What Is “Other” Storage on a Mac — and How to Clear It
“Other” storage is the old name for what macOS now calls System Data: caches, logs, APFS snapshots, disk images, fonts, plugins and developer build artifacts — everything that doesn't fit Apps, Photos or Documents. It can top 50GB. The safely clearable parts are app caches, logs and developer artifacts — not the system itself.
“Other” is now “System Data”
Older macOS versions labelled this bucket “Other”; newer ones call it System Data. Same thing: the catch-all for files macOS can't sort into Apps, Photos or Documents. If you're looking for “Other,” you want the System Data guide — this is the short version.
What's actually inside
| Component | Reclaimable? |
|---|---|
| App caches & logs | Yes — safely |
| APFS / Time Machine snapshots | Managed by macOS |
| Developer build artifacts | Yes — rebuildable |
| Disk images, fonts, plugins | Review individually |
| System files | No |
How to clear the safe parts
- App caches and logs — instant, safe.
- Developer artifacts — Xcode, node_modules, Docker.
- Leave snapshots to macOS.
MacCleaner shows what's genuinely reclaimable in “Other”/System Data versus what macOS manages — so you clear the caches and dev junk and leave the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What is “Other” storage on a Mac?
It's the older name for System Data — caches, logs, snapshots, disk images, fonts, plugins and developer artifacts that don't fit Apps, Photos or Documents. It can exceed 50GB.
How do I clear “Other” storage on a Mac?
Clear the safe parts: app caches, logs and developer build artifacts. Leave snapshots and system files to macOS. Don't delete things you can't identify.
Why is “Other”/System Data so large?
Usually caches plus APFS/Time Machine snapshots, and on developer Macs, Xcode DerivedData and other build artifacts.
Reclaim the space in two taps
MacCleaner scans read-only, shows every file before anything is touched, marks the safe groups, and lets you choose Trash or permanent. Free for up to 500 MB of cleanup a day.
Download for Mac