How To Deal With Lack Of Drive Storage On A MacBook

New MacBook owners may run into storage problems on their computers more often than they would like to. Despite their many advantages, Apple computers are not the best when it comes to total available storage, particularly if you purchase a cheaper model.

Nevertheless, the problem is not enough to prevent Macs from being so popular. If other MacBook owners manage to deal with storage problems on the computer’s drive, so should you. Here are some tips that will help you free up the laptop’s drive.

Deal With Temporary Storage

Let’s start with temporary storage, such as app caches or plugins. The data accumulates over time, and you cannot simply delete it from the computer like you would with other files. 

No, to get rid of temporary system junk, you will need to tinker with the computer settings to access this data first. And even then, removing files manually is tedious and time-consuming work, not to mention the possibility of deleting some important files accidentally with no option to restore them. 

Instead, you should get a cleanup utility tool that can do the work for you. CleanMyMac X is a great example of handy software that simplifies the process of deleting temporary system data and freeing up the drive’s space, and leaving the MacBook fewer files to process.

Investing in cleanup software is worth it because it is not something you will use only once. Temporary data accumulates constantly, and you will need to remove it regularly to maintain the laptop’s hard drive in good condition.

Check for Aggressive Malware

Despite the fact that macOS is quite secure, the odds of malware attacking your MacBook are still there. Get proper antivirus software to scan the system. If the scan reveals potentially corrupted files, do not hesitate to delete them from your laptop.

Some viruses and malware slow down the overall computer performance, but there are cybersecurity threats that create hidden files that consume the drive’s space. Ensuring that the MacBook’s system is malware-free should be another step toward preventing potential problems with the hard drive.

Keep Tabs on Language Pack Data

Some of the applications you install may come with unnecessary language pack files. Unless you uncheck certain boxes, an app will come with localization files that are more or less redundant. There is no need to have data for 50 or so languages when you only need English, right?

Double-check your Mac application list and eliminate language packs in some apps in case you find them. Some of these data packs take as much as a couple of gigabytes of drive storage, and removing them will free up a decent amount of the MacBook’s drive.

Change Default Location for Downloads

Some Mac owners forget about files they download. And if they leave the downloads folder unchecked, it accumulates files quite fast. 

You can change the default download location to the MacBook’s desktop. This way, it will be easier to notice downloaded files. Since you do not wish to clutter the desktop, you will want to remove the files as soon as you no longer need them. 

Remember to Remove Files Permanently

Speaking of removing unwanted MacBook files, do not get in the habit of dragging files in the Trash Bin and leaving them there. No, to free up the storage, you will also need to empty the Trash every time or enable the auto-deletion feature in the Bin settings.

As an alternative, you can delete files permanently by using the Option + Command + Delete keyboard shortcut after selecting a file or multiple files you want to remove from the computer. Hitting the sequence and confirming the pop-up will also delete files permanently.

Transfer Data to External Hard Drive

Transferring data to another location instead of deleting it could be a decent approach as well. Instead of thinking about what files you can remove from the MacBook, why not relocate them?

A decent external hard drive costs no more than 50 dollars, and it should be more than enough to accommodate the data. Besides, you can also combine an external HDD with Time Machine and back up the data. 

Use Cloud Storage

Other than an external HDD, you could also transfer files to cloud storage. iCloud, Dropbox and other cloud services offer a few gigabytes of free storage. If the amount is not enough, you can pay a small monthly fee for additional storage.

Avoid Hoarding Large Media Files

In case you tend to hoard large media files on the computer, it is no secret that there are problems with free storage. 

There is no need to let your movie and TV show backlog grow on the computer. Instead, you can watch your favorites on streaming platforms like Netflix or Disney+. For music needs, there is Spotify and YouTube. Subscription fees are relatively cheap for how much entertainment you can access on the streaming services.

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