drive
• Use compressor to reduce the space requirement of the data
• Remove the unnecessary programs old fonts, languages and dictionaries
• Delete unneeded emails from the mailbox and junk mail folders
• Clear cache, logs and download history of your browser

Part 4. How to Recover Accidentally Deleted Files on Mac

After gaining an overview of how to check MacBook storage space and optimize it, the next step will be to ensure that all your essential files are safe.

Losing the critical data during the optimization or due to accidental deletion can have a very drastic effect on your work. You might have to face losses and do the whole project again. Luckily, MacBook offers the freedom to use third-party recovery software to deal with the problem.

Recoverit Data Recovery Software for Mac

If you have lost data from your MacBook whether it's in the form of an image, document, video, or even camera raw, you will need high-performance software to recover them. Download Recover its data recovery software for this task.

Here’s how you can use Recoverit data recovery software to recover your data.

Step 1. Select the Location

Launch Recoverit data recovery software and select the last location of your deleted files. Now, click on the start button on the lower side of the software window and proceed with the next step.

Step 2. Scan the Drives

Use the all-rounder scan to find the required files from the drive. You can also use filters to enhance the searching process while the software is performing its task.

Step 3. Preview and Recover Files

After the software check memory on Mac, it will list all the files that it has found in the drive. You can then preview the files and select the ones you need. Once you are sure of the data, just click on the Recover button and the software will restore them.

However, the files won’t be getting back to their previous location. You have to either assign them a new address or they will go to the Recoverit's default location.

Part 5. Tips Against Full Storage on Mac

Knowing how to check MacBook storage may help you to eliminate the memory issues, but its haste. First, you have to check the storage on MacBook, then you have to transfer or delete the data, and if something goes wrong, you have to recover trashed files and deleted data. It is not that bad, but it’s not something that you can do too often.

Therefore, you should try to avoid storage issues in the first place. Have a look at some tips that you can use.

• Use Disk Utilities

Disk utility can limit the background Ram usage and even deleted the unnecessary logs from the system.

• Prefer Cloud and online streaming

The movies and music that you download need a considerable amount of space. Therefore, if you step up for the online streaming of these things, you can save a lot of system memory. It is also preferable that you start storing the data on a cloud-based server. It will not only decrease the storage but also help to prevent data loss issues.

• Keep an external backup drive

There are a lot of external storage devices that can offer you high storage space. You can use this device to retain a copy of the data that you rarely use and even use it as a backup device.

• Delete localization data

Check Disk Space For Macbook Pro

Most of the applications that you buy or download will have support for multiple languages and other regional features. It is vital to keep up with the diversity but is very storage effective for your Mac. So make sure to localize data files that you don't need.

Closing Words

Apple tries to provide the very best in their Macbooks. They install high-speed SSD memories, provide support for iCloud services, and have introduced some advanced optimization tools for the storage cleaning.

It's you who have to understand the limits of the machine and find ways to deal with it. Therefore, get down to your Macbook check its storage usage and take all the necessary action to keep it optimized. Use the cloud sources the external and other storage locations that the technology has offered against the storage problems.

And don’t forget to download Recoverit hard drive recovery software. It can come in handy if you lose an essential file in the optimization process, or due to any other issue.

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Sometimes, you need to know how much storage space in on your Mac. Apple doesn’t make this info readily available because not many of us need to know about Mac storage often enough. It’s really easy to check, though – and there are even some alternatives that give you better options for managing your on-board memory!

People need to check their storage space for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s just good device management; sometimes your computer is running slowly, and storage is the first culprit you think of. Ideally, about ten percent of the storage space on your Mac should be free at all times so your computer can run smoothly.

Depending on which model you have, this can be tricky to accomplish routinely. Maybe you need to delete some older apps you’re not using, or the app isn’t supported anymore. Maybe you’re just holding onto old documents you no longer need.

Whatever your use-case, here’s how to check disk space on Mac.

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How To Check Storage on Mac

It’s actually really simple to check your device’s memory! Here’s how:

• On the menu bar, click the Apple logo in the top left
• Select ‘About this Mac’
• Select ‘Storage’

This is the easiest method for how to see storage on Mac – but you can go deeper! If you need a closer look at your Mac’s memory use, there are a few ways to go about it.

From the Storage screen, you can select ‘Manage,’ which takes you to a new window. Applications, Documents, Photos, and other sections can be found on the left of this window, and a detailed view of those files on the right.

You can also use Finder! To do so, Open Finder, go to the View menu item in the menu bar, and select ‘Show toolbar.’ You’ll see a new bar at the bottom of the Finder window showing the number if items for the section you have selected on the left-hand pane and the total amount of storage your Mac has available.

