It turns out it’s the cache for Time Machine backups (which should take care of itself before long). In my example above, I have 30.2GB used in hidden space. I use Daisy Disk three to four times a year, so the $9.99 price tag feels like a bargain for the benefits and time savings. The software even gives a free space and free + purgeable calculation. And the colorful UI makes it fast and easy to spot really large files and folders. You can also analyze external drives.ĭaisy Disk offers a deeper look at your storage and can reveal temporary and hidden files so you know what’s really taking up your disk space. It provides an interactive UI that’s as functional as it is beautiful and you can preview and delete files directly within the app. While using Finder and About This Mac are helpful, my favorite approach to tidying things up is with the visual drive analyzer Daisy Disk ($9.99).

You also only get access to your Mac’s internal drive hereĭigging deeper to free up Mac storage Daisy Disk.

Notably, Apple does not give access to remove data from the System and Other categories here.After working through any recs, you can click on more locations/apps in the left-hand sidebar to see and in some cases remove files and data right there (you may have to open specific apps for apps like Photos).

Use iCloud, Empty Trash automatically, Reduce Clutter etc.The first thing you’ll see is a list of recommendations to free up storage.Click Manage to the right of your Mac’s HD.Head to  → About this Mac → Storage (tab in the top middle).Of course, you can manually look at other locations like Documents, Downloads, etc.Ībout this Mac includes a storage feature to see a snapshot of your storage usage, but it also offers up recommendations to free up space and more.After selecting Recents you can sort your files and folders by size (six-square icon) and start removing unnecessary data.However, with Big Sur that’s not around anymore but there is a “Recents” option. In older versions of macOS there was an “All My Files” location in Finder.Tips and tricks to free up Mac storage and hidden space Built-in macOS options Finder Tips and tricks to free up Mac storage and hidden space.

Mac disk space full