To check what’s taking up space on your Mac, start with the built-in tools. 1. Go to About This Mac > Storage tab for a color-coded overview of storage usage. 2. Click Manage to access the Storage Management tool, which offers features like Optimize Mac Storage, Empty Trash Automatically, Large Files viewer, and file recommendations. 3. Use Finder to manually explore folders like ~/Downloads, ~/Movies, and ~/Library/Caches. 4. Consider third-party tools like DaisyDisk, GrandPerspective, or CleanMyMac X for deeper analysis and visual breakdowns of disk usage.

If you're wondering why your Mac is running low on storage, the first thing to do is find out what’s taking up space. macOS has built-in tools that make it fairly easy to see where your storage is going — you just need to know where to look.

Check Storage in About This Mac

The quickest way to get an overview of your storage usage is through the "About This Mac" menu. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner, then select About This Mac, and go to the Storage tab.

Here, you’ll see a color-coded breakdown of what's using your disk space. The categories include:

• Apps
• Photos
• Mail
• Other

This isn’t super detailed, but it gives you a general idea of which areas are using the most space. If you see “Other” taking up a large chunk, that could include caches, logs, or leftover files from apps — more on that later.

Use the Built-In Storage Management Tool

For a deeper dive, click Manage under the Storage tab. This opens the Storage Management tool, which provides more detailed categories and some helpful cleanup options.

Some useful features here include:

• Optimize Mac Storage: Automatically moves older files to iCloud to free up space.
• Empty Trash Automatically: Clears out your Trash if it's been sitting there for over 30 days.
• Large Files: Shows all large files on your drive, sorted by size — great for finding forgotten videos or downloads.
• Recommendations: Suggests files you haven't opened in a while that you might want to delete or archive.

This tool is powerful and user-friendly. It’s a good starting point before jumping into third-party apps or manually digging through folders.

Look Into Specific Folders with Finder

Sometimes the built-in tools don’t tell the full story. In that case, you can explore your drive manually using Finder.

Start by opening a new Finder window and clicking Go > Go to Folder (or press Shift Command G). Try entering these paths one at a time:

• ~/Downloads – Often filled with old installers or media.
• ~/Movies – Can hide large video files or iMovie projects.
• ~/Library/Caches – Safe to delete if you're short on space (though the system usually clears this automatically).
• /Applications – Check for unused apps you can uninstall.

Be careful not to delete anything you’re unsure about, especially in system folders like /Library.

Consider Third-Party Tools for Deeper Analysis

If you want a more visual or detailed analysis, several third-party apps can help break down your disk usage:

• DaisyDisk – Offers a colorful map of your drive, letting you drill down into folders easily.
• GrandPerspective – Free app that gives a block-style view of file sizes.
• CleanMyMac X – Has a storage section that scans for junk files and offers safe cleanup options.

These tools can uncover hidden space hogs like duplicate files, language packs you don’t use, or massive email attachments.

Generally, checking what's taking up space on your Mac doesn’t require advanced skills. Start with the built-in tools, dig a little deeper if needed, and you’ll likely find something you can clear out.

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