How to Manage Space on Mac Yosemite: Understanding the 'Other' Files Category

When you open the Storage tab on your Mac, you'll see a bar chart showing the types of files that are taking up storage space on your device. You may notice that the 'Other' category often takes up a significant chunk of storage. But what exactly is included in this category and how can you manage these files to free up more space on your Mac?

To find out how much space Other files are taking up, click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen and select Storage. From here, you'll get a breakdown of the different types of files that make up the 'Other' category.

The Other category on Mac covers a range of file types, including common document formats such as PDFs, DOC files, and PSD files; archives and disk images like ZIP, ISO, and DMG files; files from your library like Application Support, iCloud files, and screensavers; and cached files like user cache, browser cache, and system cache.

But what about files that aren't recognized by a Spotlight search? These could include virtual machine hard drives or other types of files that don't fit into the above categories. Because the Other category can contain so many different kinds of files, it's easy to see why it might be a source of clutter on your Mac.

Junk files are also included in the Other category. While these files may have once served a purpose, they're now unnecessary and taking up valuable storage space on your device. Bloatware is another type of file that can show up in the Other category. This refers to programs that aren't useful but take up a lot of space and hinder performance.

Not all files in the Other category are benign, however. Some files may be important or necessary for your Mac to function properly. To manage these files effectively, you'll need to dig deeper into what's taking up storage space on your device.

To get started, try using some useful Mac cleaning software to help identify and remove unnecessary files from the Other category. This can include junk files, cached files, and other types of clutter that are taking up valuable storage space on your Mac.

By understanding what's included in the 'Other' category and how to manage these files effectively, you can free up more space on your Mac and keep your device running smoothly.

How to manage space on mac yosemite