开云体育

ctrl + shift + ? for shortcuts
© 2025 Groups.io
  1. Macsupportcentral
  2. Topics

System Data

 

I am using a Mac Book Air with M2Max Chip 32GB memory running updated OS Sequoia 13.2

On a recent inquiry for space, I found these numbers.

My query is what is system data and who it is so much.
Is it essential to have, and how can it be decreased to reclaim some HD space?

Thanks

T Rana MD

Screenshot 2024-12-15 at 6.09.46?PM.png

 

开云体育



On Dec 15, 2024, at 8:15?AM, Tauqir Ahmed Rana via groups.io <tauqir.rana@...> wrote:

what is system data and who it is so much.
Is it essential to have, and how can it be decreased to reclaim some HD space?

If you do a web search on macOS System Data, you’ll find easily more than a dozen articles that discuss this topic, and how Apple has used a succession of sometimes similar, sometimes disparate terms to describe what is currently listed as “System Data” (and ways to reduce it if it’s taking up “too much” space).

The problem is that System Data includes lots of tiny files buried in “Library” Folders, as well as Time Machine Snapshots, iOS and iPadOS backups to your Mac, and others.

Many of these articles discuss “System Data” as excessive when it exceeds 40-50 GB, but almost 90% of ALL the space on a 1 TB internal SSD drive is just enormous.

Unless you have AppleCare, your Mac is likely out of warranty, but if you describe your problem to Apple on its support page, you might get lucky and be able to talk live to a support engineer.

Here’s one of the articles I found on the topic:


Some of these articles suggest employing third party “cleanup” Apps, some of them not frequently discussed on listservs such as this, and I’d be VERY careful about resorting ?to one of those without a very clear understanding of what you’re doing.

Potential candidates for what’s bloating your “System Storage” might include doing Time Machine Backups directly onto your boot volume (not just the snapshots), huge attachments to messages, emails, links to previously watched movies. But there is something seriously wrong with what’s being stored on your Mac.

--?
Jim Robertson

 

开云体育

You’ve been bitten by the Time Machine snapshots bug. Happened to me as soon as I upgraded to Sequoia. Instantly my 1 TB hard drive filled up..

Here’s the solution that worked for me.?



On Dec 15, 2024, at 10:15?AM, Tauqir Ahmed Rana via groups.io <tauqir.rana@...> wrote:

I am using a Mac Book Air with M2Max Chip 32GB memory running updated OS Sequoia 13.2

On a recent inquiry for space, I found these numbers.

My query is what is system data and who it is so much.
Is it essential to have, and how can it be decreased to reclaim some HD space?

Thanks

T Rana MD





<Screenshot 2024-12-15 at 6.09.46?PM.png>
 

开云体育

Tauqir Ahmed Rana wrote:
I am using a Mac Book Air with M2Max Chip 32GB memory running updated OS Sequoia 13.2

Am I correct that this is actually a Macbook Pro, not a Macbook Air?

The Air models have not had a Max version available, and they have maxed out at 24 GB of memory.


You could run a utility like Onyx to clean up the drive.

Is Time Machine set up to make backups? It may be putting temporary copies on the internal drive.

You could try CleanMyMac (free 1-week trial):
<>

--?
Jim Saklad
jimdoc@...
Jim logo small.jpg

 

On Dec 15, 2024, at 7:15 AM, Tauqir Ahmed Rana via groups.io <tauqir.rana@...> wrote:

My query is what is system data and who it is so much.
Is it essential to have, and how can it be decreased to reclaim some HD space?
Much of that space is taken up by caches. Your Mac creates cache files to speed up the performance of your Mac. They aren’t permanent files, and your Mac only creates them when it sees that you have sufficient space to do so. In other words, your Mac is just making smart use of free drive space.

See:
Why Is My Mac System Storage So Big?


If you are concerned about all this, there are things that you can do to bring down the System Data.

See:
Follow These Steps to Clear Space on Your Mac


How to delete system data on a Mac


My first step would be to download and run:

Maintenance (free)


...using the default settings.

Please let us know how things go.


__________________________________________________

Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)

Essential But Hard To Find Macintosh Software and Advice

__________________________________________________
 

My bad it is actually MBP. Thanks every body for their suggestions will try and give feedback back
Thanks all
Sent from iPhone XIV

On Dec 16, 2024, at 7:40?AM, Randy B. Singer via groups.io <randy@...> wrote:

?

On Dec 15, 2024, at 7:15 AM, Tauqir Ahmed Rana via groups.io <tauqir.rana@...> wrote:

My query is what is system data and who it is so much.
Is it essential to have, and how can it be decreased to reclaim some HD space?
Much of that space is taken up by caches. Your Mac creates cache files to speed up the performance of your Mac. They aren’t permanent files, and your Mac only creates them when it sees that you have sufficient space to do so. In other words, your Mac is just making smart use of free drive space.

See:
Why Is My Mac System Storage So Big?


If you are concerned about all this, there are things that you can do to bring down the System Data.

See:
Follow These Steps to Clear Space on Your Mac


How to delete system data on a Mac


My first step would be to download and run:

Maintenance (free)


...using the default settings.

Please let us know how things go.


__________________________________________________

Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)

Essential But Hard To Find Macintosh Software and Advice

__________________________________________________
 

开云体育


On Dec 15, 2024, at 07:54, jimrobertson via groups.io <jimrobertson@...> wrote:

Many of these articles discuss “System Data” as excessive when it exceeds 40-50 GB, but almost 90% of ALL the space on a 1 TB internal SSD drive is just enormous.

Unless you have AppleCare, your Mac is likely out of warranty, but if you describe your problem to Apple on its support page, you might get lucky and be able to talk live to a support engineer.

Here’s one of the articles I found on the topic:


Thank you Jim Robertson for including a link to this article.?

This is unrelated to the OP’s issue, but did me resolve one I had, an shows the similarities between the current macOSes and iOSes.?

I recently posted about getting a message that I needed more Storage (I got it correct this time) to install iOS 18 on my iPhone.?

While skimming the article, I looked in Settings> General> iPhone Storage and noticed Apple usd the same graphic format as the article showed used in more current macOSes. So I dug around and deleted a few unused Apps, then checked to see if iOS 18 was agreeable to being installed. It was.?

My issue was resolved. Thanks , Jim.?

And it showed me why there was so much vocal ?resistance to change with iOS 18. There are many changes in this version.?

Brent

On my iPhone Xr
 

On 16 Dec 2024, at 19:22, Brent via groups.io <whodo678@...> wrote:

Thank you Jim Robertson for including a link to this article.

This is unrelated to the OP’s issue, but did me resolve one I had, an shows the similarities between the current macOSes and iOSes.

I recently posted about getting a message that I needed more Storage (I got it correct this time) to install iOS 18 on my iPhone.

While skimming the article, I looked in Settings> General> iPhone Storage and noticed Apple usd the same graphic format as the article showed used in more current macOSes. So I dug around and deleted a few unused Apps, then checked to see if iOS 18 was agreeable to being installed. It was.

My issue was resolved. Thanks , Jim.

And it showed me why there was so much vocal resistance to change with iOS 18. There are many changes in this version.
Yes! I don’t recall any iOS version having so many changes compared with the previous version, as 18.

Otto

1 - 8 of 8