Check Available Space Mac

As you have mentioned you want to see the available space via right clicking the onedrive icon in the system tray, i’d like to explain that it’s for personal onedrive instead of onedrive for business app. However, if you are using onedrive for business next generation sync client, you will see the available space both for personal onedrive and onedrive for business as the following screenshots show.

Checking free space on a drive is helpful if you suspect it's filling up or you're getting random error messages. Head to This PC, Computer, or My Computer (depending on your OS), find the drive, right-click, and choose Properties. Follow the same steps for hard drives as well as network drives and external drives like flash drives. It’s the simplest and the easiest method. To open it, Click on the Apple icon on the top left corner of your screen. From the pop up menu that appears, Click on About This Mac. For OS X Yosemite or later, Click on the Storage tab to know all the information about your storage. How to clear disk space on Mac (Best way) Part 3. Common methods to clear up disk space on Mac; Part 1. How to check disk space on Mac. Before we show you how to clean up disk space on Mac, you should know how much storage you can use. Actually, during the daily usage of your Mac, you ought to frequently check the remaining space. In Windows, we can find free space of a disk drive using fsutil command. This command’s syntax is shown below. Fsutil volume diskfree driveletter. Drive letter can be any local drive.


10.6: Easily view available disk space 24 comments Create New Account
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The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

This functionality works in 10.5, it's not some great new discovery.
Also, the status bar at the bottom of Finder windows shows the available space for a volume, and has done for YEARS.

Mac

But not in QuickLook, as this hint is about.

Wrong. This hint does work in 10.5 with QuickLook. Typing this from a 12' PowerBook G4 running 10.5.8, and the 'QuickLook on hard drive' functionality is identical to my 17' MacBook Pro running 10.6.1.

Wrong. This hint does work in 10.5 with QuickLook.
This hint doesn't work for me on 10.5.8 for drive icons on the Desktop. It does work if the drive is selected in the sidebar or in the Volumes folder. Could the hint be about desktop drive icons?

I think you're right, I just assumed it was about desktop items but I guess it doesn't actually say that. However, the hint is given for the purpose of viewing available disk space, and if you have a finder window open then you most likely do not need quick look to accomplish this since the space shows up in the windows (assuming the window is showing a folder on the drive in question.) I know that has already been mentioned here many times, I am just using this to support the argument that the hint is probably about desktop icons.

Free space is also always listed at the bottom of any finder window, assuming you've got the sidebar/window chrome showing...

Or: right-click the desktop, select Show View Options, check Show Item Info. Size and free space will be listed under volumes.

OR (since 10.4 as far as I know) click on the desktop, open the view options (cmd-J) and activate the checkbox 'show object info': So you will see the available disk space anytime below the volume name.

If you are going to click on the drive icon anyway, why not just right-click (control-click) and then choose 'Get Info' from the pop-up menu? You will see more info than Quick Look provides.

Because you also have to close the get info window afterwards. With this hint it's a simple (slow) double tap of the space bar.

Great find. I'm glad you noticed this.
Using Quicklook is much faster and easier than going through the bother of pressing Option-click, navigating to the Show Info item, then having to close the window again. Just clicking on the icon and pressing SPACE twice is far more efficient, especially if you're using a trackpad.
This is just what I was looking for to improve my workflow.

Erm, you're saying 'keyboard shortcuts is quicker than menus'. But there are already keyboard shortcuts available.
Tapping space twice is only barely quicker than Command-I, Command-W. Notice those keyboard shortcuts have been available right from the very start of Macintosh System.

To the poster of this tip, please ignore the mean comments. I liked this hint. To everyone who states a different way, thank you. But the hint is still valid. Most of the other way listed (aside from the status bar), take more steps then pressing the spacebar.

Even the status bar option takes more effort, as you have to open a finder window to do it. This works from the desktop.
Showing the item info on the desktop works well, so long as your icons are huge and so there's enough space.
Great hint. Thanks.

