Storage Basics

How to Check What's Using Storage on Mac

June 7, 2026·2 min read

Using System Settings Storage View

The quickest way to see your disk space mac breakdown is through System Settings. Go to **Apple Menu > System Settings > General > Storage**. You'll see a color-coded bar showing categories like Applications, Documents, System Data, macOS, and Other.

Click the info button (i) next to each category to see specific files and recommendations. This built-in tool gives you a clear starting point without installing anything.

Finding Large Files with Finder

For a more detailed look at what's consuming your disk space mac, use Finder's search. Open a new Finder window, press **Cmd+F**, and set the search filter to **File Size > is greater than > 1 GB**. Make sure you're searching "This Mac" and not just the current folder.

Sort results by size to see the biggest files first. Common large files include videos, disk images, virtual machine files, and old backups.

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Using About This Mac

On older macOS versions, click **Apple Menu > About This Mac > Storage**. On newer versions, this redirects to System Settings. Either way, you get a visual breakdown of your storage breakdown mac that helps you understand the big picture before diving into specifics.

Checking Library Folders

The Library folder often holds surprise storage consumers. Open Finder, press **Cmd+Shift+G**, and type `~/Library`. Check the sizes of Application Support, Caches, and Mail folders. Right-click a folder and select **Get Info** to see its total size.

Developer tools like Xcode store build caches and simulators in Library that can easily reach 20-30 GB. Mail attachments can also grow to several gigabytes over years of use.

Understanding the "Other" Category

The "Other" or "System Data" category confuses many users. It includes caches, logs, plugins, fonts, app data, and files macOS can't categorize. This category often grows the fastest and benefits the most from periodic cleanup. Checking what's inside it is key to understanding your mac storage usage.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 'Other' storage on Mac?

Other storage includes caches, logs, plugins, fonts, and miscellaneous app data that macOS doesn't categorize as documents, apps, or media.

Why does my storage not add up on Mac?

APFS snapshots, Time Machine local backups, and hidden system files can make the numbers seem off. These are usually temporary and clear on their own.

How can I see folder sizes in Finder?

Right-click any folder and select Get Info to see its total size. You can also enable Calculate All Sizes in Finder's View Options.