How to reduce System Data on MacBook

I need help reducing my system data on my MacBook. I have 133.77 GB of system data and I have no clue how to delete it. I am not text savvy at all and if anybody can help me using the simplest instructions I will forever be grateful. I've tried watching YouTube videos and none of them are seeming to help delete the bulk of the data that I have. I mainly use my MacBook to download videos and that takes a lot of storage so I need as much as a system that are gone as humanly possible.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 26.0

Posted on Sep 16, 2026 7:45 PM

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1 reply

Sep 16, 2026 10:03 PM in response to bricheesy

How to reduce System Data on MacBook

I need help reducing my system data on my MacBook. I have 133.77 GB of system data and I have no clue how to delete it. I am not text savvy at all and if anybody can help me using the simplest instructions I will forever be grateful.[…]

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Clearing the System Data:

The safest way is to create a Time Machine Backup of your Mac to an external hard drive prior to doing so, and then proceed from there with the clearing. You can delete most caches(A.), and or you can do so in-full(B.).

(A.) Clearing Most Cashes:

  1. Click: the Desktop
  2. Click: Go in the top menu bar.
  3. Select: Go to Folder...
  4. Type: ~/Library/Caches into the box
  5. Press: return key
  6. Select All: use [command +A]
  7. Drag & Drop: all items to the Trash
  8. Remove the files from the Trash (Go to: View menu > Select: As List > Select: Data Added)
  9. Restart the Mac.


(B.) Clearing ALL Caches:

As for a complete removal, I have a User Tip that I authored in 2020, and it still works today. It is a bit spiffy, because it takes extensive effort. As a result in doing so, "System Data" will not even be shown in Disk Utility. See My User Tip: How to Use Finder to Clear “System Data" on a Mac - User Tip

How to reduce System Data on MacBook

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