While you have the window open you can click on another drive and it will switch and show that drives info. Nice hint.

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Working on Macs in a PC environment is like putting on fireworks for the blind. Any noise scares everyone and no one see the brilliance of your work.

Yeah guys seriously, read the hint before commenting- I actually mention the other ways of finding disk space; so stop yapping.

Great hint. Yes, it worked in 10.5 also, but I never saw it hinted before.
I've already voiced my frustration several times with negative commenters (I affectionately call 'snobs') on this site as of late. Please please people just ignore them. They don't realize this isn't a contest, but rather a collective knowledgebase site. Even if it's not 'some great new discovery,' I love seeing it documented.
Snobs be gone.

I don't think anyone is being a snob — the reason I (and I presume many other members) love this site so much is the high quality of the information here. Whenever I see misinformation in a hint, I feel obliged to point it out so that Rob will hopefully add a correction to the hint (or at least readers of the hint will have a chance to be informed by the comments, assuming they read that far…). I've been reading the site for nearly a decade (has it really been around that long?) and it does seem like the quality of the hints has taken a distinct downward turn this last year or so.
This particular hint contains a lot of misinformation. The claim that the behavior is new to 10.6. The (implied) claim that the author has mentioned all the other ways to get the information (which they fell far short of doing, as is obvious from all the 'mean' comments). For such a short hint, it really packs a lot of misinformation punch!
All that being said, I acknowledge that a lot of the corrective comments could have been phrased more tactfully. I'd suggest the rudeness is just an emotional (possible subconscious) reaction to a perception of a recent flood of questionable hints on the site.

Rubbish! I agree the quality of (some of) the hints here has dropped, but this isn't an example of that. The ONLY misinformation in the hint is the idea that it's new to 10.6, which anyway I'd regard more as the editor's job to check for than the hinter's. While of course the hinter should strive to be as accurate as he can, he can normally only go by what he remembers of the previous version, as by definition he can't check now. The editors on the other hand have other resources to call upon, presumably.
There is no requirement whatsoever for any hinter to point out the alternative ways of achieving the same thing. He's not writing an OS X manual, he's pointing out one handy thing he's found that people might not have noticed. If others use other methods to do the same thing, great, and it's good if they list them in the comments, but the first reply in particular was stupid and unnecessary.
I know, lets get all the people who post convoluted ways to do things through Terminal include the much simpler UI methods in their hints shall we, before they're accepted? Who cares that some people may prefer to work that way, I don't, so will start to insult the hinter for daring to suggest I should.

I think the drop in 'quality' you've noticed has several causes. One, the volume of hints has increased significantly due to the popularity of the site and the OS, so robg can't test everything, and two, many more novices are feeling like they can contribute. Both of these are good things. I prefer to look at the hints not as 100% rock solid take it to the bank info, but rather as points of experimentation and discussion. The 'snobs' see it differently. They like to show their prowess by pointing out the flaws in other people's hints, and presume they know every possible thing about every possible thing, in every possible configuration, with every possible peripheral, etc etc. It's not what they say, but how they say it. Often rude and superior. They put the hinter on the defensive. I'm really getting sick of it. I've been reading and contributing to this site for over six years, and one thing has changed for sure, the quality of the commenters.
This hint is a great example. It's a fine hint, but not 100% accurate. I've never seen it here before, and so it's fair game. Who should test it? We, the readers! And we should report back in a professional and respectful manner. That's how we get all the facts, not by taunting and degrading.

And this perceived drop in quality is as all perceptions involving comparisons over larger time periods skewed by the biased nature of human memory. Humans tend to forget the bad things and remember the good things, that is how our psyche manages to make life bearable.

People, this is definitely new to 10.6, this was one of my biggest frustration in 10.5, and when I noticed that a lot of new stuff started showing up in QL windows (such as copyrights on apps) I decided to check HDs.

