My mac is showing 50.32 GB of "other" in my storage. I've moved and deleted almost everything else including apps and there is still too much storage taken up to even download the Ventura OS. How do I get rid of the "other" files?

My mac is showing 50.32 GB of "other" in my storage. I've moved and deleted almost everything else including apps and there is still too much storage taken up to even download the Ventura OS. How do I get rid of the "other" files?

Earlier Mac models

Posted on Jul 19, 2023 5:44 AM

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Posted on Jul 19, 2023 8:25 AM

There are some things you can do to reduct the 'Other' but they do little real good. First you should know what it contains.

The Other Category should not be altered, modified, move or deleted since it is part of the Mac’s operating system. Doing so would corrupt the OS and render the OS inoperative requiring a Wipe and Re-Installation.

The Other category is a potpourri of files which include:

• System temporary files

• macOS system folders

• Archives and disk images (.zip, .iso, etc. - often found in the Downloads folder)

• Personal user data

• Files from the user’s library (Application Support, iCloud files, screensavers, etc.)

• Cache files

• Fonts, plugins, extensions

• Other files that are not recognized by a Spotlight search

• Media files that cannot be classified by Spotlight as a media file because they are located inside of a package

They can be located anywhere on your hard drive. The files that you have control over are located in the Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music and Movies folders.

Also, if your OS becomes too full your computer will stop functioning. Have you also emptied your Trash? This may be a good time to seriously consider adding an external drive for storage. Then you can move files onto it and then delete them from your HD to clear needed space. Easy to do and problem solved. I hope this is helpful.

1 reply
Question marked as Best reply

Jul 19, 2023 8:25 AM in response to aliciavwilson25

There are some things you can do to reduct the 'Other' but they do little real good. First you should know what it contains.

The Other Category should not be altered, modified, move or deleted since it is part of the Mac’s operating system. Doing so would corrupt the OS and render the OS inoperative requiring a Wipe and Re-Installation.

The Other category is a potpourri of files which include:

• System temporary files

• macOS system folders

• Archives and disk images (.zip, .iso, etc. - often found in the Downloads folder)

• Personal user data

• Files from the user’s library (Application Support, iCloud files, screensavers, etc.)

• Cache files

• Fonts, plugins, extensions

• Other files that are not recognized by a Spotlight search

• Media files that cannot be classified by Spotlight as a media file because they are located inside of a package

They can be located anywhere on your hard drive. The files that you have control over are located in the Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music and Movies folders.

Also, if your OS becomes too full your computer will stop functioning. Have you also emptied your Trash? This may be a good time to seriously consider adding an external drive for storage. Then you can move files onto it and then delete them from your HD to clear needed space. Easy to do and problem solved. I hope this is helpful.

My mac is showing 50.32 GB of "other" in my storage. I've moved and deleted almost everything else including apps and there is still too much storage taken up to even download the Ventura OS. How do I get rid of the "other" files?

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