Check out how to use time machine

Disk Utility is another resource. Open Disk Utility, and it will launch into a view of the volume(s) on your Mac, which also shows how much space is used, and how much is free. (Keep in mind Disk Utility is meant for power users who want to manage their storage, and is a bit of overkill for most users.)

How To Manage Storage in macOS

There are also easy ways to manage the files or applications taking up room on your Mac.

In Finder, select the category from the left side pane, then the application or file you want to delete. Right-click on that file or app, select ‘delete,’ and it’ll be removed. From the System Information menu, simply select the file or app you want to get rid of, and select the ‘delete’ button on the bottom right of the window.

But these two methods often doesn’t solve the issue! One clever way to better manage the storage on your Mac is to use cloud storage options like iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive. Apple’s iCloud is woven into your AppleID, and using it is a very straightforward approach; it’s automatically added to the storage options for your Mac!

But iCloud is not the only solution for cloud storage on Mac. If you have something else, CloudMounter is the easiest and best way to manage all your cloud storage containers. It lives in your menu bar for easy access, and shows all your cloud storage options in Finder. It helps your Mac treat cloud storage as a local disk, making access and managing files really simple!

Best of all, CloudMounter uses 256-bit encryption, so your documents are always safe.

If all the menus and file size jargon of Apple’s Finder and System Information options is confusing, we’ve got a great solution for you. iStat Menus is a handy app that also lives in the Menu Bar, and gives a graphical overview of CPU and GPU use in real-time, network connections, and memory use. Instead of dipping and diving through Apple’s hierarchal menus, you can just click on iStat Menus to get the same information in a much better interface!

iStat Menus also allows you to keep the data surfaced directly on your menu bar. Instead of clicking the icon, you can choose to have things like CPU or memory usage as icons so the information is always available in real-time. Awesome!

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How To Check Storage On Mac

Probably the best (and definitely the most powerful) option for managing your Mac’s memory is CleanMyMacX. Like iStat Menus, it has a drop-down window from the menu bar showing details like CPU or memory use, as well as which apps may be kicking your Mac into overdrive.

To Free Up More Disk Space Mac

CleanMyMacX really shines when you open it up. The app scans your system and identifies unused files, random system junk, mail attachments – and also manages your trash bins. It scans for malware, checks for privacy leaks, optimizes your system for speedy performance, and does routine maintenance.

That’s a lot, but we’re not done! An option within CleanMyMacX named ‘Space Lens’ is a lot like Apple’s Finder, only better looking and much easier to use. Here you’ll see all your applications and files divided into sections, and broken into sub-menus. You can also manually delete apps or files.

‘Large & Old Files’ is a feature in CleanMyMacX which – you guessed it – finds large files and files you haven’t touched in a long time. The goal is to help you identify which files might be worth deleting, or at least shuffling off to cloud storage. It even tells you how long its been since you used a file!

But let’s be honest: most of the space on your Mac is probably taken up by apps. And chances are, you don’t want or need most of those apps anyway. This is where CleanMyMacX shines bright! Under the ‘Applications’ menu, you can update and manage apps and extensions with ease.

The ‘Uninstaller’ option is a lot like the ‘Large & Old Files’ option, just for apps. It shows you which apps are old, which may be abandoned (32-bit apps are no longer supported on Mac!), and which are just plain unused. It even shows you how large the apps are, letting you do the quick math on which will free up the most space when deleted.

To get rid of apps or files, simply select them from the CleanMyMacX menu, and select the ‘Uninstall’ or ‘Delete’ option at the bottom of the window. It’s that easy!

Keep your Mac in top shape

Checking and managing the storage on your Mac is simple. While viewing your Mac’s storage is easy to do without having a separate app, there are good reasons to have something beyond Apple’s own options to manage your Mac’s memory.

Apps often have files and folders embedded deep in your Mac’s memory, which don’t always go away when you simply delete the app from Apple’s menus. Sure, you got rid of the main offender, but many apps (like those from Adobe) have nuisance files that linger long after you delete the app.

Similarly, moving an app to the trash bin doesn’t actually delete it. The ‘Trash’ app is little more than a place you put apps you don’t want; it doesn’t delete them. You have to manage your trash bin separately, which can balloon out of control.

CleanMyMacX is a great bet for handling it all. It’s smarter at deleting files, folders, and apps, and gives you a much better view of what may be occupying your Mac’s storage. It also removes associated files for apps you delete.

There’s no silver-bullet solution, though! We also like CloudMounter for those with multiple cloud storage solutions, and iStat Menus is really sharp at surfacing the right data when you need it. Best of all, all three options are available for free as part of a seven day free trial for Setapp, along with dozens of other great apps.

Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.

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How To Free Memory On Mac