Space Dodge Mac OS

Is your mac running out of space running mac os Big sur? How to Free Up Space on macOS Big Sur ? At the Special Event keynote of the Worldwide Developer Conference 2020, the Apple CTO presented the new name of macOS which succeeds the very controversial Catalina edition: it is Big Sur, a title predicted a few hours earlier and referring to the sunny beaches of this Californian coastline located not far from the Apple Park. This year, the most remarkable is probably on the design side, with significant improvements that quickly overshadow the departure of Jony Ive .

How to free up disk space on Mac OS automatically? We recommend you to use CleanMyMac X. This program allows you to keep your hard drive in a good state with the help of various applications such as junk files cleaner, shredder, system performance optimizer and etc. Download CleanMyMac X right now and clean your Mac hard drive easily and fast! From that point on, the Mac will no longer boot. Macintosh was able to confirm that this bug affects macOS Big Sur 11.2 installer and even macOS Big Sur 11.3 beta installer. Explore the world of Mac. Check out MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini, and more. Visit the Apple site to learn, buy, and get support. Find out how much storage is available on your Mac Choose Apple menu  About This Mac, then click Storage. Each segment of the bar is an estimate of the storage space used by a category of files. Move your pointer over each segment for more detail.

1. Remove App Junk

App junk are those programs that tend to remain hidden on your macOS even after dropping them on Trash. However, it is worth understanding that deleting unwanted app manually increases your chances of completely removing some critical programs. Therefore, carefully check the filename before deleting it to ensure that it’s for the intended app.

If you want to ensure that you delete all the program junk from your macOS Big Sur, follow the following steps:

Step 1. Take note of the apps you’ve sent to Trash and jot them down. Afterward, find the app junk and the files they are related to.

Step 2. Visit the app location to find the associated programs. Open Finder, Select “Go” and choose “Go to Folder”.
Type “/Library/Application Support” and click “Go”.Go to the folder in macOS Big Sur

If you want to locate a particular program for a specific app, follow the following commands:

  • Library apps – /Library/Application Support/
  • File Support Cache – /Library/Caches/
  • Launch Agents – /Library/Launch Agents/
  • Preference Files – /Library/Preferences/
  • Application Support Files – /Library/ Application/
  • Binary and Dock Items – /Application/
  • Start-Up Items – /Library/Startup Items/
  • Saved App States – ~/Library/Saved Application State/

2. Clean Your Download Folder

Are you still puzzled on how to get rid of all those PDF files you obtained from the internet or the images you opened after reception from friends or relative? All these files end up in the Downloads folder on your macOS. Without wiping them off, they end up taking up a considerable chunk of your hard drive space. To get rid of file junk from your downloads,

follow the following steps: Clean Download Folder

  1. Visit the Downloads folder near the Trash Can icon to reveal downloaded items.
  2. Click the “Open In Finder” button to find the “Downloads” folder, which contains all your downloads.
  3. Once here, you can either press Command + A to select all files or choose each file one at a time.
  4. Once you’re done highlighting the intended files for deletion, drag and drop them in the Trash Can.

3. Use Storage Optimization Tool on macOS Big Sur

The new macOS Big Sur has a new storage optimization tool that ensures the device has an optimized storage usage at all times by avoiding space wastage. Also referred to as the “Storage Tool”, this feature offers additional space in your hard drive for you to store other programs and files.

To activate the storage optimization tool in your macOS Big Sur, follow the following procedure: Visit the “Apple Menu” located on the top-left of your screen.
Click on About This Mac > Storage > ManageUse New Storage Optimization Tool on macOS Big Sur

You’ll see a pop-up message with several options. Click on the “Optimize Storage” button. Once activated, the optimizer will automatically arrange your files, removing any program junk to free up space. The reason why the storage optimization feature excels in the macOS Big Sur is that the device has an enhanced space for additional storage.

4. Clean Cache on your Mac

In simple terms, a cache is a type of temporary files that enable the macOS Big Sur to operate efficiently. There are various types of cache files. They include Browser cache, System cache; and User cache. Although these caches are helpful, they are temporary and can usurp a large space on your macOS disk.

