Earlier versions of macOS: Choose Apple menu > About This Mac, then click Storage. Right-click to get the context menu and go to the 'Get Info' section. Select the Macintosh HD (or Fusion drive). Here, you can view all the partitions and external devices. Similarly, enabling the feature will require your Mac to upload data to the cloud to free up storage on your Mac, which may take some time, depending on the amount of data and your internet speed. macOS Ventura or later: Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click General in the sidebar, then click Storage on the right. Firstly, launch Finder on your Mac, and from its sidebar, go to the Devices section, and select the root directory. Unlock more speed and space from your Mac by detecting and removing large or redundant apps. Note that disabling Optimize Mac Storage may force your Mac to download data from ‌iCloud‌, which could take a while. Stop large apps that you barely use hogging your hard drive. Select iCloud in the sidebar, then click the checkbox next to Optimize Mac Storage at the bottom of the window to enable/disable it.

Apple symbol () in the far-left corner of the menu bar at the top of the screen, then click System Preferences.If you're running low on ‌iCloud‌ storage or your internet connection is poor, however, then having it enabled can invite performance slowdowns and lead to a poor user experience.įortunately, Optimize Mac Storage is an entirely optional feature, and you can enable or disable it to fit your personal needs. (You can also use a little-known shortcut to open one from anywhere.) In the window that opens, click on the drive you’d like to check in the sidebar.

Open a new Finder window by pressing Command+N or selecting File > New Finder Window in the menu bar. If you have a lot of ‌iCloud‌ storage space and a high-speed internet connection, Optimize Mac Storage is a convenient way to recoup space on your Mac's system drive. The most basic way to check free disk space on a Mac is by using Finder. It does this by offloading certain files, data, and documents to iCloud and iCloud Drive when space on your Mac is running low. In macOS, Apple includes a feature that can optimize the storage on your Mac by reducing the amount of space that data takes up on your Mac's internal drive.

How to free up macintosh hd space