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.
Check How Much Space macOS Takes on Your Mac
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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.
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.
