How to Clean Up Others on Your Mac: A Comprehensive Guide

On your Mac, the 'Other' category includes all files that do not fit into the clear-cut categories like photos, applications, or documents. These files are a mixed bag, including cache from browsers and other applications, macOS Time Machine snapshots, iPhone/iPad backups, and various archives and disk images. To clean up the 'Others' folder on your Mac, follow these detailed steps and methods.

Using Mac Cleaner Tools

The easiest and most efficient way to clean up the 'Others' storage space on your Mac is by using dedicated cleaning tools like Macube. These tools automate the process, ensuring a thorough clean without manual intervention.

To get started with Macube:

Download and install Macube from the App Store. Run the application and select the option to clean up 'Others' space. Follow the prompts to remove unnecessary files.

Removing Outdated iPhone/iPad Backups in iTunes

To free up space, you can remove outdated iPhone and iPad backups stored in iTunes:

Open iTunes on your Mac. Select the 'Devices' tab on the top menu. Find and select the device for which you have multiple backups. Next to the backup, click on the "Change Backup Location" button. Select a new location for the current backup and then delete the old backups.

Clearing Time Machine Snapshots with Terminal

Time Machine snapshots can take up a significant amount of storage space. If you want to clear these snapshots:

Open the Terminal application (found in the Utilities folder). Navigate to the root of your Time Machine backup:

cd 

List the snapshots:

ls

Delete a specific snapshot:

rm -rf "Snapshot_Name"

To safely clear all snapshots, use the following command:

rm -rf *.sparsebundle

Removing Large Files and Disk Images in Finder

Finder is a powerful tool for managing files and performing manual cleaning:

Open Finder. Go to the 'Others' folder located in your Home directory (~/Others). Select the files and folders you want to delete. Drag them to theTrash or right-click and select 'Move to Trash'. Empty the Trash by selecting 'Empty Trash' in the Finder menu. For resetting attributes and removing unnecessary disk images, use the Finder search:

Use the search bar to locate and remove old archives and disk images like this:

finder -type f -name "*.dmg" -delete

Additional Tips for Reducing Storage

Here are some additional ways to reduce storage space in the 'Others' folder:

Remove Duplicate and Redundant Documents: Check for and delete duplicate documents to free up space. Clean Temporary Files: Regularly delete cache, log files, and unnecessary temporary files from your 'Others' folder. Delete Unused Applications and Plugins: Uninstall applications and plugins that you no longer use. Remove Unused Disk Images and Archives: Locate and remove old or no longer needed disk images and archives.

For more detailed guidance, check out our Ultimate Guide to Deleting Other Storage on Mac.

By following these steps and using the right tools, you can keep your Mac's storage space managed and optimized for better performance.