# What Is 'Other' On Mac Storage And How to Delete It

## How to Delete 'Other' unnecessary files on Mac?

Quick Answer:

- Use built\-in storage management
- Use [iBoysoft Cleaner](https://iboysoft.com/mac-cleaner.html) to delete any unwanted files
- Open Finder to clear temp files
- Access ~/Library/Caches to clean up caches
- Go to Downloads to delete files
- Go to browsers to clear plugins and extensions
- Turn to 3rd\-party Mac cleaners

![Clean up Other storage on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/summary-clean-up-other-storage-mac.jpeg)

When confronted with the pop\-up "[Your disk is almost full](https://iboysoft.com/wiki/mac-disk-is-full.html)" or stuck with a frozen or slow Mac, you are afraid to delete the Other files from the Mac's internal hard drive to free up space.

No more worries now\! This post explains**what the "Other" storage is on Mac**in detail so that you can know what[large files on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/howto/how-to-find-large-files-on-mac.html)are taking up space and where you can find and delete those unnecessary files to speed up your Mac.

Tips:The Other storage is different from[Other Users and Shared storage](https://iboysoft.com/howto/other-users-and-shared-mac-storage.html).

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## What Is 'Other' on Mac Storage?

"Other" storage on Mac includes files that macOS can't classify into categories such as Documents, Photos, Apps, Movies, or Audio. It can quickly grow due to cached files, temporary files, and other miscellaneous data.

Starting with macOS Monterey, Apple renamed "Other" storage to**System Data**. If System Data is taking up too much space, see this guide on how to reduce System Data on Mac.

Although deleting unnecessary "Other" files can help \[optimize your Mac\]\(/tips/optimizing\-your\-mac.html\), not everything in this category is junk. Some files are essential for macOS or your apps to work properly.

Therefore, before deleting files, it's important to understand what types of data are classified as "Other" storage and which ones are safe to remove.

**Other storage on Mac includes the following types of files:**

- Unsupported documents and file types like PDF, PSD, DOC, etc.
- System files and temporary files on Mac.
- Cache files like user cache, browser cache, and system cache.
- Archives and disk images like ZIP, ISO, and DMG files.
- App plugins, extensions, accessories, fonts, and installer packages.
- Out\-of\-date backups and any other files that don't fit into the main macOS storage category.

## How to Delete Other Storage on Mac?

When your Mac is running out of valuable storage space, terrible performance problems just annoy you so much. To manage the Mac storage efficiently, you can[use an external hard drive as the main on your Mac](https://iboysoft.com/howto/how-to-use-external-hard-drive-on-mac-as-main.html)or remove unnecessary files as much as possible. Now go ahead and get rid of the Other storage from Mac carefully.

To**clear the Other storage on Mac**, follow these methods step by step.

### 1. Manage Mac storage with built\-in feature \(for macOS Sierra 10.12 and later\)

1. Click on the Apple logo and choose About this Mac.
2. Click **Storage** and wait for the storage calculation.
3. Click on the **Manage** button and then free up the space with the on\-screen instructions. ![manage storage on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/manage-storage-mac.jpeg)

There will be recommendations from Storage Management to optimize the Mac storage, which should be different from Mac to Mac. Here, it is advised to save files to iCloud to free up local space, remove watched movies and TVs, enable 30\-day automatic Trash empty, and reduce clutter.

Also, you can clear old apps, installers, and large but unwanted documents by the options below the Recommendations option.

However, Storage Management makes little difference when "Other" bloated the storage over 100GB. This happens frequently if you newly update a macOS. In this case, you need to free up space by manually deleting files in "Other".

### 2. Delete any unwanted files from Mac storage

This is a time\-consuming process because you need to inspect almost all folders on the Mac Finder and delete whatever you can. Luckily, you can use a dedicated Mac cleanup tool \-[iBoysoft Cleaner](https://iboysoft.com/mac-cleaner.html)to help you.

