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So, we can see that files in the other storage are not totally useless. Virtual machine hard drive, Windows Boot Camp partitions or other files that cannot recognized by Spotlight search.Files in your user library, such as screen saver.System files and temporary files, such as logs, preference files.
Archives and disk images, including zips, dmg, iso, tar etc. Cache files of browser, photos, system and apps. The following are some examples of the data types that are classified in the other storage on Mac.
What is Other on Mac storage? Simply put, Other includes all files that don't fall into the categories of Photos, Apps, etc. Most of the categories are very clear and easy to understand, such as Apps, and Photos, but "Other" is very confusing. When you check the storage on Mac, you can see the used Mac storage is divided into different categories: Apps, Documents, iOS Files, Movies, Audio, Photos, Backups, Other, etc.
How to Get Rid of Purgeable Storage on Mac. Then expand them when you need to use them again.ĭid you empty the Trash? When you move a file to the Trash, its storage space doesn't become available until you empty the Trash. If you don't want to delete certain files, you might be able to save space by compressing them. Check the Users folder on Macintosh HD for any shared files that you no longer need to share. If your Mac is set up for multiple users, delete users that no longer need access to your Mac. Or ask them to follow the steps in this article after logging in to their user account. Also check the Users folder on Macintosh HD for any undeleted data belonging to deleted users. If you use your Mac to back up your iPhone or iPad, you can delete old backups. Also choose Mailbox > Erase Deleted Items. If you use the Mail app for your email, choose Mailbox > Erase Junk Mail from the menu bar in Mail. Delete files in your Downloads folder. Open this folder from the Dock, or by choosing Go > Downloads from the menu bar in the Finder. Delete music, movies, podcasts, or other media, especially if it's media that you can stream or download again as needed.
You can also delete files that you no longer need. If you have another storage device, such as an external drive connected to your Mac, you can move files to that device. Media files such as photos and videos can use a lot of storage space, so you can take steps such as these: