How to Check Storage on Mac: A Step-By-Step Guide 2026

Checking the available storage on your Mac is essential to ensure you have enough space for your files and applications. Fortunately, it’s easy to check your Mac’s storage using built-in tools.

To check disk space on Mac, you can use Finder, About this Mac, and more. Similarly, you can also use System Preferences to check storage space on Mac.

This Dbd guide will provide information on how to check storage on Mac. We have thoroughly tested and verified each step to ensure accuracy and easy to follow.

What is storage on a Mac?

Storage refers to the component in a computer that stores data and files permanently. There are different types of storage devices available on Macs, including:

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

A traditional type of storage device that uses spinning disks to store data. They are available in different sizes and speeds, but they are generally slower than other types of storage.

Solid-State Drive (SSD)

A newer type of storage device that uses flash memory to store data. SSDs are faster, more reliable, and more energy-efficient than HDDs.

Fusion Drive

A hybrid storage solution that combines both an HDD and SSD in one unit. The SSD is a cache for frequently used files, while the HDD provides additional storage capacity.

PCIe SSD

An SSD that connects directly to the computer’s PCIe bus, providing faster data transfer speeds than traditional SATA-connected SSDs.

External Storage

External hard drives, flash drives, and cloud storage solutions can also be used to expand storage capacity on a Mac.

It is essential to monitor storage usage on a Mac for several reasons, such as:

• Monitoring storage usage on a Mac is essential to avoid slow performance and system crashes.
• It helps identify unnecessary files and clear up space.
• Regular monitoring can prevent data loss and inconvenience when installing new programs.
• Optimization of storage users can keep a Mac running smoothly.

Finally, each of these storage types has its advantages and disadvantages. The choice of storage device often depends on the user’s needs and budget. 

How to check storage on a Mac?

To check how much space is available on your Mac or manage your storage, there are some built-in tools you can use.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to check storage on a Mac using different tools:

Checking storage using finder

Through Finder, you can easily check the storage on Mac. In the Mojave version, you can use this process to check and manage the storage.

Step 1: Click on the Finder icon in the Dock to open a Finder window.

Step 2: In the sidebar, click on the drive you want to check the storage for. This could be your Mac’s hard drive, an external drive, or a network drive.

Step 3: A new window will appear, showing all the drives connected to your Mac.

Step 4: Click on the drive you want to check the storage. This will display the storage capacity and available space at the bottom of the window.

Checking storage using about this mac

With the help of About This Mac, you can easily check the storage on your Mac. In the Catalina and Big Sur versions, you can use this process to check and manage the storage.

Step 1: Click on the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen.

Step 2: Select “About This Mac” from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: A new window will appear with information about your Mac, including the storage capacity and available space.

Step 4: Click on the “Storage” tab to show how your storage is being used.

Checking storage using disk utility

Through Disk Utility, you can easily check the storage on Mac. In the Catalina and new versions, you can use this process to check and manage the storage.

Step 1: Click on the Spotlight icon (the magnifying glass) in the top right corner of the screen.

Step 2: Type “Disk Utility” into the search bar and press enter.

Step 3: Disk Utility will open, showing a list of all the drives connected to your Mac.

Step 4: Click on the drive you want to check the storage.

Step 5: The storage capacity and available space will be displayed in the bottom half of the window, along with other information about the drive.

Checking storage using system preferences

Step 1: Click on the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen.

Step 2: Select “System Preferences” from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Click on “Apple ID” in the System Preferences window.

Step 4: Click on the “iCloud” tab at the top of the window.

Step 5: Click “Manage” to the right of the “iCloud Storage” section. This will show you how your iCloud storage is being used, including backups and documents stored in iCloud Drive.

Tips to free up storage on a Mac

If you’re running low on disk space on your Mac, it’s time to clear up some storage. Cluttered disk space on Mac can lead to slow performance, freezing apps, and difficulty in installing new programs.

Here are some tips on how to free up and manage storage on your Mac:

Use a storage cleaner

There are many storage cleaner apps available for Mac that can help you identify Mac disk space and delete large and unnecessary files, duplicates, and cache data.

Clear out downloads and trash folders

Delete any files no longer needed in the Downloads and Trash folders. This will free up a significant amount of disk space on your Mac.

Delete old backups

Time Machines can take up a lot of storage space, especially if multiple backups are saved. You can delete old backups that are no longer needed to free up space.

Uninstall unused apps

Go through your applications and delete any programs that are not being used. Unused apps can take up a considerable amount of disk space on your Mac.

Clear cache data

Cached data from internet browsers, mail clients, and other applications can take up a lot of disk space on your Mac. Clearing the cache can help free up some space.

Use external storage

If you have large files you don’t use frequently, consider moving them to an external storage device like a hard drive or flash drive to free up space on your Mac.

Optimize Storage

Using iCloud you can optimize storage automatically and manage the space. You can gain access to more storage when required by transferring files to iCloud. ^[1]Apple, “Optimize storage space, … Continue reading

By following these tips, you can free up disk space on your Mac and keep your system running smoothly. Remember to regularly monitor your Mac’s storage usage and take steps to optimize it to avoid running into storage issues in the future.

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FAQs

In conclusion, knowing how to check hard drive space on Mac is important for managing your storage and avoiding potential performance issues.

We hope this Dbd guide on how to check storage on Mac has been helpful.