How to Clear “System Data” Storage on Mac

Whether you’ve been using your trusty Mac for years or just picked up a new one, you might encounter a common issue where System Data consumes a significant portion of your Mac’s storage, especially if you have a Mac with limited disk space.

This article is for you. Here, you’ll learn 6 reliable methods to free up this space without deleting critical system files.

As a computer repair technician for many years, I have found that there are many ways you can clear up some of this system clutter and regain space. But you must be careful and use the right tools and methods.

Let’s get into it.

What is “System Data” Storage on Mac?

If you peek at your Mac’s storage consumption, you might notice that “System Data” is consuming a ton of space. System data on a Mac includes many different file types, such as:

• System and browser caches
• Error logs and reports
• Application installer files
• Temporary files

Almost all of these files are not items that you will directly interact with, but they are typically necessary for your computer in some way. However, this system data is separate from your “macOS data” and can usually be trimmed down without adversely affecting your computer.

Why Does “System Data” Take Up So Much Disk Space?

The bulk of System Data consists of caches and temporary files created by macOS during operations. These files are intended to speed up processes but can grow unwieldy without periodic cleanup.

In my case, system data is taking up 21GB of space — that I would much rather have available to install more games or apps!

Is It Safe to Clear or Delete “System Data” on Mac?

While it’s tempting to delete large files to free up space quickly, this approach requires some
caution with system data. MacOS manages many of these files automatically so that your system remains stable and performs optimally.

Deleting essential system files can lead to malfunctions and data loss. Use safe methods and tools specifically for this purpose.

5 Manual Methods to Clear “System Data” on Mac

If you don’t feel like using an automated tool to get the job done for you, there are several manual methods you can use to clear up system data on your Mac and regain valuable storage space.

#1: Remove Time Machine Backups

Old Time Machine backups can often take up massive amounts of space on your drive. Time Machine is an essential backup tool for Macs, but over time, the backups can accumulate and take up considerable space.

You can delete old backups directly through Time Machine or using Finder. Follow these steps:

1. Open Time Machine and navigate to the backup you want to remove.
2. Click on the gear icon and select “delete backup.”
3. From here, you can confirm the action by entering your admin password.

You can also use Terminal. Type the following command to display all backups:

tmutil listbackups

Then type:

sudo tmutil delete [backup path]

Replace the [backup path] with whatever your Time Machine’s backup location is to remove the ones you choose.

#2: Delete Old iOS Backups

iOS backups stored on your Mac can also eat up significant storage. To delete these, open Itunes (if you’re on an older Mac) or Finder if you are using macOS Catalina or later.

Then, navigate to the device’s backups and delete them from there.

1. Connect your device to your Mac
2. Select your device name under Locations
3. Click Manage Backups…
4. Select the backups you don’t need and click Delete Backup

#3: Clear Application Logs and Support Files

Applications often leave behind logs and support files, which can accumulate over time.

You can manually delete these application logs via Finder:

1. Select Go from your menu bar at the top of the screen
2. Select the Go to Folder option
3. Navigate to ~/Library/Application Support

To view and delete Logs, select Go and navigate to ~/Library/Logs using Finder.

Make sure to only delete the files related to apps you no longer use to prevent potential issues with applications still in use. Don’t be alarmed if you happen to delete files for apps you are still planning to use, as these will simply be recreated the next time you launch that app.

#4: Remove Hidden System Files

Hidden system files, such as caches or old updates, can be located and removed through Finder.

1. Click Go from the menu bar at the top of your screen
2. Select the Go to Folder option
3. Enter paths like /Libary/Caches or ~/Library/Caches to find and delete the files

#5: Other Manual Cleaning Tips

There are a few other tricks you should keep up your sleeve to clean up your Mac.

Clear your browser cache. Web browsers store temporary files which can be deleted to free up space. You can do this within the browser settings under the history or privacy settings.

Another method is clearing the trash. Files aren’t fully deleted until the trash is emptied. Right-click the trash bin icon and select Empty Bin to clear out deleted files permanently.

Quick Method: Using CleanMyMac to Clear “System Data” on Mac

CleanMyMac, developed by MacPaw, is a comprehensive maintenance utility designed to help clean, optimize, and maintain your Mac’s health. It offers a suite of other powers, such as managing apps, removing malware, and monitoring system performance.

When you start a scan with CleanMyMac, it analyzes your system and suggests items to remove, ensuring that only non-critical system files are deleted. As a result, it is a safe option for cleaning up your system without risking the deletion of important system files.

CleanMyMac will scan your whole system, looking for anything that can be removed to clear up space — not just system data. The smart scan is the most straightforward option: you will even get a detailed report showing everything that was found, with the option to deselect specific files and types.

Once you’ve cleaned up system data and other junk, you can also be rest assured that your Mac is free from viruses, security threats, and unnecessary applications.

The best part is that each of these types of scans only takes a few minutes, so you will be able to reap the benefits immediately.

Final Tips

When cleaning up system data on your Mac, it’s important to remember a few key points so that your computer remains efficient and clutter-free.

Always ensure that the files you are removing are safe to delete. Additionally, you’ll want to perform regular maintenance and monitoring of your system to ensure that system data doesn’t hog your storage space and slow down your computer.

Using an automated tool like CleanMyMac takes much of the effort out of this and makes keeping your Mac running smoothly a breeze.