Storage space on your Mac is precious, especially if y'all have a 128GB, or even a 256GB SSD. Your Mac can start to irksome downwards and not perform as well when your storage is almost total, at which signal you lot might see a "Your Startup Disk Is Full" warning. So information technology's important to know what's using up the space on your disk and clear out redundant files that build up over time.

Another reason you might demand to complimentary up space on your Mac is if you lot are attempting to install a new macOS update. When it arrived in 2022 Big Sur was notorious for its hefty storage requirements - with some users faced with the challenge of freeing up almost 50GB of space in society to install it. (In fact We had that verbal problem - read Big Sur likewise big for 128GB Mac.)

Similar issues arose when macOS Monterey arrived on in Oct 2022, leaving a multitude of Mac users looking for means to get more space on their Mac and then that they could install it. Read: How to update to Monterey.

However, Monterey brought a big change to the way that macOS displays the different kinds of storage. Prior to Monterey you'd accept seen Other as a storage category, which e'er seemed to take upward a considerable amount of infinite. In macOS Monterey Other no longer shows upwardly as a category of storage. Some users might notice a new Organization Data storage tab.

Yet, a lot of people are still looking for ways to delete Other storage, so in this article we volition address how to get rid of Other storage, and nosotros also the things you can delete in macOS Monterey if you feel something is taking upwardly too much infinite.

Can I delete Other storage on my Mac?

Faced with the demand to brand space on your Mac you volition no dubiety be because what you can delete. You might be assuming the worst and preparing to remove some of your photos, videos, music and documents – simply then you might stumble upon an allocation of something chosen Other storage that is taking up numerous gigabytes on your bulldoze and wonder whether yous tin can free up infinite by deleting Other.

Apple'due south conclusion to proper name this storage Other probably didn't assist discourage people from attempting to delete information technology. It's similar the Stuff binder people tend to put unimportant things in - it basically says delete me! This may well exist why in macOS Monterey in 2022 Apple tree has renamed this then it merely shows up as macOS, a proper noun that doesn't say delete me!

If you lot are wondering what is Other in Mac storage and desire to know if you can delete Other storage - and if y'all should, we will answer your questions. Plus nosotros'll explicate how you can delete Other storage on Mac.

Nosotros'll besides discuss how you tin delete what was known equally Other storage in Monterey, including how to access System Data, whether this is the aforementioned as Other, and if there is anything y'all can delete from that.

We too run through various ways to complimentary up space on your Mac in a separate article.

If you aren't sure how to see how much disk space your Mac has read: How to bank check how much storage you have on your Mac.

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What is Other on a Mac?

When confronted with the demand to free upwards storage on your Mac we're guessing that your starting time port of telephone call was Nigh This Mac, where in that location is a handy tool to aid you lot manage your storage - and it's here that we're assuming you saw the gigantic Other category.

If you weren't already aware of the Virtually This Mac storage view, it's offers various tools to help you meet and manage what takes up all the types of storage on your Mac. To go to this basic overview of what's taking upward the infinite on your Mac by following these steps:

  1. Click on the Apple Logo in the tiptop left.
  2. Go to About This Mac.
  3. Choose Storage. Wait while it calculates.
  4. Eventually you lot will encounter a bar chart showing what types of files are taking up infinite on your Mac, similar to the image below. In our case, yellow is Photos, red is Apps, lite blue is Letters, purple is Music, nighttime blue for Mail service, light blue for iCloud Bulldoze and grey for System. Other is the biggest consumer of storage in our example: 38.55GB.

    Delete Other Storage

  5. Click Manage and you will see a screen like the one below. Hither you can brand various tweaks to your organisation, choosing to store files in iCloud, for example, or reviewing files to reduce clutter.

    What is other storage on mac: Managing Mac disk space

  6. However, you tin't admission Other here at all - detect how information technology'due south greyed out in the left hand column.

With Other such a big consumer of storage you are virtually probable wondering what exactly Other is.

While virtually of the chief categories for file types is straightforward, the Other variety can be quite a mystery. If it isn't music, documents, videos, photos or apps, what could it be?

The characterization 'Other' is applied by the system to files that don't fit squarely into those types, such as installer packages, cache files, old Time Machine backups, app extensions, temporary files and the like. Most are those that you don't demand whatever more, but they've got to be stored somewhere, and then they get dumped in the Other category.

Bated from Other another big user of storage space is System - nosotros have a separate article about what'southward in System and what yous can delete.

