I have a LARGE amount of space on my internal hard drive that is designated as "purgable". I need to get rid of it. Apple seems to offer no way to do it. No, reboot doesn't do it. There are many private party apps that offer to do this. Why the !@#$%^& doesn't Apple offer a strategy to do this in their OS? FWIW, I'm using Monterey on an M1 iMac. What's the easiest way to clear this space?
iMac, OS X 10.11
Part 1 of 2
There is Purgeable Space and there is Empty Space.
Purgeable Space which is Controlled by the Operating System.
When the Operating Systems decides the computer needs additional Empty Space, it will move a portion of the Purgeable to Empty space
AFAIK - there is no User Actions to hasten this transition from Purgeable to Empty Space
It can day or longer before this will occur
Part 2 of 2
If Apple Intended there to be a way for the user to Clear Purgeable Space - they would have included instructions to perform this action - IMHO
Any Third Party Applications that will interfere with the normal operation of the OS, is an invitation for disaster.
Certain Applications maybe available on the Apple Apps Store - this only means the Developer is prepared to pay Apple a portion on each sale. What the Application may do to the computer is up to the User to check this out before purchase
Any of the below should be removed Developers Instructions and or never installed on this computer at all
1 - Disk Cleaner
This will include CleanMyMac , aka “ BrickMyMac “
Read some of the posting and arrive at your own conclusions.
If none of the previous posting is to the liking of the User >>
Then have a few suggestions ;
1 - Get Support Choose a product and we’ll find you the best solution.Start now and open an Apple Support Ticket as they are Apple Employees to deal will these types of issues .
2 - Product Feedback - Apple and make it known to Apple regarding this ongoing issue
Although you may have done as per a previous Posting, the same Non Issue will return given enough time
Perhaps reading some of the many similar question as related to Purgeable Space, what it really represents and what can and can not be done by the User to reduce the space used
To keep this narrowed to a manageable reading list, I have filtered this to pertain to macOS and for the Last Month.
Though, if you what a broader time-line that too can be provided
Not at all clear that all this purgable space happened in a day. To the extent that it didn't, waiting a day for it to go away seems to not have worked.
"If Apple Intended there to be a way for the user to Clear Purgeable Space - they would have included instructions to perform this action - IMHO"
Yes, too bad about intentions. Apple also has no information that I can see whatto do about purgable space, if it is preventing you from doing what you want.
Yes, restoration from a backup seems to be the best answer. That's a REALLY inelegant way to fix it, though.
Once I had the same issue.
Take a backup & do reset.
Yes, The same had happened to me in Mac OS big Sur, I had done reset and the issue was resolved.
purgeable space
