TL;DR
Here is how much space does macOS take on your Mac:
- macOS Sequoia: Requires 14-16 GB of storage.
- macOS Sonoma: Takes up 13-15 GB of space.
- macOS Ventura: Needs about 12-14 GB of storage.
- macOS Monterey: Uses around 12-15 GB of space.
- macOS Big Sur: Requires 12-14 GB of storage.
Tried and Tested ✅: The methods and steps mentioned in this article have been tried and tested firsthand by Ojash Yadav on his MacBook Pro M3 and rechecked for errors on Hashir’s MacBook Air M2.
Wondering how much space macOS takes up on your Mac? It can vary depending on the version, and it might be using more storage than you think. In this post, we’ll break down the space each macOS version needs and share tips on managing your storage more effectively.
Before We Begin
Understanding how much space macOS takes up on your Mac can satisfy your curiosity and help you better understand your computer’s storage usage. It can be beneficial if you regularly work with large files or use applications that take up a lot of space. MacKeeper’s safe cleanup and memory cleanup features can help you a lot. So, download MacKeeper ASAP.
Check How Much Space macOS Takes on Your Mac
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1. Using MacKeeper
Mackeeper is a third-party utility tool with various features to optimize and maintain your Mac’s performance. One of its features includes checking how much space macOS is taking on your Mac.Here’s how to use this feature:
- Go to the official website of MacKeeper. Download and install it.
- Open Mackeeper on your Mac.
- Click on the Safe Cleanup tab at the top of the Mackeeper window.
- Click on the Disk Usage option in the left-hand menu.
- Mackeeper will analyze your disk usage and display a breakdown of the space used by different files and applications on your Mac.
- To see a detailed breakdown of a specific folder or application, click on the arrow to the left of its name.
- To delete files or applications you no longer need, click on the checkbox next to their name and then click the Remove button.
- Double-check what you’re deleting before clicking Remove to avoid accidentally deleting important files.
2. Using Apple Menu
Follow these steps to check free and occupied storage space on your Mac:
- Click the Apple menu and select System Settings.
- Click General and select the Storage tab.
- Here, you’ll see how much space does macOS take up on your drive, among other files.
Free Up Space on Your Mac Using MacKeeper
MacKeeper is a software utility designed to optimize and maintain the performance of Mac computers. One of its key features is the ability to free up space on your Mac by identifying and removing unnecessary files, such as duplicate files, temporary files, and caches. By freeing up space on your Mac, you can improve its performance and avoid running into storage capacity issues.
1. Delete Unused Applications
If you have applications installed that you don’t use, consider uninstalling them to free up space. Using Mackeeper, you can easily uninstall unnecessary apps on your Mac, freeing up space and improving the performance of your computer. Here’s how to do it:
- Go to the official website of MacKeeper. Download and install it.
- Open Mackeeper on your Mac.
- Click the Smart Uninstaller tab at the top of the Mackeeper window.
- Click the Smart Scan option.
- Mackeeper will analyze your applications and display a list of all the applications installed on your Mac.
- To uninstall an application, click on the checkbox next to its name.
- If you want to remove multiple applications, select the ones you want to uninstall.
- Once you’ve selected the applications you want to uninstall, click the Remove Selected button at the bottom of the Mackeeper window.
- Mackeeper will ask you to confirm that you want to uninstall the selected applications. Click on Remove to proceed.
Mackeeper will begin the uninstallation process and will show you the progress as it goes.
Once the uninstallation process is complete, Mackeeper will display a message letting you know the application has been uninstalled.
2. Delete Duplicate Files
Go through your files and delete any duplicate files that you no longer need. It includes documents, photos, and videos. You can use MacKeeper to delete them. Here are the steps to do it:
- Go to the official website of MacKeeper. Download and install it.
- Open MacKeeper on your Mac.
- Click the Cleanup tab at the top of the MacKeeper window.
- Click on the “Duplicates Finder” option in the left-hand menu.
- MacKeeper will analyze your files and display a list of all the duplicate files it has found.
- To delete a duplicate file, click the checkbox next to its name.
- If you want to delete multiple duplicate files, select all the exact files you want to remove.
- Once you’ve selected the duplicate files you want to delete, click the Remove Selected button at the bottom of the MacKeeper window.
- MacKeeper will ask you to confirm that you want to delete the selected duplicate files. Click Remove to proceed.
- Mackeeper will begin the deletion process and will show you the progress as it goes.
Once the deletion process is complete, Mackeeper will display a message letting you know the duplicate files have been successfully removed.
3. Clear Cache on Mac
Clearing the cache on your Mac can help improve its performance and free up space on your hard drive. Here’s how you can quickly clean your Mac and resolve to free up space using the MacKeeper app:
- Go to the official website of MacKeeper. Download and install it.
- Launch MacKeeper and go to the Safe Cleanup tab.
- Click Start Scan and wait for the results.
- Review the items you want to remove. Select them individually or click Check All.
- Next, click Clean Junk Files.
- You’ll get a Cleaning Completed notification on your screen. Click Rescan to repeat the process.
What Else Can MacKeeper Do?
Besides clearing the Mac, MacKeeper can scan and improve issues like malware and provide tools for recovering files, and encrypting data. MacKeeper aims to simplify Mac maintenance and enhance its overall functionality, making it a valuable tool for users who want to keep their Mac running smoothly. Check out my guide to know more about its features.
How Much Space Does macOS Take?
Here’s a detailed table of how much space does macOS take:
| # | macOS Version | Approximate Storage (GB) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | macOS Sequoia | 14-16 GB |
| 2 | macOS Sonoma | 13-15 GB |
| 3 | macOS Ventura | 12-14 GB |
| 4 | macOS Monterey | 12-15 GB |
| 5 | macOS Big Sur | 12-14 GB |
| 6 | macOS Catalina | 10-12 GB |
| 7 | macOS Mojave | 9-11 GB |
| 8 | macOS High Sierra | 8-9 GB |
| 9 | macOS Sierra | 7-8 GB |
| 10 | OS X El Capitan (10.11) | 6-7 GB |
How to Free Up Space on Your Mac
Here are some simple tips to free up space on your Mac:
- 🗂 Delete Large and Unused Files: Manually delete old files like videos or documents to free up space.
- 🗑 Empty the Trash: Always empty the Trash after deleting files to free up the space they still occupy.
- 📦 Remove Unused Apps: Uninstall apps you no longer use by dragging them to the Trash.
- 🧹 Clear Cache Files: Go to ~/Library/Caches in Finder and delete unnecessary cache files.
- ⚙️ Use macOS Optimization Tools: Use About This Mac > Storage > Manage to store files in iCloud or automatically empty Trash.
- 🕰 Delete Old Backups: Remove old Time Machine backups you don’t need from System Preferences > Time Machine.
- 💽 Move Files to External Storage: Transfer large files like videos or photos to an external drive or cloud storage.
- 🧼 Clear System Logs: Use tools like Mackeeper or delete system logs manually to clear temporary files.
Make Enough Space on Your Mac
Knowing how much space macOS takes up on your Mac can help you plan for future upgrades and much more. So, here are some tips for keeping your Mac storage under control:
- Regularly check your storage space on Mac and manage it if your Mac is running slow due to low free storage.
- Clean up your Mac regularly using disk clean-up tools to prevent unnecessary files from piling up.
- Add more storage to your Mac by using an external hard drive, SD cards, or iCloud storage.