Other storage on macOS Monterey

In macOS Monterey System Information also includes junk files, app information, browser plugins and Time Machine snapshot - which is essentially the same kind of content as Other storage used to contain, so the aforementioned advice beneath about how to delete this content will apply.

How to come across what's in Other

So now we know what types of files stop upwardly in Other, but how can we actually run across what'southward taking upward all the Other infinite on our Macs?

To meet what'south using up all that Other space you'll demand to open the Finder and head to the Library binder, as that'due south normally where the majority of Other content is stored.

Depending on how your system is gear up, you might not exist able to run across the Library folder in your normal Finder window, then the easiest mode to jump directly to it is to follow these steps:

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Click on the Go option in the carte du jour bar.
  3. Select Go to Folder.
  4. And then type in ~/library and press enter.

What is other storage on Mac: Finding the Library folder

You'll now be presented with a long list of folders, about of which will incorporate files accounted by macOS to be Other.

Y'all'll see a lot of folders, many of which we would suggest you to step away from immediately. However there are a few folders here that yous might exist able to safely delete some items from, for example, Caches and Application Support. But you need to be very careful every bit you dig effectually looking for sub-folders within them that incorporate information that is safe to remove. (Yous might likewise similar to read our article that explains How to delete enshroud on a Mac.)

Before y'all start to delete anything please read on though - because deleting some of these files might touch the fashion your Mac works!

As well, non all the files in Other will exist visible. If you want to know how to see hidden files read: How to show hidden files on a Mac.

Can I delete Other files?

Yes, but you'll need to be conscientious. Some files in Other might bear upon the way your Mac works. The safest files in the Other category to remote are things similar .dmg files left over from installations, sometime Time Machine backups, and iPhone and iPad backups. We'll run through this below.

But when you start getting into cache files and other more obtuse types you can apace come across issues. For example, deleting a cache from an sometime app that you lot no longer take won't cause any issues. Simply should yous delete one from an app you practice use, then it will immediately forget all of your preferences and other details.

Basically, the rule of pollex is if you lot're not sure what something is or what it does, exit it lonely. Of grade, as e'er, nosotros strongly recommend that you run a consummate fill-in of your system before you start removing anything, just to avert disaster.

Just follow our step-by-footstep guide on how to backup a Mac and y'all can begin cleaning up your organization knowing that you take a copy to fall back on should anything get awry.

How to delete Other files

As we said in a higher place, you tin can't just select Other and delete it thereby reclaiming 30GB of space in 1 go. However, you can locate and delete some of the file types that Apple classes in the Other category, thereby reclaiming some of that space.

Yous tin can delete some files that are classed every bit Other via the Finder. Some of these you can search for past file type, but others are to be found in the Library binder, but you'll need to know where to look and have an idea of what they are before you lot trash them.

There are as well some file types that are easy to locate and delete safely, so we'll first past showing you how to tackle them.

All these files are deleted the same way as whatsoever normal file: locate them in the Finder > right click on the file > choose Move to Bin (or Trash if you are in the US).

Notation that you'll need to empty the Bin/Trash afterwards or the file will notwithstanding be on your Mac. To do that right click/control-click on the bin icon and cull Empty Bin/Trash.

Delete DMG files and other space hogs

Information technology is quite piece of cake to locate and delete DMG files (plan installers) and these are a skilful identify to kickoff because they tin take up a surprising amount of space. You lot can locate and delete them via the Finder.

  1. Click on your Desktop (anywhere there isn't a file or folder)
  2. Open the Finder.
  3. Click on This Mac.
  4. In the search box type dmg.
  5. When information technology appears below select Kinds: Disk Prototype.
  6. Press Enter.
  7. At present yous will encounter all the dmgs you lot have on your Mac. Y'all can safely delete these.
  8. To delete them select all by pressing Command + A and then right click/control click on the selected area and choose: Move to Bin/Trash. Delete DMG files
  9. You may demand to enter your countersign to confirm.
  10. Once you have moved these files to the trash/bin you will need to empty it: right click on the trash icon and choose Empty Bin/Empty Trash (depending on your linguistic communication).

There are other file types that tin have a lot of space upwardly on your system that y'all can as well delete this way. Echo the steps above to delete PDFs, CSV files, and Zip archives.

Delete Temporary files

macOS creates temporary files on your Mac and by and large these files are vital to performance, however, they speedily become outdated. One time yous are sure your Mac no longer needs them you can safely delete them.

  1. Open the Finder.
  2. Click on the Go option in the menu bar.
  3. Select Get to Folder.
  4. Type in ~/library.
  5. Press enter.
  6. Locate the Application Support folder.

