If you are pondering an upgrade to the most recent version of macOS or perhaps just want to know how much space does macOS take, let this article be your guide.
macOS takes up a big chunk of your system space and each version offers a variety of features and innovations that also eat a slice of your storage.
But before you can dive in and upgrade your Mac, you must first learn the prerequisites to avoid any mishaps.
Part #1: Storage Space Needed for Every MacOSPart #2: How to Get More Space on Mac?Part #3: Do Mac Updates Take Up SpaceSummary
Part #1: Storage Space Needed for Every MacOS
There is a different storage requirement for each macOS that you are running on. Here are the requirements for macOS Sierra, BigSur, Monterey, and older versions. See how much space does macOS take in different versions.
macOS Sierra Space Needed
8 GB of available disk space is needed if you are going to go for macOS Sierra. However, if you prefer, macOS High Sierra, you will need more disk space to cater to the new Apple File System and HEVC; a new encoding criterion for videos.
macOS 11 BigSur
If you are upgrading from macOS Sierra you will need at least 35.5GB of free space. But, if you are upgrading from an earlier version, you need 44.5GB of space.
And if you downloaded Big Sur from the App Store, the file download size is 12.6GB.
macOS Monterey
macOS 12 Monterey is the recent prominent release of macOS and you need a whopping 12.16GB of free space to accommodate this operating system which you can download via the App Store or from an integrated software update tool.
However, Apple recommends that you should have at least 22GB if upgrading from macOS Sierra or a later release and 44GB from OS X El Capitan or earlier to a newer compatible version.
Older macOS versions
- macOS 10.15 Catalina demands 4.9GB of space to download. 12.5GB when upgrading from OS X El Capitan or later, and 18.5GB from OS X Yosemite or earlier.
- macOS 10.14 Mojave needs at least 6.5GB. 12.5GB if doing an upgrade from OS X El Capitan or later. 18.5GB from OS X Yosemite and earlier.
Part #2: How to Get More Space on Mac?
Now that you know how much space does macOS take, you are probably wondering how you can get more space from your current system storage.
This concern has plagued many Mac users and they are all searching for better ways to reclaim space without having to reinstall the macOS or resetting their computers.
The quickest way to get more space on your Mac is to use an efficient Mac cleaner. TechyCub Mac Cleaner is your ultimate partner when it comes to cleaning up your Mac quickly and efficiently.
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TechyCub Mac Cleaner offers the following:
- System Status
- Junk Cleaner
- Similar Image Finder
- Duplicate Files Finder
- App Uninstaller
- Extensions Manager
- Privacy
- File Shredder
- And more
At the onset of the program, you will be able to see how much space you have already used up. From here, you can decide what type of cleaning tool to use. TechyCub Mac Cleaner scans through your Mac thoroughly and gets rid of the junk files that have been cluttering your system for the longest time.
Here’s how to use this top free computer Cleaner:
- Install TechyCub Mac Cleaner on your Mac.
- Trust TechyCub Mac Cleaner. Go to System Preferences and click Full Disk Access. Click the Lock icon. Enter your password and proceed to Security and Privacy. Click the plus icon and select TechyCub Mac Cleaner. Click Open and Quit TechyCub Mac Cleaner.
- Relaunch TechyCub Mac Cleaner and scan your Mac. Click the Scan button from the software home screen.
- Alternatively, you can click the menus on the left side panel to start cleaning up your Mac.
- Click Delete from the scanned results. You can also perform selective deletion by marking only some items.
What Files Clog Up Your System?
- Junk Files - this feature removes all kinds of system junk such as System Logs and Cache, User Logs, Photo Cache, Email Attachments, Application Cache, Email Cache, iTunes Downloads, iTunes Backups, iTunes Cache, System Trash, and Software Updates.
- Duplicates Finder - images, videos, music, documents, and other files or folders that are duplicates are removed by the software.
- App Uninstaller - thoroughly uninstall an app and its related files in just a few clicks.
- Large & Old Files - outdated files are deleted.
- Similar Image Finder - pictures take up a huge amount of space and if you have tons of similar images, your system slows down. TechyCub Mac Cleaner has a powerful tool to locate similar images and remove them smartly.
- Shredder - files, and folders that are no longer used are emptied and deleted to reclaim space.
It could take a while if you are going to manually search and erase all these file types. Fortunately, TechyCub Mac Cleaner has all the right tools you need to get a good amount of storage space and get rid of clutters.
Part #3: Do Mac Updates Take Up Space
Now you know how much space does macOS take, the next question - Do Mac updates take up space? Yes. So if you have been contemplating it, you should highly consider cleaning up your Mac prior to upgrading.
3.1 How to Upgrade to A Newer macOS?
You first need a backup before planning to upgrade to a newer macOS. This way, you can avoid lost data on Mac. Time Machine backup is your best choice, or you may use 3rd-party backup options.
After backing up your data, download the new macOS through the App Store:
- Click the GET button. Wait for the download to be completed. It will then install the new OS.
- Follow the onscreen guide on how to finish the upgrade.
People Also Read Full-Guide 2023: How to Clean Up MacOS Purgeable Space How to Speed Up macOS Sierra: Skills You Have to Know
Summary
macOS is an intricate operating system that executes tons of different processes to make both the hardware and software work simultaneously. And now that you know how much space does macOS take, don’t forget to regularly clean your Mac to get rid of junk files and get more space.
In the event that you need a reliable Mac Cleaner, use TechyCub Mac Cleaner. It has a complete set of tools to help you speed up, and optimize your Mac quickly.