Clearing Browser Cache on Your macOS
If you are a heavy internet user, you may end up clearing megabytes of cache files on your macOS Big Sur. The official MacBook browser is Safari, and you can remove the cache by following the following steps:Show Develop Menu in Safari

  • Click the Safari icon to open the browser.
  • Go to the menu and click on “Preferences”.
  • Go to the “Advanced” feature and tick the “Show Develop” in the menu bar.
  • Click the “Develop” button in the menu bar and choose the “Empty Caches.”
  • Close the Safari browser for cache clearance to be complete.

Clear System Cache and User Cache

The system and user caches are the temporary files that let you use your macOS on daily operations. For example, when you listen to music or view a video on your MacBook, the information is stored in the system cache file. The device can, therefore, locate the file quicker and easier on a subsequent command. With time, these caches can occupy a large space on your macOS Big Sur. If you’d like to clear all cache from your macOS or delete a cache belonging to a particular application, here’s the procedure

Terminate the operations of all applications.Launch “Finder”.
Select “Go” on the Finder menu and choose “Go to Folder”.
Type ~/Library/Caches/ and click “Go”.
Find the cache file related to a specific app and choose the items you need deleted and drag them to the Trash Can.

5. Use Cloud Drives

Is your MacBook filled up because of storing a lot of programs and apps? Additionally, you may lose your personal data by frequent misplacement of your USB flash drive. That’s why software developers have created cloud-based storage apps to help you to free up space on your macOS. There are several cloud drives you may consider, but each operates differently with different operating systems. Below are some of the best cloud drives for you macOS Big Sur.

Google Drive. Albeit Google Drive was initially intended for storage purposes, it expanded its featured tools by incorporating an office suite that comprises Google Docs too. Fr merely having a Google Drive, users get 15GB free storage space. However, for additional space, you’ll have to incur monthly subscription fees.

iCloud Drive. This Apple cloud-based storage software works best with Apple’s latest gear on the macOS Big Sur. When you use it on any macOS device or an iDevice, you get an extra 5GB of free space. It comes with an integrated office suite, although it only contains basic features like Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. iCloud supports Windows but is still not supportive of Android.

Dropbox. Dropbox free storage is 2GB. The advantage of this cloud storage app is that it’s compatible with different platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Kindle, Android, and Fire mobile application programs. Dropbox also provides different promotional offerings such as an extra 250MB for just getting started with the tutorial or 3GB extra space for uploading images through the mobile app.

6. Find and Remove Duplicate Files

The daily utility of your macOS may mean having duplicate files. The most common reason why you may have duplicate files is because of program installations. When an essential program feels under threat from other applications, it may duplicate itself to minimize the risk of malfunctioning.Find and Remove Duplicate Files

But if you find an unimportant program with it duplicate, you can install the Gemini 2 App for macOS. Gemini helps you identify, locate, and get rid of duplicate content in whichever corner they lay concealed. Regardless of the capacity of your hard Drive, Gemini can scan it at a lightning-fast speed. Furthermore, the software also locates and removes similar files to ensure you have free space on your MacBook.

7. Use Third-Party Apps

Instead of using the manual method of clearing space, you can use automated software that performs all that work in a fraction of the time. The Clean My Mac app automatically rids your macOS system of junk file and other remnant programs that eat up space in the device. By using the Clean My Mac software, you can clear up space to revamp the speed and operations of your MacBook.

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Space Dodge Mac Os X

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So, you’ve decided to download an older version of Mac OS X. There are many reasons that could point you to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, you may have noticed your Mac’s performance went down right after the last update. Finally, if you want to run a parallel copy of Mac OS X on a virtual machine, you too will need a working installation file of an older Mac OS X. Further down we’ll explain where to get one and what problems you may face down the road.

A list of all Mac OS X versions

We’ll be repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions below, so it’s good to know the basic macOS timeline.