**iBoysoft Cleaner**, developed by a professional Mac software team with 9 years of experience, uses AI\-powered scanning to analyze your Mac SSD or HDD and identify cleanable system data. It safely lists files for you to review and remove, including system junk, browser and app caches, system logs, temp files, Trash, chat data, etc.

Removable system junk is automatically selected, while personal files such as Downloads are left for you to decide whether to keep or delete. Beyond system data cleanup, iBoysoft Cleaner also helps uninstall apps, remove large files, clear duplicate or similar photos, and manage login items.

Here's how to use iBoysoft Cleaner to safely clear unnecessary system data:

Step 1. Download, install, and open iBoysoft Cleaner version 2.0.

Step 2. Click "System Junk" \> tap "Smart Scan" to scan your Mac startup disk.

![System Junk](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/maccleaner-pro-alternative/cleaner-system-junk.jpg)

Step 3. Once the scan is complete, iBoysoft Cleaner displays the cleanable system data. In this case, it found 1.3 GB of system data and automatically selected it for removal. These files have been analyzed by iBoysoft Cleaner and are safe to delete without affecting macOS.

![System Junk scanning result](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/maccleaner-pro-alternative/cleaner-scan-system-junk.jpg)

Personal files, such as those in Downloads, aren't selected automatically. You can review them and decide what to keep or remove.

Step 4. Click the blue "Remove" button in the lower right corner of the UI to 1\-click clear the unnecessary system data.

![Click Remove button to delete junk](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/maccleaner-pro-alternative/cleaner-click-remove.jpg)

### 3. Clear system temporary files located in Other storage

Temporary files are created every second when your computer is running. Those files are piled up when apps are launched and performing, while they are prone to be outdated and replaced by new temporary files. As a result, they will stay on the Other storage of your hard drive, wasting space until you delete it manually like this:

1. Open the Finder app and click on **Go** at the top left.
2. Click **Go to Folder** \( or press **Command \+ Shift \+ G** \) and then type in *~/Users/User/Library/Application Support/* . ![Go To Folder on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/go-to-folder-mac.jpeg)
3. Click on the **Go** button to go to that folder. ![User Application Support folder on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/user-application-support-folder.jpeg)
4. Browse and right\-click on the things that you don't want.
5. Choose **Move to Trash** to delete the temporary files from Other storage.
6. Open Trash and right\-click on the files above to choose **Delete Immediately** .

### 4. Clear cache files and logs from Other storage on the Mac

There are a few folders here that you might be able to safely delete some items from, for example, Cache files and cookies. Carefully, you can[delete cookies on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/howto/clear-cookies-on-mac.html). Also, you can tidy up cache files, including user cache, browser cache, and system cache on Mac by the following steps:

1. Open Finder and click on **Go** in the menu bar.
2. Choose **Go to Folder** and type in: *~/Library/Caches* to go. ![Clear cache files on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/clear-mac-cache-file.jpeg)
3. Find the Caches folder from the list and drag it to the desktop to make a backup.
4. Open the Caches folder and check if all files can be deleted or just part of them.
5. Choose cache files and drag them to the Trash.
6. Open Trash and right\-click on the files above to choose **Delete Immediately** .

Note:To delete logs and other cache files on your Mac, repeat the steps above and replace "~/Library/" with "/Library/Caches" and "~/Library/Logs" when typing in.

### 5. Delete unwanted Downloads from Other storage

Sometimes, you download and install a new app by dragging it to the Applications folder. But you forget to remove the installation file or package, which will remain on the disk and take up space. Here is how to delete it.

1. Open Finder and click **Go** in the upper left.
2. Choose the **Downloads** option from the menu. ![find Downloads folder on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/find-downloads-folder-finder.jpeg)
3. All kinds of file types, like .dmg, .pkg, .doc, .pdf, .csv, etc., are listed here.
4. Pick files that must be cleared up and right\-click to move to Trash.
5. Open Trash and right\-click those files to delete them immediately.

