System Data on Mac too big

emel160 wrote:

I have a Macbook Air M2, and the problem I've had with it for a long time is that the System Data is just too large and taking up all my space. I have the 256GB variant, and I don't have that much space available so I can throw away a 100GB or more. I try to clear the caches and logs, and it does help a little bit but it still leaves so much. I bought an external drive but now I have mainly just apps and still no space.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/90884465-549d-4ee8-b2ee-d471381033fa

If someone knows what to do please help.

How to free up storage space on your Mac - Apple Support

Free up storage space on Mac - Apple Support

System Data —

https://www.macworld.com/article/676493/how-to-delete-system-storage-on-mac.html

Nice list here see posted by D.I. Johnson— reducing “System Data”

MacBook Pro System Data file is huge - Apple Community add in: iphone backups

Purgeable Space is controlled by the operating system.

When the system needs more empty space, it moves some purgeable space to empty space.

There’s no user action to hasten this transition. It can take days or longer.

How to delete Time Machine snapshots on your Mac.

View APFS snapshots in Disk Utility on Mac

One more thing

Never every install any Disk Cleaners / Optimzers

The can or will do more Harm to the computer than good

Examples below

Disk Cleaner 

CleanMyMac , aka “ BrickMyMac “

New macOS Malware "Cthulhu Stealer" Targets Apple Users' Data

Un-Like Microsoft Windows, which does have “ Disk Cleanup “ and “ Defrag “ as part of their Operating System 

Apple does not  nor are they required 

MacKeeper,

Dr Cleaner Pro Plus

Open Cleaner one Pro

Macmechanic

Clean my Mac x.

MacBooster

Macscan

MacCleanse 

CCleaner 

Often asked question " What is System Data and why if it so large ? "

Below is not " the definitive answer " but a start

System Data

The category is a collection  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

•Time Machine Backup Snapshots that have not been transferred to the TM Backup Drive 

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.  You can use either of these two free apps, GrandPerspective  or OmniDiscSweeper, to find the largest files on your drive so you can determine if they can be deleted or moved to an external HD for storage.  

emel160 wrote:

I tried all of that now. I don't have any Time Machine snapshots, no large files and no APFS snapshots, just apps and files I cannot move to a drive(projects I'm currently working on mostly).

To get the replies to your question in chronological order by Date 

Click on your User Name  >>   >> " Edit Profile and Preferences "

Scroll way down and look for >> >> " Other Preferences "

Change the >> >> " Default thread sort " to Oldest 

On three different Macs I have erased the drive and reinstalled my files which reduced this number considerably. This is the only way I have found to reduce the System data number if all other avenues are exhausted.

Just remember, what you purchased ( 256 GB SSD ) is exactly would you got.

Purchase a New Computer with at least 500 GB or 1 TB Drive Capacity

This should fix the current issue.

This should also future-proof your needs for extra storage for the near future

The system data needs to be deleted from container disk which is located in the user/library /folder.

There you can find a lot of files and you need to check each one and delete which is not required and also check files which consumes but those are empty.

bhanu5567 wrote:

The system data needs to be deleted from container disk which is located in the user/library /folder.

There you can find a lot of files and you need to check each one and delete which is not required and also check files which consumes but those are empty.

You do understand what System Data contains do you not ?

Part of what System Data does contain is the User Account of the user

Suggest reading the suggestions presented by my colleague @leroydouglas

There have been several good choices to choose from

And / or use one of the suggestions from myself @PRP_53

👍