Cheetah 10.0Puma 10.1Jaguar 10.2
Panther 10.3Tiger 10.4Leopard 10.5
Snow Leopard 10.6Lion 10.7Mountain Lion 10.8
Mavericks 10.9Yosemite 10.10El Capitan 10.11
Sierra 10.12High Sierra 10.13Mojave 10.14
Catalina 10.15

STEP 1. Prepare your Mac for installation

Given your Mac isn’t new and is filled with data, you will probably need enough free space on your Mac. This includes not just space for the OS itself but also space for other applications and your user data. One more argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory so your apps have “fuel” to operate on. The chart below tells you how much free space is needed.

Note, that it is recommended that you install OS on a clean drive. Next, you will need enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to free up space on your drive:

  • Uninstall large unused apps
  • Empty Trash Bin and Downloads
  • Locate the biggest files on your computer:

Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange by size
Then you can move your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.
If you aren’t comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic “room cleaners”. Our favorite is CleanMyMac as it’s most simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.

Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.4 - 10.8 (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.9 (free version)

Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.10 - 10.14 (free version)

STEP 2. Get a copy of Mac OS X download

Normally, it is assumed that updating OS is a one-way road. That’s why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The main challenge is to download the OS installation file itself, because your Mac may already be running a newer version. If you succeed in downloading the OS installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the OS on your computer.

How to download older Mac OS X versions via the App Store


If you once had purchased an old version of Mac OS X from the App Store, open it and go to the Purchased tab. There you’ll find all the installers you can download. However, it doesn’t always work that way. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to check it:

  1. Click the App Store icon.
  2. Click Purchases in the top menu.
  3. Scroll down to find the preferred OS X version.
  4. Click Download.

This method allows you to download Mavericks and Yosemite by logging with your Apple ID — only if you previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.

Without App Store: Download Mac OS version as Apple Developer

If you are signed with an Apple Developer account, you can get access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you desperately need a lower OS X version build, consider creating a new Developer account among other options. The membership cost is $99/year and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you can only find 10.3-10.6 OS X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.7, the App Store has become the only source of updating Apple OS versions.

Purchase an older version of Mac operating system

You can purchase a boxed or email version of past Mac OS X directly from Apple. Both will cost you around $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can only be installed from DVD.

Space Dodge Mac Os Catalina

Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard 10.6
Get an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8

The email edition comes with a special download code you can use for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer OS on top of it.

How to get macOS El Capitan download

If you are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it’s possible too. But before your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to OS X 10.6.8. So, here are main steps you should take:

1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.

“I can’t download an old version of Mac OS X”

If you have a newer Mac, there is no physical option to install Mac OS versions older than your current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don’t expect it to run any OS released prior of that time, because older Apple OS versions simply do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.

But as it often happens, workarounds are possible. There is still a chance to download the installation file if you have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to get an installer for Lion, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, once again, set up a virtual machine running Lion. Then you will need to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.

After you’ve completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, but you can click Cancel and copy the file you need. Below is the detailed instruction how to do it.

STEP 3. Install older OS X onto an external drive

Space Dodge Mac OS

The following method allows you to download Mac OS X Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.

  1. Start your Mac holding down Command + R.
  2. Prepare a clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
  3. Within OS X Utilities, choose Reinstall OS X.
  4. Select external drive as a source.
  5. Enter your Apple ID.

Now the OS should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to do a restart, but at this point, you should completely shut it down. Now that the installation file is “captured” onto your external drive, you can reinstall the OS, this time running the file on your Mac.

  1. Boot your Mac from your standard drive.
  2. Connect the external drive.
  3. Go to external drive > OS X Install Data.

Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file you need to reinstall Lion OS X. The same steps are valid for Mountain Lion and Mavericks.

How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions

If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.13, it is possible to revert it to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the experience. You can do it either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Sierra

Instruction to downgrade from macOS High Sierra

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Mojave

Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina

Before you do it, the best advice is to back your Mac up so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to clean up your Mac from old system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download it for free here).

Visit your local Apple Store to download older OS X version

If none of the options to get older OS X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should have image installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. You can also ask their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So here you are. We hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS X. Below are a few more links you may find interesting.