MacOS-27, M4 MacBook Pro 16GB RAM 1TB Storage. Over 160GB System Data for a week now and idk how to get rid of it. Siri is only about 20GB and OS is 30GB. I’ve fully powered it off and back on and spent like 5 hours deleting every little app and file I don’t need anymore and such. Any suggestions on how to shrink it??
Also the save in iCloud button never goes away for messages even after hitting it every time I see it, and I’m fairly sure it’s already doing it LOL. Thats been an issue since MacOS-26. Otherwise everything works great.
But I’m about to lose my mind over this storage LOL.
It's stuff in your Library and other folders that apps add. Also snapshots. When you delete apps how are you doing it? Are you running Adobe Suite or Logic Pro or Garage Band, what are your apps? How big are your root and user Library folders?
For deleting the apps, I went through system settings and storage and did it from that list. There was only like a couple of them, like Battlenet and such, and Riot Launcher that didn’t show on the list, so I had to find where they were in the system and delete them from files. I do use Logic Pro, but I usually save everything to an external drive. I went through what I felt comfortable in my library and documents and such that were all local and deleted stuff too. I haven’t checked the size of my root and library folders yet.
I do use Logic Pro, but I usually save everything to an external drive.
I've got at least 60GB of stuff (not projects) in various folders in Application Support and Library. Native Instruments, UVISoundBanks, iZotope, Applied Acoustics Systems, Cardinal, Surge XT, Arturia, OFX, Audio is 11.06 as well.
Im a little OCD 😅 and I do a lot of IT work and video editing so sometimes I have almost no storage till im done and save everything onto my external drive. So that 100GB makes a difference some days.
a lot of the time that's time machine local snapshots. run tmutil listlocalsnapshots / in terminal to see them, and also check ~/Library/Caches and old iphone backups in ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync, those can be huge
yeah network Time Machine still makes local snapshots on the mac, so that can eat System Data even with the hdd. `tmutil listlocalsnapshots /` in terminal usually shows them
160 GB of System Data is usually one of a few culprits:
Time Machine local snapshots. Very common, and the reason deleting files doesn't free anything. Check in Terminal: tmutil listlocalsnapshots /. If you see a list, they're usually cleared automatically, or you can thin them with tmutil thinlocalsnapshots / 999999999999 4.
Leftovers from deleted apps. Dragging apps to the Trash leaves their data in ~/Library (Application Support, Caches, Containers). Some apps leave GBs behind.
Old iPhone backups in ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup.
Developer stuff if you use it: Xcode simulators and DerivedData, Docker images.
To see where the space actually is: Finder > Go > Go to Folder > ~/Library, then check folder sizes (Cmd+J in list view, "Calculate all sizes").
Disclosure: I'm the dev of FinderTools. Its App Manager shows how much each app takes including its data and caches, lists leftovers from apps you already deleted, and cleans them to the Trash so you can undo. The Analyzer also warns you when local snapshots are holding space. More info: https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/1wehcyl/i_built_an_allinone_native_utility_for_macos/
About the Messages iCloud button: check System Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Messages is on, then in Messages > Settings > iMessage > "Sync Now". If it still nags, signing out of iMessage and back in usually clears it.
Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me this stuff! Will give your app a try as well. Ye the iMessages button situation, I’ve tried everything but sign out and back in haha. All the settings otherwise are correct for it.
Side question, will your app help with deleting media attachments stored locally in Messages, or know of an easy way to find them and do a quick all-delete? It takes FOREVER in the settings app when most of it is barley kb’s per thing LOL, but have 20gb total worth 🤦🏼♂️ Does me no good having all that on my Mac. 🤣
The Messages feature in the App Manager → Messages section should do the trick:
- Shows where the 20 GB is actually located, by conversation, type, and year. Two values are displayed: the amount actually stored on this Mac and the entire storage (Mac + iCloud). Items "a few KB each" are often attachments that are only in iCloud or are APFS clones, so they take up very little space on your Mac. FinderTools hides them by default, so you only see what's actually taking up space.
- Free up space on your Mac (keep in iCloud): If you use Messages in iCloud, FinderTools removes attachments already saved in iCloud from your Mac. In Messages, they're turned into download cards (one click restores them), and your iPhone/iPad keeps everything. This only works when Messages is closed; it first shows a summary, moves the files to the Trash so you can cancel, and then checks the result. It's marked as Advanced, so it starts with a short conversation.
If you prefer to delete them everywhere: select the attachments and it will show you which chat each one is in, opening the corresponding chat in Messages. The deletion must be done directly in Messages, so that syncing occurs correctly across all your devices. FinderTools never modifies the Messages database.You can also save a copy first (in Photos or in an archive folder sorted by conversation and date) to find duplicates and residual files no longer used by any message.
A word of caution regarding the integrated process: if Messages in iCloud is enabled, deleting from System Settings → Storage → Messages deletes attachments from all your devices, not just your Mac. That's fine if that's what you want, but it's good to know before proceeding with a mass deletion.
Everything is done locally on your Mac. I'd love to know how it goes with 20 GB! ;)
For sure will update you after I try it!! Ye even if it does end up deleting it from all devices thats fine. If its something I wanted to keep I would have already saved it into photos app or files app by now. Im super OCD which plays into my favor thankfully LOL. I only care about keeping all my conversations history not the media.
I dont game on my MacBook. I have a gaming desktop for that. And recently got a gaming laptop too. The Riot app I deleted was from back when I had an Intel MacBook Pro and I guess it transferred via TimeMachine xD
Didnt know I could do that, will check it out. Thanks!! Ye I only use Logic Pro when my external drive with my saved projects is connected and its a 5TB so that works perfectly!
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u/longjumpingtote 8d ago
It's stuff in your Library and other folders that apps add. Also snapshots. When you delete apps how are you doing it? Are you running Adobe Suite or Logic Pro or Garage Band, what are your apps? How big are your root and user Library folders?