Apple laptops do not offer local storage to the customers, and if you want more local space, you have to shell out more bucks: simple. This strategy is adopted to promote accessories like external hard disk for MacBook Pro and Air. But now users can use Optimized Storage in macOS Sierra to create more local storage space.
Optimized Storage needs iCloud, which is Apple’s online storage facility. Apple offers 5GB space free to all users, who create Apple ID.
You can access Optimized Storage by following two methods. First one is trouble-free; you are not supposed to take any action until your storage gets full. Once the storage is packed, you will see a notification prompting if you wish to optimize your storage. Click Yes and you will land on Optimized Storage tool window.
The other method allows you to access Optimized Storage manually.
How to Use Optimized Storage in macOS Sierra
Step #1: On your Mac, click on Apple menu.
Step #2: Next, click About This Mac.
Step #3: A window will appear; you need to click Storage tab and then click Manage tab.
You can see a bar graph with some coloured slabs. Earlier in OS X El Capitan, this bar graph was color-coded key that shows how your storage is allocated. In the latest operating system, i.e. Sierra, that color-coded key is gone; however, when you hover the cursor over those colourful slabs, you will get to see what each slab represents.
You can use Optimized Storage in four different ways separately or all together: Store in iCloud, Optimize Storage, Empty Trash Automatically, and Reduce Clutter.
Store in iCloud
When you turn on your iCloud Photo Library and Desktop and Documents Syncing, your data goes nowhere but in Store in iCloud. The Desktop and Documents Syncing feature is introduced in macOS Sierra; it was not available in earlier versions of Mac operating system. So when you turn Store in iCloud on, you can choose both or either iCloud syncing features. Note that Store in iCloud will surely influence your iCloud storage limit if you do not turn on iCloud Photo Library or Desktop and Documents Syncing. If it affects the storage limit, you will get a notification with a recommendation for which level it will work for your needs. A common user requires 50GB plan per month; for this, s/he has to pay $0.99 every month.
Step #1: First off, click Store in iCloud.
Step #2: Check the box “Store files from Desktop and Documents in iCloud Drive”; this will store all files on desktop and in your Mac’s Documents folder in iCloud.
Step #3: Check the box “Store photos and videos in iCloud Photo Library”; this will store all your original photos and videos in iCloud.
Step #4: Finally, click Store in iCloud to enable these iCloud features.
How to Use Optimize Storage in macOS Sierra
You may have watched movies and TV shows on iTunes and these media go to iCloud storage. When you use Optimize Storage, the feature relates to storing media in the cloud that is not essentially already in iCloud storage. Once you choose Optimize Storage, it deletes these files from your computer. In case you want to watch those media files again, you need to redownload from iTunes.
Optimize Storage also offers an option to store your email attachments. You can set up the option to store email attachments on your Mac; alternatively, you can store those email attachments in the cloud and download them when you need them.
Step #1: Click on Optimize Storage in the Optimize Storage section.
Step #2: Click Optimize again to validate that you want to enable the feature to delete iTunes contents (which you have already watched) automatically.
Your iCloud storage has an edge over this feature.
How to Use Empty Trash Automatically
A common user may clearly forget to empty the trash can frequently. The trash can in your computer behaves like a real dust bin that begins to add up. Not in the case with your Mac’s recycle bin, which doesn’t get full, and therefore, you never know you have been piling up digital garbage for months. This feature, i.e. Empty Trash Automatically will enable a tool that will remove items in the Trash for more than 30 days.
Step #1: Click the Turn On button in Empty Trash Automatically section of Optimized Storage window.
Step #2: Click Turn On again to validate that you wish to enable this feature to automatically delete files, which have been in Trash for more than 30 days.
How to Use Reduce Clutter
In this feature, user is supposed to clean files manually on their Mac.
On the left side of Optimized Storage window, there is a list of categories that indicates folder that normally store files that are older and that can be deleted from Mac.
You can click on Review Files in Reduce Clutter section of the Optimized Storage window. Alternatively, choose a Folder from the list on the right side of the window.
Next, you can check the files individually and make your mind up if you want to keep or delete them from your Mac.
In the Applications folder, for example, you can see apps on your Mac by type. Older versions of Apps can occupy larger space that may run into GB. You can remove the files from the Optimized Storage window itself.
It is done! This is how you can use Optimized Storage in macOS Sierra.
Mac users face another big problem in the name of Startup programs, which can affect the speed of your Mac. You can remove or disable Startup programs on Mac.
Like Mac, you can also create some space by clearing Documents and Data on iPhone or iPad. However, here you will find multiple ways and options. Many iPhone and iPad users own a device that offers only 16GB memory space. They sometimes face the issue of space crunch. Well, they can remove Other Data from iPhone and iPad.
Like this information? Share your feedback with us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.