Macs cost a lot of money, but they offer the highest quality options in terms of storage and functionality. Spending a fortune on a Mac makes it hard to think you’ll soon run out of space. But this happens – and most often at the worst possible time. So, instead of waiting for it to happen, why not take steps to ensure it never does?

This post tells you the top ways to keep your Mac storage from getting full. 

1- Free Up System Data Storage

The very first thing to do is to clean your Mac’s system data. This is very simple to check – and you should do it frequently. Just hop on to the Apple menu, and check how much free space you have under Storage Settings. Ideally, you should eliminate unnecessary app data, system junk, plugins, and more. 

There are plenty of simple options to free up the system’s data storage. You can use a Mac storage manager, remove the system junk, and more. You’ll find 10 different ways to do this in CleanMyMac’s post, accompanied by detailed explanations of how each works.

2- Use iCloud

One of the best things about a Mac that you store many things is iCloud. Apple uses this cloud storage service to cater to the needs of those who juggle many files on their device. While you should be ready to invest as you increase your storage, using iCloud is much safer and more convenient than just storing everything on a physical device. 

iCloud offers 5GB of free storage to begin with. When you need more, do the following:

• Go to System Settings
• Click on your Apple ID
• Click on iCloud, followed by Manage
• Click on Change Storage Plan. Select a plan you wish to upgrade to

When you choose a plan and are ready to proceed, you must complete your payment to finalize your purchase. 

3- Use an External Hard Drive

What happens if your device gets stolen or breaks down? While you can have most of your data on the cloud, it’s smart to have another option: an external hard drive. You can use this to back up all your files or use one for the files and programs you rarely use but still need. 

Still, even if you use a hard drive, ensure you always have a backup. Recovering data from a dead external hard drive is possible, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, right?

4- Empty the Trash

Your Mac won’t automatically clean the Trash. Many users don’t know this, so gigabytes are stored in the trash, keeping their storage full. This is as simple as it gets; you can do it as often as you want. Just click on the Trash icon using the right click and select Empty Trash. 

To simplify this, you can create a schedule for your Trash to automatically clear itself. Here is how to activate it:

• Go to Finder
• Navigate to Preferences, followed by Advanced
• Click on Remove items from the trash after 30 days

5- Uninstall Apps You Don’t Use

Some apps are hard to delete – even if we never use them. It’s like the clothes in our closet. You haven’t worn them for ages, but they are still there if you ever need them. The same applies to apps. 

Next time you go through the apps, use the same approach for your closet. The apps that haven’t been used for a year – or two are those you don’t need. These come with high data usage, but to you, they are useless. 

You might want to download an app that will tell you which apps haven’t been used in a while. This will save you tons of time scouring your app folder. 

6- Stream Instead of Downloading

With so many streaming platforms today, is it worth bulking up your device with downloads? Some games can be streamed, and videos you can watch at any time – without them taking up tons of space on your device. 

If you are in the habit of downloading everything you watch or listen to, it’s time for a change. Whenever possible, take advantage of streaming platforms like Netflix and YouTube. 

7- Disable Automatic App Updates

Apps are frequently updated and for a good reason. Software companies use updates to fix glitches and improve security. But some of those updates take up a lot of space. To begin with, a small app can bloat in size over time, making it very hard to manage your storage. 

Very often, developers add new features simply to test them. While we are not against updates, why not take more control over this? Check them manually to see what the update is all about. You’ll find that, more often than not, you are not interested in the new features – or don’t need them.

Conclusion

Buying a Mac is a big investment, but one of the best you’ll ever make. However, just like with any other device, you need to know how to care for it and manage it. Hopefully, this post taught you how to keep your storage from getting full – and will save you a lot of trouble.