We all know Mac OS X as an almost perfect operating system. Most of the users prefer it over Windows due to its simplicity and great system architecture. But no one can tell that there are some problems with OS X when it comes to your computer’s hard disk. It is, like any other system, still weak to junk and is constantly under the pressure of files and folders a user doesn’t even know about. This trash just slows your Mac down and can cause a line of other problems. So, that is why it is important to learn how to clean Mac hard drive.
Back up your hard drive
This step is very important in case you don’t want to lose any crucial data while cleaning your Mac. It helps you to protect any files and folders you may accidentally remove. For this task, you may use a flash disk or portable hard drive. Some users even record their all-time important data on DVDs and CDs. Modern solutions offer something even cooler. Use a special online backup service such as iCloud or Dropbox.
Empty your trash bin
This is, actually, the first cleaning step you should do. It may seem too obvious, but still, lots of Mac users ignore Mac’s trash bin and keep it loaded with gigabytes of junk files and folders. So, once again let us remind you that after you deleted a file or a folder, it doesn’t disappear without a trace. Actually, it goes to your Trash folder and stays there until you clean it up. Till those files stay in Trash, they still consume hard disk space. Just right-click on your Trash icon and press Empty Trash button.
Archive files that you do not use too often
This is an ultimate manual task. You need to identify files and folders you don’t use regularly. It will take time, so be prepared to spend some. It is about gathering the stuff you don’t use regularly into one archive file. It will compress those files, so they take less space on your Mac hard disk. It may be folders, pictures, music, .iso files, etc. also, some users prefer to burn a CD or DVD as a backup for those files. When there will be needed, you just can delete the original file from your Mac to get more free hard disk space urgently. Then you can copy that archive back on your hard drive.
SEE ALSO How to Clean a MacBook Pro: the Endless Question
Uninstall unused applications
Sometimes, we don’t even realize how much applications there are installed on our Macs. And we often don’t use even half of them! So why do you keep them there in your system? Some of those applications consume too much space and other resources. That is why the entire System works slower than it should. Just uninstall unused programs. Access Applications section on your Mac and move all those unused apps into the Trash. And don’t forget to empty the trash bin after deleting those files.
Use a cleaning up program
Well, now you know how to clean Mac hard drive. But this is just one way of making it, and it’s not, actually, the easiest and fastest one. While you can spend all day cleaning your Mac hard drive manually, you also can install a special cleaning program. MacFly Pro, for example, is a perfect match for this task. It is light and fast. The app consumes fewer resources than it may seem. Just press Scan to identify all the problematic areas and fix the problem with deleting unused data, apps, and junk.
Conclusion
As you see, you’re not limited to just one way of cleaning your Mac hard drive. But if you don’t have enough time or skills to do it manually, you should really try MacFly Pro or something like that. Just find the app you would like. Access its official website and download the installation file. Get your subscription or try a trial version, if it is available.