As a Mac user, you may have encountered scenarios where your storage space is running low and you need to free up some room. One often overlooked feature that can help in such situations is the "purgeable" files on your Mac. Purgeable files are temporary files that macOS identifies as safe to delete when your storage space is running low. These files can include cached data, local Time Machine backups, and various other system files that are not essential for your computer’s functioning.
The advantage of purgeable files is that they can be easily deleted to free up space, but they are also stored in a way that allows them to be automatically restored if needed. This means that while you can regain valuable storage space, you don’t have to worry about permanently losing any critical data.
In this blog post, we will explore two simple methods to access and work with purgeable files on your Mac. By following these methods, you can effectively manage your storage space and ensure optimal performance of your Mac.
Method 1: Using the Storage Management Tool
MacOS provides a built-in Storage Management tool that allows you to easily identify and delete purgeable files. To access this tool, follow the steps below:
1. Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select "About This Mac."
2. In the About This Mac window, click on the "Storage" tab.
3. You will see a breakdown of your storage usage categorized into different types of files. Click on the "Manage…" button next to the storage visualization.
Once you click on the "Manage…" button, you will be presented with various options to manage your storage, including accessing and deleting purgeable files. From here, you can review each category of files and decide which ones you want to delete. Simply click on the file category and then click on the "Delete" button to get rid of the purgeable files in that category.
Method 2: Using Terminal
For advanced users who prefer command-line interfaces, another method to access purgeable files on your Mac is through Terminal. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Launch Terminal, either by searching for it in Spotlight or navigating to Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal.
2. In the Terminal window, type the following command: `sudo tmutil thinlocalsnapshots / -t `
– Replace " with the desired date for the snapshots (e.g., "2021-01-01").
– Replace " with the minimum purgeable amount of storage you want to achieve in gigabytes (e.g., "10").
After executing the command, Terminal will calculate the purgeable files based on the provided date and threshold. It will then delete the unneeded local Time Machine snapshots. This method can be particularly useful if you want to specifically target Time Machine backups to free up storage space.
In conclusion, having a good understanding of how to access purgeable files on your Mac can be immensely helpful in managing your storage effectively. By using the built-in Storage Management tool or leveraging Terminal commands, you can easily identify and delete unnecessary purgeable files, freeing up valuable space on your Mac. It’s a simple yet powerful way to optimize performance and ensure your Mac runs smoothly.
Video Tutorial:What is purge command in Mac?
What does purgeable mean in Disk Utility?
Purgeable, in the context of Disk Utility, refers to a category of files on your macOS system that can be automatically deleted if your storage space is running low. These files are typically cache files, temporary files, or other data that can be regenerated or easily replaced if needed.
Here are the steps to understand and work with purgeable space in Disk Utility:
1. Launch Disk Utility: Open Finder, go to "Applications" folder, then "Utilities," and finally click on "Disk Utility."
2. Check storage information: In Disk Utility, select your main disk drive from the list of available drives on the left sidebar. Under the General tab, you’ll find useful information about your disk’s capacity, available space, and purgeable space.
3. Understanding purgeable space: The purgeable space is the portion of your storage that macOS identifies as reclaimable. It consists of temporary files, app caches, sleep image files, and other data that can be safely deleted to free up storage if necessary.
4. Monitor purgeable space: As you use your Mac, the system dynamically manages the amount of purgeable space based on your storage needs. If space becomes limited, macOS will automatically delete these files to ensure smooth system operation. Disk Utility provides an estimated value for the purgeable space, which can give you an idea of how much storage can be freed up.
5. Manually deleting purgeable files: If you need to free up storage immediately, you can manually delete some purgeable files. However, it’s important to note that deleting these files may result in slower performance until they are recreated. You can use third-party tools like CleanMyMac, or follow the steps below to manually delete files:
a. Open Finder and click on "Go" in the menu bar.
b. Hold down the Option key to reveal the "Library" option and click on it.
c. Navigate to the Caches folder, find application-specific cache folders, and delete the contents of those folders. Be cautious not to delete essential system files.
Overall, purgeable space in Disk Utility is a feature that allows macOS to optimize storage usage by automatically managing and deleting unnecessary files when storage is running low. Monitoring and understanding purgeable space can help you manage your Mac’s storage more efficiently and potentially free up additional space when needed.
Why is my Mac storage always full?
There could be several reasons why your Mac storage is consistently full. Here are some possible explanations and steps to address the issue:
1. Large media files: If you have many large videos, photos, or audio files on your Mac, they can quickly consume a significant amount of storage space. You can check for and remove any unnecessary or duplicate media files.
2. Unused applications and files: Over time, unused applications, documents, and files can accumulate on your Mac, taking up valuable storage space. It’s advisable to regularly review your applications and files and delete any that are no longer necessary.
3. System and app caches: Temporary files and cache data stored by the operating system and various applications can fill up your storage over time. Clearing these caches can free up a substantial amount of space. You can use third-party cleanup tools or manually delete cache files in specific locations.
4. Large downloads or files in the Downloads folder: The Downloads folder often accumulates large files that you may have forgotten about. Check your Downloads folder, and move or delete any files you no longer need.