I've used Report and although its great, I've had better luck with WheresTheFreeSpace. It is Modeled after a PC application that is very popular called <a href='http://www.wheresthefreespace.com'>Treesize (but its for Mac).</a>

I hate right-clicking the drive and check 'Get Info'. I just got too many FireWire and network drives. Interestingly when I google today, I see a pretty cheap app in AppStore. It's called FreeSpace. It shows all my drives' empty spaces in the menu bar. The numbers are always just there. I can even eject all drives at once in the menu. Which I think it is a big missed-out from Apple.

In this age of terabyte flash drives and cloud storage, it’s easy to forget that storage space is finite. But it is, and as software gets more sophisticated and must-have apps become more plentiful, you can eat through a 1TB SSD in no time at all.

Sure, in theory, if your Mac hard drive gets full you can just upgrade, but at around $800 for a 2TB iMac SSD and $2800 for a 4TB SSD neither option is exactly affordable. Plus, it’s not just room for files that you get from a hard drive, it directly affects performance too. Let your hard drive get full and see how sluggish your Mac runs. Actually, don’t do that you’ll drive yourself crazy.

For optimum performance, you should continually monitor Mac hard drive space to make sure there’s always room for your next big download. Keep reading to learn how to find storage on your Mac and use it more efficiently.

How to check storage on your Mac?

The simplest way to check Mac hard drive space is by accessing About This Mac.

  1. Click on the Apple icon and choose About This Mac.
  2. Click on Storage.

Note: If you’re running an older version of OS X, you may need to click More Info to find the Storage option.

The Storage tab will show you how much space is being taken up by the System, Documents, Apps, and more. It will also display available space.

What to do when your hard drive is full?

If your Mac hard drive is nearing capacity, your system will let you know with a 'disk almost full' warning prompting you to free up some space.

If you see this warning it’s best to act on it. To free up space on your startup disk you’ll need to do one or all of these three things:

  • Delete files
  • Move files over to cloud storage or an external hard drive
  • Install a second hard drive or add a larger startup disk

Options 1 and 2 are the easiest, but if you’re thinking of upgrading your existing disk, check out our guide.

If you’re running macOS Sierra or higher, you can get some free space by optimizing your storage with in-build tools. To do this, go to the Apple menu and select About This Mac. Here, go to the Storage tab and press Manage.

In the window that appears, you can see some tips on reclaiming free space. Here’s how to manage storage on your Mac:

  1. Click Store in iCloud. Choose what data you want to transfer to iCloud and confirm.
  2. Click Optimize to remove movies and TV programs.
  3. Turn on Empty Bin Automatically.
  4. Click Reduce Clutter to review all your documents.

This is a quick and easy way to free up space but it’s not ideal. You see, when files are moved to iCloud, junk and useless files are moved too. This means you max out your iCloud storage quicker and end up having to pay for more. For this reason, we recommend using CleanMyMac X to detect junk files and completely remove them from your system.

Delete large and old files first

Usually, old large files are the biggest space wasters on our Macs. It probably happens to anyone: you open your brand new MacBook and download multiple files, which seem to be very useful at first. But, later, you forget about these items, and they end up cluttering your storage. It’s time to dig up these old massive files. And CleanMyMac X can help you out with that task.

With a dedicated Large & Old Files module, you can quickly clear your Mac.

  1. Download CleanMyMac X (a free trial is available).
  2. Install and launch the app.
  3. Go to the Large & Old files module.
  4. Press Scan.

Now, all you have to do is select old files that CleanMyMac X has found and press Remove.

Another CleanMyMac X useful feature is Space Lens. It builds a virtual map of your storage, so you can see where all your space is gone. You need just to hover over any folder to find out its weight or click it to view its contents.

How to free up Mac hard drive space manually

Deleting files manually is a simple task, but it can also be time-consuming. The best way to go about it is to find old documents, downloads, music, and applications you no longer need and drag them to the Trash.

When you do this you’ll need to remember to empty the Trash, otherwise, files will just sit there and free up no space at all.

