The Apple macOS Blog

Hey there, Mac users! Maria again, your go-to guide for all things Mac optimization. Today, I'm going to explain a topic that can leave even the most tech-savvy of us scratching our heads; what is that mysterious "System Data" taking up a whole lot of precious space on my Mac? More importantly how do I clear it out? Let me present to you:

Maria's Handy Guide to Clear Mac System Data! 

Behold all the system data

So what exactly is this System Data?

If you've ever checked the storage on your Mac, you might have noticed a pretty big chunk labeled "System Data" (formerly shown as "Other" on obsolete macOS versions). So what is it? System data includes a wide variety of files — caches, logs, temporary files, backups, and even some less obvious tings like app data or system update installers. You Mac runs better with many of these left as-is, but by far one of the biggest culprits that makes this category balloon is related to Apple's own Time Machine backups!

Why Are Things So Heavy In The Future?

The Time Machine Connection

Time Machine is an excellent feature for keeping your Mac backed up, but it can also be a sneaky space hog. How would it do that you may ask, well here's how:

Local Snapshots: Time Machine creates local snapshots of your data when your external backup drive isn't connected. These snapshots are stored on your built-in drive, this takes up space that shows up as System Data.

Backup Files: Over time, your Mac may accumulate unnecessary versions of backup files, particularly if you've been using the Time Machine for a long time.

Ok, how do I clear out System Data?

Let's just get straight to the good stuff — how to actually free up all that (expensive) space!

Delete Your Old Time Machine Backups

• Connect your Time Machine drive.
• Open Time Machine, then manually delete old backups that you no longer need.
• Make sure to regularly connect your Time Machine drive to prevent local snapshots from piling up.

"Do I still really need every.single.revision of those epic novels no one read?" 😳

Clear out local snapshots

You can manually remove local snapshots using Terminal, but I recommend being cautious with this. Take care to enter the commands correctly.My friend and collegue Charlie introduced you to the handy Terminal app in his earlier blog post about DNS.

Open the Terminal (Applications → Utilities → Terminal.app) and enter the command:
tmutil listlocalsnapshots /

This will output a list of your locally stored snapshots named by date.

Now, to delete a specific snapshot enter this command where <date> is the date you saw from the previous command:
sudo tmutil deletelocalsnapshots <date>

You'll be prompted to enter your password — this is your Mac's password you use when you turn it on, not iCloud or anything else — type it in then hit enter to delete the specified snapshot.

 A quicker way than using Terminal is to simply disable local snapshots by turning off Time Machine temporarily, then rebooting and turning it back on. This works because snapshots are not needed when Time Machine isn't active. When you turn Time Machine back on, it will start fresh and create new snapshots as needed.This quick on-and-off method is an easy and fast way to clear out those snapshots and free up space.

Clear Out Cache Files

Apps often store temporary files that can accumulate over time. Use a tool like iBoostUp (free download) to safely clear out these caches. Doing this regularly will mean your Time Machine backups are leaner and meaner; you do not need to keep backups of constantly changing temporary files!

iBoostUp's Quick Clean is a powerful, safe and free function to get rid of unneeded files.

Manage Your Own Files

Regularly clean out your Downloads folder and remove those old applications you no longer use. You can just drag them to the Trash but consider using a solid proper uninstaller, like the one included in iBoostUp to completely and cleanly remove Mac apps.

Regular Maintenance Is The Key

Keeping your System Data under control is just a part of regular Mac maintenance. Make it a habit to check your storage and clear out unnecessary files every now and then. The good thing is tools like iBoostUp can make this process easier, faster and safer. This way you won't accidentally delete something important.

Got any other tips or questions about freeing up space on your Mac?
You're welcome to drop me a line by emailing maria at this domain . com — look forward to hearing from you!

❤️ Maria