5. Time Machine backups: If you use Time Machine for regular backups, the backups themselves can occupy a significant portion of your storage. Ensure that your backup disk has sufficient space or consider excluding particular folders from the backup.
6. iCloud Drive storage: If you use iCloud Drive to store files, your local Mac storage might appear full because files are stored in the cloud rather than on your Mac. To free up space, you can optimize your iCloud storage by moving some files to the cloud and keeping only the necessary files locally.
7. Unoptimized storage settings: macOS offers an option called "Optimize Mac Storage," which automatically keeps your most recently accessed files locally and moves older files to iCloud Drive. You can adjust this setting to better suit your needs and optimize your storage usage.
By addressing these potential causes, you should be able to free up storage space on your Mac and alleviate the issue of consistently full storage.
Where is hidden storage on Mac?
On a Mac computer, there are several locations where hidden storage can be found. Here are the steps to access hidden storage on a Mac:
1. Library Folder: The Library folder is a common location for hidden files and data. To access it, follow these steps:
a. Go to the Finder.
b. In the menu bar, click on "Go" and then hold down the "Option" key.
c. You will see the "Library" folder appear in the drop-down menu. Click on it.
2. System Files: Some system-related files are hidden to prevent accidental modification. To access them, you need to use the Terminal application:
a. Open the Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal).
b. Type in the command "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true" and hit Enter.
c. Hold down the "Option" key, right-click on the Finder icon in the dock, and choose "Relaunch."
3. User Library Folder: Each user account on a Mac has its own Library folder, which may contain hidden files specific to that user. To access it, follow these steps:
a. Go to the Finder.
b. In the menu bar, click on "Go" and then choose "Go to Folder."
c. Type "~/Library" (without quotes) and click on "Go."
These steps should help you access various hidden storage locations on a Mac. Please note that modifying or deleting files in these hidden folders can potentially affect the functionality of your system or installed applications. So, it is advised to proceed with caution and only make changes if you know what you are doing.
How do I clean up my Mac with Disk Utility?
To clean up your Mac using Disk Utility, you can follow these steps:
1. Launch Disk Utility: Go to the "Applications" folder, then open the "Utilities" folder, and finally click on "Disk Utility."
2. Select the drive: In Disk Utility, you will see a list of drives on the left-hand side. Choose the drive you want to clean up. It is usually labeled as "Macintosh HD."
3. Run First Aid: With the drive selected, click on the "First Aid" button in the toolbar. First Aid helps repair the disk errors that may be causing performance issues.
4. Verify and Repair Disk Permissions (optional): If you want to fix any permission-related issues, click on the "First Aid" tab, and then click on "Run" next to "Verify Disk Permissions." If any issues are found, click on "Repair Disk Permissions."
5. Run Disk Cleanup: To delete unnecessary system files and free up disk space, click on the "First Aid" tab, and then click on "Run" next to "Verify Disk." If any issues are found, click on "Repair Disk."
6. Erase and Reinstall macOS (optional): If you want to start fresh and remove all data from your Mac, you can select the drive in Disk Utility and click on the "Erase" tab. Choose the format (usually "APFS" or "Mac OS Extended") and give it a name. Then click on "Erase" to format the drive. After erasing, you can proceed with reinstalling macOS.
By following these steps, you can effectively clean up your Mac using Disk Utility. Remember to regularly perform these maintenance tasks to keep your Mac running smoothly.
How do I find purgeable data on my Mac?
To find purgeable data on your Mac and free up disk space, you can follow these steps:
1. Open the Apple menu by clicking on the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen.
2. Select "About This Mac" from the dropdown menu.
3. In the window that opens, click on the "Storage" tab.
4. You will see a graphical representation of your storage usage. Click on the "Manage" button.
5. In the next window, you will find different categories such as Documents, Apps, Photos, Mail, and more.
6. Click on any category to get a detailed view of files and their respective sizes.
7. Look for the "Purgeable" section. This includes files that can be safely removed to free up space, such as iTunes movies and TV shows, Mail attachments, and more.
8. If you want to remove any purgeable data, click on the respective category, select the files you want to delete, and click on the "Delete" or "Remove" button.
9. Alternatively, you can also click on the "Store in iCloud" button to offload files to iCloud and free up local disk space.
10. Repeat this process for other categories to identify and remove additional purgeable data from your Mac.
By following these steps, you can easily find and delete purgeable data on your Mac to optimize storage space and improve system performance.
What is purgeable storage on Mac?
Purgeable storage on a Mac refers to data that the system identifies as eligible for automatic cleanup when the available storage space is running low. This feature was introduced with the macOS Sierra update in 2016. Here’s an explanation of what purgeable storage is and how it works on a Mac:
1. Definition: Purgeable storage includes files and data that macOS determines can be safely removed from your Mac without impacting your day-to-day usage. These files fall into various categories such as cached data, temporary files, system logs, and more.
2. Space reclamation: When your Mac’s storage is almost full, purgeable storage is automatically cleared up to free up space. This helps to optimize storage utilization and maintain efficient performance.
