How to use storage recommendations and optimization in macOS

With macOS, Apple added a number of features to bring the Mac closer to the iCloud, and enable users to use increasingly smaller capacity drives.

These set of storage optimization features are centrally located in macOS and make it easy to help with space.

If you happen to use a MacBook with a small SSD, you know the problems of storage all too well.

macOS (all versions) brings new features that help you save space on your mac via optimized storage. At a fundamental level, macOS basically moves older files such as ebooks that you may not have read in a while to your iCloud drive and helps you free space on your local drive on your MacBook.

By incorporating seamless integration between your local drive and the cloud storage, it allows you to access these files very easily on your iCloud storage.

The operating system digs deep automatically to uncover all your full-resolution photos, mail attachments, iOS device backups that you may have on your MacBook, system files such as IPSW files and unused MAS apps to optimize the free space on your MacBook.

You can choose to incorporate this feature or not use it.

If you do plan on using this feature, consider buying some additional iCloud storage.

All about storage recommendations and optimization in macOS

• First, on your Mac, head over to the Apple is the top left corner and select ‘About this Mac‘.
• A menu pop-ups. Click ‘storage’.
• Next, head over to your drive, and click ‘manage‘.
  

You’ll be brought into an application with a number of options for optimizing storage.

The first option allows you to store files in iCloud

• With macOS, iCloud can store full folders from your Mac on the cloud.
• This option stores all your filed in your Desktop and Documents folder in iCloud, as well as store your Photos.

The next option is to optimize storage

• This option will automatically delete viewed movies and TV shows from iTunes, as well as give you the option to only download Mail attachments from recent messages, or not at all.

The third is Trash empty

• This one is pretty simple: turn it on, and your trash will automatically delete every thirty days.

The final option is to reduce clutter

• This option allows you to sort through large and old files, and easily delete them from the app.

Binyamin Goldman( Senior Writer )

Binyamin has been writing about Apple and the tech sector as a whole for over five years.

His work has been featured on Forbes, MacWorld, Giga, MacLife, and more.

Additionally, Goldman is the Founder of BZG, a software development company focusing on Apple devices.

Currently a Senior Writer at AppleToolbox, Goldman has written for Updato and Inside Pulse and was a founding member of WatchAware and Mulling Apple.