### 6. Remove outdated backup files from Other storage

If you have ever backed up your iOS devices like iPhone or iPad on Mac, you can check if you still need those backups. If not, follow these steps to[delete iOS files on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/howto/delete-ios-files-mac.html)to free up gigabytes of Mac storage.

1. Open Finder \> **Go** \> **Go to Folder** .
2. Type in *~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup* in the box and click **Go** .
3. Pick files and then move them to Trash.
4. Open **Trash** and then delete files immediately from the Mac.

### 7. Delete disk images and archives in Mac storage

Usually, disk images and archives are files that are downloaded or received by the user. Those files are often in the form of ZIP and DMG, which might have been useless or unarchived. You can get rid of them by:

1. Open the Finder application.
2. In the search box at the top right, type in the .dmg file extension and .zip file extension once a time to search for files.
3. Select **Search: This Mac** is in the middle of the window.
4. Click the **Grouping** option at the top of the window and choose **Size** .
5. Drag the target file to **Trash** and then delete it immediately.

### 8. Clear unnecessary plugins and extensions from the Other storage

You may use a lot of add\-ons to make apps on your Mac better, especially for browsers like Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. But those web browser extensions are separate from the software itself but categorized into the Other storage.

After confirming that you don't want those plugins or extensions anymore, go to the browser on your Mac and delete Internet plugins manually. Here takes Google Chrome as an example:

1. Open Chrome.
2. Click the three\-dot icon at the upper right to customize and control it.
3. Click on **More Tools** and then choose **Extensions** . ![open extensions on Google Chrome](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/open-extensions-on-chrome.jpeg)
4. From the panel where add\-ons are showing up, click on the **Remove** button to get rid of it. ![remove extensions on Google Chrome](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/google-chrome-extensions.jpeg)

## Other Ways to Optimize and Manage Mac Storage

Except for getting rid of the files saved on the Other storage, there are some other ways to free up Mac space.

When the internal hard drive is almost full, you can save files, photos, and messages to an iCloud drive to relieve the local disk, and it will download when you open it. This will optimize storage and speed up your Mac by only keeping recent files.

Time Machine is also a way to release free space. You can back up your Mac files to an external hard drive and then clear up files on the Mac hard drive, which makes more room locally.

Also, It's better if you get a regular habit of emptying Mac Trash, deleting duplicated files with[duplicate file finder for Mac](https://iboysoft.com/tips/duplicate-file-finder-mac.html), and uninstalling applications that you don't use.

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## Clean and Speed up Mac with Third\-party Software

We have made it clear that manually clearing up space is risky. You can't decide which one should be deleted and which not. Why not let someone skilled at this task? Yes, here we mean[third\-party Mac cleaners](https://www.macupdate.com/best-picks/best-mac-cleaner), though you need to pay for that.

Three apps have a good reputation in managing and clearing up Mac space.

### **CleanMyMac X**

Is CleanMyMac X worth it? The software is worth $33.99 and was developed by MacPaw, having been in this field for over 10 years. So, they know how to manage and free up Mac storage better. It's a lot like Apple's Optimized Storage, cleaning outdated caches, broken downloads, logs, junk files, and useless localizations and removing clutters in iTunes, Mail, Photos, and even hidden files.

![CleanMyMac X](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/cleanmymac-x.jpeg)

### **Daisy Disk**

If the budget is what you care about when choosing a Mac space manager, then Daisy Disk is surely recommended as it costs only $9.99. It overviews all connected disks to your Mac, be it Macintosh HD, Thunderbolt disk, flash, or network storage, so that you can decide to delete when space is not enough.

### **CCleaner**

This app costs $19.95. It helps to clean up your Mac storage automatically and puts more emphasis on your privacy and simplicity. This all\-in\-one solution will help you remove tons of useless files, such as caches, unneeded extensions, deleted apps' support files, duplicate files, and junk system files.

