Q: Why does my amount of storage differ to what settings show?

I only have Office, iTunes, a few small games and CC Cleaner installed on my macbook (all relatively small compared to the space on the hard drive). Looking at the top of the screenshot it says that I have 202.68GB free, but when looking at the different coloured indicators, apparently 'Apps' is taking up 193.22GB alone. It just doesn't add up

Please help !

I took the screenshot after restarting my macbook, with all programs closed.

Thanks

MacBook Air, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), null

Posted on Aug 7, 2016 7:59 PM

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Q: Why does my amount of storage differ to what settings show?

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by Cunnla,

Cunnla Aug 7, 2016 8:10 PM in response to dionlussy
Level 4 (1,980 points)

Mac OS X

Aug 7, 2016 8:10 PM in response to dionlussy

For a more reliable report on your storage, go to About this Mac/System Report/Hardware/Sata and it will give the capacity and space available on your startup disk, but with no breakdown according to apps etc.
Also, you don't need any so-called cleaning apps on Mac OS, so you should dump the CC Cleaner app.
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by Cunnla,

Cunnla Aug 7, 2016 8:22 PM in response to dionlussy
Level 4 (1,980 points)

Mac OS X

Aug 7, 2016 8:22 PM in response to dionlussy

Some more info on why the readings may be different. It could be because of something in the Spotlight index. See this article for a fix. https://www.macissues.com/2014/05/27/fix-about-this-mac-not-showing-proper-disk- space/
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by Klaus1,

Klaus1 Aug 8, 2016 9:18 AM in response to dionlussy
Level 8 (48,821 points)

Aug 8, 2016 9:18 AM in response to dionlussy

Hard drive space and ‘Other’:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT202867

Also, try to rebuild the Spotlight index: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201716
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Q: Why does my amount of storage differ to what settings show?

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by Cunnla,

by Cunnla,

by Klaus1,

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