Mca Storage: Making More Room

If you're running out of storage on your Mac, there are several ways to free up space. First, you can check how much space is available by clicking the Apple menu and selecting 'About This Mac' and then 'Storage'. This will show you how much space is being used and by what. You can then start deleting any unnecessary files, such as large and old files, files in your Downloads folder, and duplicate items. You can also move files to an external hard drive or use iCloud storage. Additionally, you can uninstall unused applications and delete system junk, such as caches and logs.

Move files to an external hard drive

Moving files to an external hard drive is a great way to free up space on your Mac. Before you begin, you'll need to determine the connection type for your hard drive and your computer. Most external hard drives use a USB cable, but you may need an adapter if your computer doesn't have the right port.

Once you've connected your hard drive, open Finder and select the files you want to move. You can do this by clicking and dragging your mouse cursor across the contents of the folder, or by holding down Command and clicking each file individually.

Next, open the folder on your external hard drive that you want to move the files to. Then, simply drag and drop the selected files into the folder. Alternatively, you can use keyboard shortcuts: Command+C to copy and Command+V to paste.

If you want to move files without copying them, you can do this by holding down the Command key while dragging and dropping the files. This will change the default behaviour from copy and paste to cut and paste.

If you're moving large files or a large number of files, you may find it faster to use the Terminal app. This is the command-line interface of your Mac operating system, where you can execute commands to perform various tasks. To move files using Terminal, open the app and type the following command: mv old_file_path new_file_path. Then, drag and drop the files or folders you want to move into Terminal, followed by the external drive's icon, and press Enter.

Delete large and old files

Deleting large and old files is an effective way to make room for more storage on your Mac. These files are often "tucked away" in "cold storage" on your computer and can include big movies and photos that you rarely look at but can't bring yourself to part with. Locating these files can be a tedious task, but it is made easier with the CleanMyMac X app, which has a dedicated Large & Old Files finder feature. This feature will help you find massive files and sort them by size to define the largest ones quickly.

To free up storage space on your Mac, you can archive these large and old files and move them to an external drive. This way, you don't have to permanently delete the files but can still free up valuable storage space on your computer.

• Locate Large and Old Files: Use the CleanMyMac X app to find large and old files quickly. Open the app and go to the "Large & Old Files" tab. Click "Scan" to start searching for large files on your Mac.
• Review Files: Once the scan is complete, review the results. The files will be categorized as archives, documents, movies, etc. Sort the files by their size to identify the largest ones.
• Select Files to Delete or Archive: Go through the list of large and old files and select the ones you want to remove or archive. You can sort them by size or type to make this process easier.
• Delete or Archive: After selecting the files, you have two options: delete them or archive them. If you choose to delete, simply move the selected files to the Trash/Bin and then empty the Trash/Bin. If you want to archive the files, you can move them to an external hard drive or cloud storage.
• Empty Trash/Bin: Don't forget to empty the Trash/Bin to permanently delete the files from your Mac and free up the storage space.

By following these steps and using the CleanMyMac X app, you can effectively delete or archive large and old files to make room for more storage on your Mac.

Clean up the Downloads folder

The Downloads folder is a common place for files to accumulate and take up storage space on your Mac. It's easy to forget about the documents and media that fill your download folder. Even if you use these files and save an edited version of them in a different folder, they can sometimes leave a copy in your Downloads folder.

Here's how to clean up your Downloads folder:

• Locate your Downloads folder: The simplest way to delete downloads on your Mac is through the Downloads folder in your Finder. The Downloads folder is typically listed on the left-hand sidebar of the Finder window. If it's not there, click on the "Go" menu at the top of your screen and select "Downloads" from the drop-down menu. Alternatively, click on the "Finder" icon on your Dock, then click on the "Go" menu, select "Go To Folder," and type in "~/Downloads" in the window that appears.
• Review the contents of your Downloads folder: Click on the "View" menu and select "As List" to see the contents of the Downloads folder with more detail. Look at the column headers such as Name, Date Modified, Size, and Kind to help you sort and find the files you want to keep or delete.
• Move files you want to keep to another folder: Identify the files you want to keep and move them to a more appropriate folder on your storage disk. For example, you can drag JPEG files into iPhoto or move other types of files to the cloud or an external storage drive.
• Delete files you no longer need: Identify and delete any redundant, duplicate, or unnecessary files. You can select and delete individual files, or press "Command + A" to select all files and move them to the Trash. Remember that you can't undo this action, so make sure you only delete files that you're sure you don't need.
• Empty your Trash: Once you've moved unnecessary files to the Trash, remember to empty the Trash to permanently delete the files and free up storage space. Right-click on the Trash icon and select "Empty Trash" from the pop-up menu.

Uninstall unused applications

Uninstalling unused applications is a great way to free up storage space on your Mac. It is recommended to regularly review your apps and delete those you no longer need.

The process of uninstalling apps on a Mac is not as straightforward as it may seem. Simply dragging an app into the Trash on your Mac will not eliminate all of its related files. The app's cache and residual files will remain, continuing to take up valuable storage space.

To truly uninstall an app and free up space, you need to delete its associated files, which can be located in various folders on your Mac. These folders include Application Support, Internet Plug-Ins, Preferences, Saved Application State, Caches, and Address Book Plug-Ins.

• Using Launchpad: For apps downloaded directly from the Apple Store, Launchpad is a quick way to uninstall them. Click the Launchpad icon in the Dock, find the app you want to uninstall, click and hold until the icon shakes, then click the 'X' in the top-left corner.
• Using Native Uninstallers: Some apps downloaded from the Internet come with their own uninstaller. You can usually find it in the Applications folder in Finder or within its Preferences.
• Using Finder: Finder is a built-in tool in macOS that allows you to uninstall apps without third-party software. Ensure the app is closed, then open Finder > Applications. Right-click on the app icon, choose "Move to Trash," and empty the Trash. You can also select the app and press Command + Delete.
• Using Terminal: Terminal is a powerful tool for uninstalling apps, but it is more suitable for users familiar with command-line operations. Open Terminal, enter the command "sudo uninstall file://", drag the app icon into the Terminal, press Enter and enter your admin password.
• Using Third-Party Uninstallers: If you want a more comprehensive solution, you can use third-party uninstaller apps like CleanMyMac X or BuhoCleaner. These tools can delete apps and their leftover files, ensuring a complete removal.

By following these methods, you can effectively uninstall unused applications on your Mac, freeing up valuable storage space.

Store files in iCloud

Storing files in iCloud is a great way to free up space on your Mac. iCloud is a cloud storage and cloud computing service that allows you to securely access all your documents from your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and even a Windows PC.

To store files in iCloud, you can follow these steps:

• Go to your Mac's System Preferences by choosing the Apple menu  > System Preferences.
• Click on Apple ID, then iCloud. On macOS Mojave or earlier, simply click on iCloud after selecting System Preferences.
• Ensure that iCloud Drive is turned on.
• Click on Options next to iCloud Drive.
• Choose the Desktop & Documents Folders option.

By selecting these options, all the files on your Desktop and in your Documents folder will be moved to iCloud. You can then access these files from any device connected to your iCloud account.

Additionally, when you need more space on your Mac, you can optimise your storage by choosing to keep only recent files on your Mac, while the rest are stored in iCloud. This feature is available in your Mac's System Settings under Storage.

Frequently asked questions