Macbooks have a lot of advantages. Some would argue that these computers are a bit expensive, but their popularity is only increasing. Durability and longevity certainly are some of the advantages that stand out the most. But can you consider Macs to be perfect?
Well, there are no computers without faults. Even if you spend a lot of money, you can still expect to run into some problems. And when it comes to Macbooks, lack of available storage space is certainly one of the problems worthy of a mention.
If not careful, you are bound to run out of available disk space quite fast. And if that happens, the computer will start to underperform. To not end up with just a few free gigabytes, continue reading the article. These methods will help to create a solid maintenance strategy and keep the disk space at an optimal level.
Table of Contents
Method #1 – Remove Junk Data
Junk data is not something you can see that easily. These files can be accessed only after you made some changes to the system settings. And even then, removing the files manually has its risks. You could end up deleting something accidentally, and restoring that file is not that easy.
As an alternative, you could get cleanup software that gets rid of junk files automatically. This way, you will save time that would be necessary by doing the job manually.
Method #2 – Uninstall Useless Applications
Applications can be removed and installed whenever you want. So, if you are looking to free up hard drive space, getting rid of those you have not used for a while seems like a good idea.
Check the list of applications that you have installed, and start cutting that list. You should be able to find at least some applications that were not used for a while.
Method #3 – Delete Language Packs
Certain applications will have language pack files that are more or less useless. Th English version and maybe another language that you are native of are usually the only two you need. As for other 50 or so languages, keeping them on a computer makes very little sense. Not to mention all the space that these files are consuming.
Method #4 – Check for Potential Viruses
Having a reliable antivirus and scanning for potential malware and viruses is one thing that some people disregard. There are all kinds of cybersecurity threats, and some sources would surprise you. And it just might be that you have a virus or malware problem if there is less space on the disk every time you launch the computer.
Scan the system. Any potentially corrupted files should be removed. And to avoid these things from happening in the future, be more wary when surfing the internet. Avoid shady links. Get an ad blocker so that you do not have to face pop-ups that redirect to malware-infested landing pages.
Method #5 – Keep Tabs on Download and Emails Folders
Downloads and email attachments could be taking up more drive space than you think. The latter, especially, because every email attachment you double-click on is saved on the computer by default.
Downloads can also snowball. Even if most of the stuff you download from the internet is relatively small in size, a large number of even small files will still require quite a lot of space.
Method #6 – Purchase External Storage Devices
Keeping some of your data outside the computer is a solid option. And external storage devices like USB sticks happen to be one of the best options. You can also purchase an external hard drive.
Even if the device is second-hand, it will still be good enough to keep some of your files. There is no need to spend a lot of money.
Method #7 – Transfer Data to Clouds
Dropbox and iCloud are free services. Clouds happen to be one of the safest places for keeping files. You will also have an option to expand available storage by subscribing to a new plan. The payment is quite small when you consider how much storage space cloud services provide.
Method #8 – Subscribe to Streaming Platforms
Media files are some of the largest you will find. Movies, TV shows, and even music, if you have a lot of songs, takes the most disk space.
There are plenty of streaming platforms that you can subscribe to. Doing so would eliminate the need to keep all those large media files on the computer. Your entertainment is accessible with just a few clicks.
Method #9 – Reinstall the OS
Reinstalling the OS might seem like too much for some. However, if you are unable to fix the problem and are constantly running into new issues, there is no better option.
Look for a guide on how to initiate and finish the reinstallation process thoroughly. And remember that the data you do now back up will get wiped.