3. Smart Storage: Purgeable storage is part of Apple’s Smart Storage feature, which manages storage space intelligently. It aims to keep frequently used files accessible while removing unnecessary data to create more room.
4. On-demand resources: One of the main purposes of purgeable storage is to make room for "on-demand resources." These are files that your Mac can quickly download when needed, such as app updates, iCloud files, and other content that can be retrieved from the internet when required.
5. iCloud Drive integration: If you have iCloud Drive enabled, macOS may use purgeable storage to store files that are seamlessly accessible but aren’t currently taking up space on your device. These files are still accessible and will be downloaded as needed.
6. Transparent management: Purgeable storage is handled automatically by macOS, meaning you don’t have to worry about manually managing these files. The system identifies which files are safe to remove and does so automatically in the background, without any intervention required from the user.
Overall, purgeable storage on a Mac is a helpful feature that helps optimize storage space and performance. It ensures that frequently used files are readily available while intelligently managing and removing unnecessary data to free up space when needed.
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Check your Downloads folder, and move or delete any files you no longer need.nn5. Time Machine backups: If you use Time Machine for regular backups, the backups themselves can occupy a significant portion of your storage. Ensure that your backup disk has sufficient space or consider excluding particular folders from the backup.nn6. iCloud Drive storage: If you use iCloud Drive to store files, your local Mac storage might appear full because files are stored in the cloud rather than on your Mac. To free up space, you can optimize your iCloud storage by moving some files to the cloud and keeping only the necessary files locally.nn7. Unoptimized storage settings: macOS offers an option called "Optimize Mac Storage," which automatically keeps your most recently accessed files locally and moves older files to iCloud Drive. 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If any issues are found, click on "Repair Disk Permissions."nn5. Run Disk Cleanup: To delete unnecessary system files and free up disk space, click on the "First Aid" tab, and then click on "Run" next to "Verify Disk." If any issues are found, click on "Repair Disk."nn6. Erase and Reinstall macOS (optional): If you want to start fresh and remove all data from your Mac, you can select the drive in Disk Utility and click on the "Erase" tab. Choose the format (usually "APFS" or "Mac OS Extended") and give it a name. Then click on "Erase" to format the drive. After erasing, you can proceed with reinstalling macOS.nnBy following these steps, you can effectively clean up your Mac using Disk Utility. Remember to regularly perform these maintenance tasks to keep your Mac running smoothly."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I find purgeable data on my Mac?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"To find purgeable data on your Mac and free up disk space, you can follow these steps:nn1. Open the Apple menu by clicking on the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen.nn2. Select "About This Mac" from the dropdown menu.nn3. In the window that opens, click on the "Storage" tab.nn4. You will see a graphical representation of your storage usage. Click on the "Manage" button.nn5. In the next window, you will find different categories such as Documents, Apps, Photos, Mail, and more.nn6. Click on any category to get a detailed view of files and their respective sizes.nn7. Look for the "Purgeable" section. This includes files that can be safely removed to free up space, such as iTunes movies and TV shows, Mail attachments, and more.nn8. If you want to remove any purgeable data, click on the respective category, select the files you want to delete, and click on the "Delete" or "Remove" button.nn9. Alternatively, you can also click on the "Store in iCloud" button to offload files to iCloud and free up local disk space.nn10. Repeat this process for other categories to identify and remove additional purgeable data from your Mac.nnBy following these steps, you can easily find and delete purgeable data on your Mac to optimize storage space and improve system performance."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is purgeable storage on Mac?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Purgeable storage on a Mac refers to data that the system identifies as eligible for automatic cleanup when the available storage space is running low. This feature was introduced with the macOS Sierra update in 2016. Here’s an explanation of what purgeable storage is and how it works on a Mac:nn1. Definition: Purgeable storage includes files and data that macOS determines can be safely removed from your Mac without impacting your day-to-day usage. These files fall into various categories such as cached data, temporary files, system logs, and more.nn2. Space reclamation: When your Mac’s storage is almost full, purgeable storage is automatically cleared up to free up space. This helps to optimize storage utilization and maintain efficient performance.nn3. Smart Storage: Purgeable storage is part of Apple’s Smart Storage feature, which manages storage space intelligently. It aims to keep frequently used files accessible while removing unnecessary data to create more room.nn4. On-demand resources: One of the main purposes of purgeable storage is to make room for "on-demand resources." These are files that your Mac can quickly download when needed, such as app updates, iCloud files, and other content that can be retrieved from the internet when required.nn5. iCloud Drive integration: If you have iCloud Drive enabled, macOS may use purgeable storage to store files that are seamlessly accessible but aren’t currently taking up space on your device. These files are still accessible and will be downloaded as needed.nn6. Transparent management: Purgeable storage is handled automatically by macOS, meaning you don’t have to worry about manually managing these files. The system identifies which files are safe to remove and does so automatically in the background, without any intervention required from the user.nnOverall, purgeable storage on a Mac is a helpful feature that helps optimize storage space and performance. It ensures that frequently used files are readily available while intelligently managing and removing unnecessary data to free up space when needed."}}]}
