Just like Apple does with macOS, Microsoft provides a few ways to quickly free up storage space on a PC, whether you’re on Windows 11 or still clinging to the older Windows 10 (like I am on my own computer).įor Windows 11, you’ll want to start by clicking Start > Settings > System > Storage. At a glance, you’ll find out exactly which files are hogging up space, and then you can decide whether to get rid of them. One useful app to help visualize the data on your drive is GrandPerspective, which is $3 and available to download from the Mac App Store. From there it’s simply a matter of deciding whether or not you still need, say, a bunch of old emails that you practically forgot even existed. In the same Settings > General > Storage location, you’re given an overview of what types of files are taking up the most space on your drive, with details available as to when these files were created and last used. Of course, you can also manually comb through your Mac to find any large files that are taking up space and are no longer needed. This option is also available in Settings > General > Storage. MacOS can also automatically remove any movies or TV shows you might have downloaded that you’ve already watched and are taking up space. This will relocate common file types like documents and photos from your Mac to your iCloud account.Īpple provides 5GB of iCloud storage free, with more available to purchase depending on your needs. Recent versions of macOS can do this automatically using iCloud if you simply go to Settings > General > Storage, and click on Store in iCloud. You can download them again if and when they’re needed. Now to go about reclaiming space so you can move on with your day.Ī useful tip is to offload little-used files to the cloud, uploading them to a service like iCloud or Dropbox.

For older versions of macOS you’ll click on the Apple icon but then click on About This Mac > Storage. If you’re on the latest version of macOS, the quickest way to see how much storage you have left is to click on the Apple icon on the top-left of the screen, then System Settings > General > Storage.

Modern video games downloaded from a digital storefront like Steam can take up a large amount of space, too, if you (or someone you share the laptop with) enjoy winding down with Civilization VI or Sonic Frontiers.

How to free up storage on macbook air