Apps storage on my MacBook Pro

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Level 1

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Apps storage on my MacBook Pro

Hello!

I was checking my storage summary and found this:

I was surprised by the amount of space the apps take up, so I tried to figure out what all of those apps were.

The Applications folder has a total size 19.13 GB, so only a small part of the 176 GB. I have a couple of games in my Steam library which amount to roughly 10 GB, and I also have an iTunes-backup of apps from my iPhone which total 11 GB.

So my question is: where does the rest of the Apps storage come from and how can I create space?

Thanks for your help!

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013), OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Jul 21, 2015 8:44 AM

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Answer 1

dominic23

Level 10

83,910 points

Jul 21, 2015 9:31 AM in response to Nicolinho

Re-index Macintosh HD.

Spotlight reindexing will take a while to finish.

System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2409

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Answer 2

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jul 21, 2015 9:41 AM in response to Nicolinho

Rebuild the Spotlight index. If you try to search now, there will be an indication that indexing is in progress.

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Answer 3

Nicolinho Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 21, 2015 3:54 PM in response to dominic23

I don't really understand what this will do, what does storage have to do with spotlight?

And I couldn't find the 'Macintosh HD' anywhere, so I just pulled all the main folders into it. It ran (re-indexed) for a while, but nothing has changed.

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Answer 4

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Jul 21, 2015 3:58 PM in response to Nicolinho

Do you have El Capitan installed?

Ciao.

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Answer 5

Nicolinho Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 22, 2015 2:15 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

I thought El Capitan was coming out in the Fall. So I don't have it installed

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Answer 6

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Jul 22, 2015 2:34 AM in response to Nicolinho

I should have added that you posted the OSX as 10.10.5 which suggested that perhaps you were using El Capitan beta. Yosemite's latest version is 10.10.4, so I assume it was a typo.

Ciao.

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Answer 7

dominic23

Level 10

83,910 points

Jul 22, 2015 3:36 AM in response to Nicolinho

By default the Macintosh HD is not shown on the Desktop.

To show Macintosh HD on the Desktop:

Click Finder icon in the Dock.

Finder > Preferences > General > Show these items on the desktop:

Enable “Hard disks”.

Drag theMacintosh HD to privacy pane.

Click the - sign at the bottom and confirm it by clicking “OK” button in the dialog box.

This removes the volume and also deletes the existing index.

This forces reindexing of the Macintosh HD.

Calculation of the categories under the Storage tab of the "About This Mac"

is based on the Spotlight Index.

If the Spotlight Index itself is not accurate, the storage display will not be accurate.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2409

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