  1. Right-click Trash in the Dock.
  2. Select Empty Bin and confirm.

You can also remove old iTunes Library backups, iOS backups and updates, and clear cached files using the Finder.

  1. Open a Finder window and select Go in the menu bar.
  2. Click on Go to Folder and enter one of the following commands:
  • Caches:~/Library/Caches
  • iTunes Library backups:
    ~/Music/iTunes/Previous iTunes Libraries
  • iOS backups:
    ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
  • iOS software updates iPad:
    ~/Library/iTunes/iPad Software Updates
  • iOS software updates iPhone:
    ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates

3. Browse each of the folders and delete any files you no longer need.

As said, clearing files manually is easy but it comes with one rather sizeable caveat: moving things to Trash leaves behind a residue — leftover pieces of files that serve no purpose other than to take up hard drive space. There you are doing your best to remove files only for Mac to be incapable of fully deleting whatever you want to get rid of.

So, what can you do about that? Yep… CleanMyMac X.

Freeing up Mac hard drive space with CleanMyMac X

CleanMyMac X scours your system for all old, outdated, and broken files, and completely removes them from your system. It’s the quickest and easiest way to free up a lot of space at once.

If you need to optimize disk space in a hurry, download CleanMyMac X and select the option to clean up System Junk. This will remove old cache files and logs, broken app data, unused languages, and excessive versions of documents in a couple of clicks.

  1. Download and launch CleanMyMac X.
  2. Choose System Junk from the menu.
  3. Click Scan.
  4. Click Clean.

Mac Spaces Manager

A full disk is something all Mac users experience at some point. Thankfully, it’s easy to reclaim space using Mac’s own optimization feature or the Finder if you’re doing things manually, or CleanMyMac X if you prefer a more comprehensive solution. As you’ll likely need to clean up the hard drive a few times a year, we’d suggest going down the CleanMyMac X route but, of course, we’re biased. Try the different methods and see what works best for you.

Check Available Space Mac

Keep your Mac in good shape

I hope you managed to find out what exactly took too much space on your Mac. Here’re some tips to prevent clutter in your storage in the future:

  • Clear old files

To use your storage more efficiently, you need to declutter your Mac once in a while. Remove apps, documents, photos, and media that you don’t need on your Mac. Transfer your data to the hard drive or store it in the cloud. A perfectly organized storage also boosts your productivity, which is another advantage of keeping your space tidy.

  • Delete apps completely

And by “completely,” I mean together with all the files associated with the app. Dragging an app to the Trash will probably leave its data in your system. So, make sure you remove your apps using native uninstallers or special tools, like CleanMyMac X.

  • Empty Trash

This is pretty straightforward advice, but many of us still forget to do it. Trashed files can take gigantic amounts of space. Remember to clear the Bin after you deleted some files on your Mac.

  • Update your software

When you Mac acts laggy, you may think it’s running out of space. But, outdated software can cause the same symptoms. Updates often contain bug fixes and improvements that can positively affect how your app and your Mac run. Updating both OS and apps to the latest version will ensure the smooth performance of your machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check Available Space Mac Os

What is taking up so much space on my Mac?

Check Available Space On My Mac

To find out what’s taking storage on your Mac, go to the Apple menu. Here, choose About This Mac. Go to the Storage tab and click Manage to see how much space takes each category.

How to find large files on Mac?

In Finder, press the little gear icon and select Show Search Criteria. Click Kind filter and choose Other. Then select File Size from the list. Select “is greater than” criteria in the second box. Enter the size (for example, 400 MB), and then the search results will update, showing you the large files on your Mac.

How much space should the system take up on Mac?

Mac’s system takes about 20 GB on average. If your Mac’s system is considerably bigger than 20-25 GB, try emptying the Trash. Performing a clean install may be necessary in some cases – it will reinstall your OS and clear your storage. But, make sure to back up your data first.

Check Available Disk Space Mac Terminal

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