Unpacking Mac

Unpacking Mac- What is the “Other” in Storage and How to Clear it?

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Every Mac user is aware of the drill of slow-performing computers after years of usage. And, the urge of deleting those unneeded files is beyond controllable after a period of time, which makes it essential to begin looking for ways for optimizing your storage to reap the benefits of a fast-performing Mac. 

One place that accumulates the maximum storage space is the mysterious category named “Other”. Now that tech giants emphasize looking for the Other category- a common question is what type of files it contains and where to find them on Mac. 

Whether these files are duplicates, broken Mac downloads, or outdated caches- getting rid of these unwanted files should be your topmost priority. Therefore, it is worth looking out for software for automatically deleting the files, decluttering your system, and experiencing a good-performing Mac, or getting into some DIYs for manually deleting these.

What are the Ways of Checking the Disk Space Usage on Mac?

There are several ways in which you can check your disc storage. One of these are:

  • Click on the desktop, or the Finder icon, which is present in the dock.
  • On screen’s left-hand screen, you’ll see the Apple menu. Click on it. 
  • Now click on the About this Mac option
  • Select the Storage tab now

Clicking on this option, you’ll be able to see your device’s storage. You’ll be able to see the user device’s storage and the available storage. Know that it has different colour categories, and the Other type shows the miscellaneous storage. 

What is the “Other” category in Mac Storage?

The “Other” category turns out to belong to miscellaneous content as these files don’t fall under a particular nature. Yes, these don’t associate with images, video, or audio. 

In “Other”, you can expect things like PDF, .doc files, disk images, cache files, .zip files, and other app extensions. Thereby, it is vital to have an eclectic file collection type. And, that is what makes the “Other” category a hard to manage one. 

Make sure to be careful as to what you’re deleting. And, the reason is something you’ll come across in the later sections. 

Is it Possible to Delete the “Other” Files?

Yes, it is certainly possible to delete the “Other Files”. However, tech giants don’t recommend deleting all of these for maximizing storage space all at once. It is because the “Other” category may contain files that the Mac user has wholly forgotten. And, this doesn’t necessarily mean that these are useless. 

However, the sad part is that these files usually sit alongside the ones you no longer need. Thereby, turning a keen eye to these during their deletion holds importance. 

How to Clear the “Other” Storage on Mac?

The storage clearing is something that Mac software tremendously helps with. Thus, it is always better to click on the Other category and sort these through the accumulated results based on individual files. 

In that particular window, you can quickly sort the file size by removing the troublesome bigger ones. And, that’s why it is essential to sort the files as per their size to remove the problematic bigger files, especially when they purge from your device. Thereby, it is wise to start looking for files unwanted in nature. You’ll be amazed at the eye-opening results. 

The Verdict- What is the Amount of Space Left after Clearing “Other Storage”?

Well, the answer to this question depends on what’s sticking in there and your habits as a Mac user. 

It is worth remembering that the Other category has a lot that stays in there- these may be the files essential for running a Mac safely and shouldn’t be deleted. 

Therefore, if you wish to have a clutter-free and tidy Mac, it is wise to use specific tools for optimizing your storage space in the best manner. 

Also Read: 30 Most Surprising Facts about Apple that you should know today

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