How do I delete Purgeable Space on a Mac?

FYI: Since most Macs use SSD/NVMe storage, and each storage cell has a limited number of writes before it wears out.

Running the provided script too many times, and you will degrade your Macs ability to store new data.

>APFS is a far more advanced file system than HFS+ was,

It doesn't matter whether it is advanced if there is still no free space after deleting 100GB files and I need upgrade the system or import 60GB database and don't know if I can do it.

And trash is empty, nothing to sync, TM is off and no local snapshots, waited yet 30m. In every operating system I'd been working I was able to control the free space.

ringspa wrote:

sorry no it's just not the case that "waiting" is a solution in all cases - this thread is evidence of that

Sorry, but no. "This thread" actually doesn't exist. It was started over a year ago. Now it's just a place to collect low-qualities replies from people who just want to spout off, but aren't interested in actual solutions and wouldn't attempt any, if offered.

Unfortunately, they will attempt any really bad suggestions. While this site is hosted by Apple, it does suffer from typical internet behaviour to some extent.

One person mentioned that they only waited 30 minutes. But that person isn't you. Whatever is going on with your computer could be wildly different. But if you just go onto the internet searching for something like "storage problem" and try everything posted, you're going to have a long, unpleasant day, or perhaps a week.

With all due regard, I have tried this so many times I lost count and the Mac NEVER NEVER regained any space after a reboot or shutdown and restart. Apple got a weird bug and refuses to admit to it. Run the script I provided. Yes HDD, SDD all have write limits but you would probable have to do the script everyhour of everyday just to knock off a 1% or 2% of writes. I only run it if Pureable is more than 10% of drive space, although 20% would be OK too. And it only takes 1 or 2 write sessions.

Is there a list somewhere of what is "marked as purgeable" by MacOS Sonoma perhaps? If I had that list I could help myself from there. Maybe ther eis a diligent soul or group who have made it their mission to find out wher ethe "purgeable bit" is in the inode or superblock?

After hours spent looking for a solution the only way I found was formatting my Hard drive and re install Mac OSX.

This made me remember the good old times of Windows XP when I was re installing the OS every Three weeks.

Apple want to automate everything but is far from perfect and removing manual functions is really a bad idea.

Same with network utility, disk utility and many other functions that Apple removed but is far from solving by automated processes.

Interesting cure, thanks.:)👍

👍

arek.r wrote:

waited yet 30m. In every operating system I'd been working I was able to control the free space.

Not this one. You'll have to wait a day or two to get the storage back.

sorry no it's just not the case that "waiting" is a solution in all cases - this thread is evidence of that

Hey no worries, if this issue resolves for the 30m guy with a longer wait that’s great otherwise other measures are discussed here. Happy holidays.

Thanks!

I used the bash loop script and freed up 1.2TB out of 2TB.

wow, I cant believe that Mac OS would use up that much space for snapshots

this worked beautifully.. thank you...

On Sonoma, I don't have the lower block APFS Snapshots on Toad Hall. How do you get it to show that list?