Regardless of the version of macOS you are running those graphs indicates how much of your storage is attributed to certain types of files on your Mac. Older versions of macOS labelled certain types of storage as System or Other. The question of whether you can reclaim any of the space given over to this class of storage is complicated somewhat by fact that Apple seems to give it a new name with every version of macOS, as you can see from the images below:

We’ll assume that you’ve already been confronted by System or System Data taking up an astonishing amount of storage on your Mac and are thinking that you’d quite like that 50GB or so back. If you aren’t sure how to see how much disk space your Mac has read: How to check how much disk space you have. You may also find that you can’t install an update to macOS if you don’t have enough free storage.

If your Mac is low on storage it can cause problems – you might see a message that your start-up disk is almost full, for example, and if you ignore that you might find you can’t even start up your Mac! Low storage can also slow your Mac right down and cause other issues stopping it from running at its best.

Removing these from your computer will save a lot of space.View at MacPaw Can you delete System on the Mac?įirst we’ll address why you might want to delete System or System Data on your Mac – and whether you should. If you don't know what the file is or think you might need to eventually, don't delete it. Under 'Reduce Clutter', you can 'Review Files' and delete ones that are no longer necessary. When selected, 'Empty Trash Automatically' will delete Trash files after 30 days. When selected, only your most recent email attachments will get stored locally. When activated, your Mac will automatically remove Apple TV movies, and TV shows that you've already watched. Next, select the button under 'Optimize Storage'. Recent files and optimized photos will remain on your Mac for easy (and offline) retrieval, as necessary. When checked, these options will automatically store those folders and files on iCloud instead of locally, thereby saving space. Consider checking the boxes for 'Desktop and Documents' and 'Photos'. First, choose the 'Store in iCloud' button under the aptly named 'Store in iCloud' section.

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