What is "Other" storage? It's a catch-all category in macOS Storage view for files that don't fit into Photos, Apps, Documents, or System. Mainly: caches, logs, app data, temporary files, and browser data. It can legitimately reach 20–80 GB on an active machine.
How to Delete "Other" Storage on Mac
The "Other" category frustrates people because it's vague. You see 40 GB of "Other" and don't know where to start. Here's exactly what's in there and how to safely clear it.
First: How to See Your "Other" Storage
In newer macOS versions (Ventura and later), Apple renamed the storage view. The "Other" category now shows up as part of System Data in the storage breakdown.
- 1Apple Menu → About This Mac
- 2Click "More Info" (Ventura+) or the "Storage" tab (Monterey and earlier)
- 3Click "Storage Settings" or "Manage"
- 4Look at the colored bar — hover over each section to see what's using space
What's Inside "Other" — and What's Safe to Delete
| Type | Typical size | Safe? | How to clear |
|---|---|---|---|
| App caches | 2–15 GB | Yes | Safe to delete for most apps. Browser caches regenerate automatically. |
| System logs | 0.5–3 GB | Yes | Anything older than a few weeks is safe to delete. |
| Temporary files | 1–5 GB | Yes | macOS clears /tmp on restart. Others can be removed manually. |
| Browser data (extensions, profiles) | 1–4 GB | Yes | Remove unused profiles and extensions from within the browser. |
| iOS app data (old backups) | 5–30 GB | Yes | Delete via Finder → your device → Manage Backups. |
| Plugin and extension files | 0.5–2 GB | Depends | Remove plugins for software you no longer use. |
| Font caches | 0.1–0.5 GB | Yes | Safe to delete. Font Cache regenerates. |
| Mail downloads/attachments | 1–10 GB | Yes | In Mail app: Mailbox → Erase Deleted Items → All Accounts. |
Step-by-Step: Clearing "Other" Storage Manually
Step 1 — Clear browser caches (easiest, biggest impact)
Each browser stores GBs of cached pages, images, and videos.
- Chrome: Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data → Cached images and files
- Safari: Develop menu → Empty Caches (enable Develop in Safari → Settings → Advanced)
- Firefox: Settings → Privacy → Clear Data → Cached Web Content
Step 2 — Clear app caches in Library
Open Finder, press ⌘ + Shift + G, type ~/Library/Caches and press Enter. Delete folders for apps you recognize (don't delete items you don't recognize).
Step 3 — Delete old iOS device backups
Connect your device to Finder → click your iPhone/iPad → Manage Backups. Delete backups older than 2–3 months. Each backup is 3–10 GB.
Step 4 — Clear Mail attachments
In Mail: Mailbox → Erase Deleted Items → All Accounts. Also: Mail → Settings → General → "Remove unneeded attachments when compacting mailboxes."
What NOT to Delete
- Anything in ~/Library/Application Support without knowing what it is — this can hold app databases and user data
- System-level caches (anything in /System or /Library at root level)
- Files with no recognizable name — if you're not sure, leave it