Take a look through these folders, if you notice any for apps that you know you don't use and so yous tin probably safely delete the files associated with them.

Delete Cache files

Caches are another file type that takes upwardly space in Other, and like the temporary files addressed above, you need to be careful because your Mac may need these files to run the mode you lot want information technology to.

We practice have a separate commodity that explains How to delete enshroud on a Mac which is worth a read because the whole process is quite complex. There's more than ane kind of cache for starters.

You lot can delete arrangement cache by following these steps:

  1. Open the Finder.
  2. Click on Go > Get to Binder…
  3. Blazon in Library/Caches/
  4. Click on Become.

Now you can open each folder and look for files you lot think you tin can safely delete.

Only exist careful.

Deleting awarding cache is a slightly dissimilar procedure:

  1. Open the Finder.
  2. Click on Get > Go to Folder…
  3. Type in ~/Library/Caches/ (at that place is a ~ this time, it's next to the Z).
  4. Click on Go.

Once more you will need to open each folder and make a decision about what to delete.

Call up you lot besides demand to empty your Trash/Bin subsequently you accept deleted these files.

Delete Time Machine snapshots

Fourth dimension Machine snapshots could also be a space pig on your Mac. You may exist aware that Apple's Time Machine software can back up your Mac to an external drive, but did you lot know that it also creates local snapshots on your Mac itself?

Apple says that it will but store these snapshots if there is enough free infinite, and information technology will delete onetime ones to shop new i, so this shouldn't be a big space squealer. But it could permit you to recover plenty infinite to make all the divergence.

Luckily at that place is an piece of cake methods for removing local snapshots from your hard drive - merely turn off the Fourth dimension Auto feature. When y'all do this it should remove these backups from your Mac.

The other way to delete these snapshots isn't and so easy: you need to utilize Terminal. If you desire to try it then we explain how here: How to delete Time Machine snapshots on your Mac.

Y'all may too like to read how to delete Time Machine backups on Mac to find the like shooting fish in a barrel style to remove them.

How to delete Other safely

If nosotros've not made it clear enough to a higher place, it is possible to delete a lot of what Apple classes as Other, merely you need to exist extremely cautious because without some of these files your Mac may not work optimally.

Besides, y'all need to be enlightened that deleting certain files this mode can leave some remnants on your Mac, even after you have emptied the Trash.

Because of these concerns our preferred method for deleting Other on a Mac, and removing all the infinite hogs, is to use i of the dedicated Mac cleaning software packages that help you avert whatever costly mistakes.

Some of our current favourites are CleanMyMac 10, MacCleaner 2 Pro, and Daisy Disk, only y'all'll detect a selection of other excellent options in our roundup of the best Mac cleaner software and optimization tools.

These often have system analysing features that tin highlight redundant files while holding dorsum on the ones that are however used on a regular footing. Then if you desire to remove them information technology's only a case of striking one push rather than trawling through hundreds of sub-folders and hoping yous don't delete anything essential.

What is other storage on Mac: CleanMyMac X

You lot'll demand to pay for them, every bit the trials commonly only offer the ability to diagnose problems rather than prepare them, only most are well worth the money when you consider the time and frustration that they can relieve.

We used CleanMyMac to delete files when we needed to free upward space for macOS Large Sur. At that place are diverse options, we'll run through some of them below:

Smart Browse - this will scan your Mac and eventually allow you lot know what junk you lot can remove. You can click on Review Details to see what it is suggesting you delete. In our case these are Used Cache Files, Universal Binaries, System Log Files, Language Files, and so on, to the tune of 4.56GB. In that location'south likewise the option of removing Postal service Attachments and emptying the Trash.

Clean My Mac delete Other

Large & Old Files - this lets y'all remove files you haven't opened for a while. This accounted for 5.23GB in our example.

Delete files Other

Yous tin can likewise use CleanMyMac to uninstall apps.

CleanMyMac is £29.95/$29.95 (usually £34.95/$34.95) if y'all buy the plan for ane Mac. There is too a free trial. Download from developer MacPaw hither.

We too take a round upwardly of the All-time Mac Cleaners in which we look at the following alternatives to CleanMyMac: DaisyDisk, MacBooster, Parallels ToolBox, and MacCleaner Pro.

Before ownership any boosted software or delving into the Library folder, take a look at our tips on how to free space on a Mac, every bit there might be some simple things you lot can exercise to claim back that valuable hard disk drive storage.