Free VM space on High Sierra: how?

Purgeable space is not what you have trashed, but it's hard to keep up with so maybe.

Local Snapshots are Purgeable space that can take up a lot. Those are backups made locally while disconnected from the backup drive. They should be merged onto the Time Machine backup and purged when you perform a backup to your Time Machine.

Regardless, purgeable space should be deleted when space is needed. However, sometimes things like local snapshots can get stuck.

A Time Machine backup will eventually be purged of the "backup" of anything you delete off your Mac. It is not an archival backup. It will maintain the deleted files until it needs the space, then it will delete the files. So, if you are depending on recovering that VM, you might want to restore it to another drive.

So if I understand correctly, I need to perform time machine back up?

That's not what I meant.

I was just trying to explain what is considered Purgeable. Trashed files are not Purgeable space, so that purgeable space wouldn't necessarily be linked to the file you deleted.

Local Snapshots are Purgeable space. A Time Machine backup should purge them, but that is irrelevant as the OS will purge any purgeable space when you need the space for something else. But, as I mentioned, it sometimes doesn't work that way.

Ok. So I just need to wait and the VMware file deleted will give back the space later.

It's not possible for me to be certain, but what I am telling you is that what is listed as Purgeable is not caused by you deleting that file. The file is deleted and the space is available right now.

You seem to be stuck on the notion that the deleted file is now listed as Purgeable, but it should not be listed that way. So, what I am saying is the Purgeable space has nothing to do with the file you deleted.

What makes you think the purgeable space is somehow related to the deleted VM?

Did you empty the Trash after moving it there?

ebernetPhD wrote:

And uninstall the software with CleanMy Mac.

Clean My Mac is pure garbage and may very well be the source of your problem. Get rid of it. Now.

Did you empty the trash after deleting the file? If not, then it's still taking up space.

As you can see from Get Info, you have 175 GB free. Whatever tool you are using to "monitor" your Mac doesn't know what Purgeable space is or how it is managed by the OS.