![CCleaner for Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/ccleaner-for-mac.jpeg)

Be sure to make a backup of what is going to be deleted in case Mac data recovery is needed. After deleting both the Other storage and piles of files from the Mac hard drive, you'll get plenty of free space for your computer.

## How to Check Disk Space on Your Mac?

Now that you know what files are taking up the Other storage on your Mac, the first step to clear Other storage and[free up space on Macintosh HD](https://iboysoft.com/howto/how-to-free-up-space-on-macintosh-hd.html)is to find out**how much space is used on your Mac's internal hard drive**. Here's what to do:

1. Click the Apple logo at the top left corner of your Mac computer.
2. Choose **About this Mac** from the dropdown menu. ![About This Mac](https://cms-iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/about-this-mac.jpeg)
3. Select the **Storage** tab from the pop\-up window.
4. Wait for a second, and then the system will return the results of the whole storage space, used space, and free space. ![check storage on Mac](https://cms-iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/check-storage-mac.jpeg)

Now, you can find how much storage space is still available on this Mac. If you move your mouse cursor to the greyed column in the whole storage bar, you'll see how much space the Other storage category takes up.![Other storage on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/other-storage-on-mac.jpeg)

## How to Access Other Storage on Mac?

To access the files in the Other storage on Mac, you should look at your Library folder. Most files in Other Storage are located in the macOS hidden Library folder. Apple hides those service files to prevent the accidental deletion of important files that could cause applications or operating system crashes.

Here's how to open your Library folder so you can find out**what files are stored in "Other"**:

1. Open Finder and select **Go** from the menu bar.
2. Hold down the **Option** key on your keyboard and click **Library** when it appears in the dropdown menu. ![hidden Library folder on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/hidden-library-folder-on-mac.jpeg) Another way to go to this Library folder is to select **Go to Folder** from the same dropdown menu and then enter “~/Library.” ![open Library folder in Finder](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/open-library-folder-in-finder.jpeg)
3. You'll now see all the system files and application support files in the Library folder. As aforementioned, system support files, caches, and other service files are included in the Other category. ![files in hidden Library folder on Mac](https://cms-iboysoft.com/images/en-howto/clean-up-other-storage-optimize-mac-space/files-in-hidden-library-folder.jpeg)

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## Is It Safe to Delete 'Other' Storage on Mac?

You can remove certain files from the "Other" storage on Mac to free up space. But**it's not 100% safe to clear those files**because not all the files under the Other label are always junk files or unnecessary files.

Most of the time, files put in the Other storage can be distinguished by their name and types, which helps decide if it's removable. For example,[DMG](https://iboysoft.com/wiki/dmg-file.html)files of software installers that are left in the Downloads folder after installation can be cleared for sure.

Website caches and cookies from Google Chrome, Safari, or Firefox sometimes could be reloaded the next time you visit that page, which won't be a pain. However, you could lose browser history when[clearing caches on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/howto/clear-cache-on-mac.html)and have trouble running a certain app if deleting its extensions.

Therefore, when clearing Other storage on Mac, resist touching any files if you don't understand what they are used for, as it could be disastrous. We also recommend you[back up files on Mac with Time Machine](https://iboysoft.com/howto/backup-restore-time-machine.html)or other tools before beginning.

Note:If important files are mistakenly cleared during this process, we recommend a[deleted file recovery from the Mac](https://iboysoft.com/mac-data-recovery/recover-deleted-files-mac.html)using iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac.

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## FAQs

AApplications running on the Mac will create logs and support files in the system library folder and user library folder. These files may also take up a lot of your Mac's Other storage space.

ATo clear Other storage on Mac, there are many methods. You can delete the temporary files, system log files, cache files, and outdated backup files on Mac Other storage. Also, you can use professional third\-party software like iBoysoft DiskGeeker to delete any unwanted files. Removing unnecessary plugins and extensions on Mac is also helpful for clearing the Other storage.