My MacBook Pro storage is always full even if I clean 20GB

after 10-20 minutes is full down to 200MB and I don’t event do anything on the computer, why is it like this?

I want to understand why the calculator of the free space keep on mentioning that my storage is full. I clean 20GB and after 10 min it says disc is full and I don’t make new files or fill the storage. It’s very uncomfortable I have to always clean files and always gets full.


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

MacBook Pro 13″, 10.14

Posted on Apr 16, 2023 7:31 AM

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Posted on Apr 28, 2023 12:40 PM

I have this exact problem on an M1 iMac running Ventura. When the internal storage was reported to be full, I deleted or relocated 60-70GB of files. Within a couple of days the available disk space was back down to a couple hundred MB and once again I was seeing "disk full" messages. Clearing a few more GB and within days if not hours, the full disk returns, the Mail app doesn't open, Time Machine does not back up, and I can't even run the system restore or update.


The suggestions made here aren't really of much use as they are mostly about deleting more files, which we already know does not help, as that space will vanish very quickly. They also don't explain how to use Console to find "overly large" log files. These files are visible in the Finder if you know where to look, but once again it's impossible to know which if any of them are growing "uncontrollably." Deleted log files will also be reinstated by MacOS. So what good this could possibly do to fix this problem is unclear.


The System Settings in Ventura also provide a place to see how much space is being taken up by different types of files, so we really don't need an app for that -- but how do we know what's considered normal? All we know is something has gone haywire in Ventura that causes it to chew up every available MB of storage. What that is, or how to fix it (short of nuking the entire Mac) is what we need to know.

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Apr 28, 2023 12:40 PM in response to christinivanovski

I have this exact problem on an M1 iMac running Ventura. When the internal storage was reported to be full, I deleted or relocated 60-70GB of files. Within a couple of days the available disk space was back down to a couple hundred MB and once again I was seeing "disk full" messages. Clearing a few more GB and within days if not hours, the full disk returns, the Mail app doesn't open, Time Machine does not back up, and I can't even run the system restore or update.


The suggestions made here aren't really of much use as they are mostly about deleting more files, which we already know does not help, as that space will vanish very quickly. They also don't explain how to use Console to find "overly large" log files. These files are visible in the Finder if you know where to look, but once again it's impossible to know which if any of them are growing "uncontrollably." Deleted log files will also be reinstated by MacOS. So what good this could possibly do to fix this problem is unclear.


The System Settings in Ventura also provide a place to see how much space is being taken up by different types of files, so we really don't need an app for that -- but how do we know what's considered normal? All we know is something has gone haywire in Ventura that causes it to chew up every available MB of storage. What that is, or how to fix it (short of nuking the entire Mac) is what we need to know.

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Apr 16, 2023 5:12 PM in response to christinivanovski

It's unusual for a MacBook's storage to fill up so quickly without actively adding new files or data. There could be several reasons for this behavior:

  1. Time Machine local snapshots: If you have Time Machine enabled, it can create local snapshots of your files and store them on your internal drive temporarily. These snapshots are automatically deleted when storage space is needed. To disable this feature, open Terminal and enter the following command:


sudo tmutil disablelocal



  1. Cache files and temporary files: Cache and temporary files can accumulate over time and consume significant storage space. You can use a third-party app like OnyX or CCleaner to clean up these files, or manually delete cache files by going to ~/Library/Caches and /Library/Caches and moving the contents to the trash.
  2. Runaway log files or processes: Sometimes, an application or process can cause log files to grow uncontrollably, consuming your storage space. Open Console and check for any unusually large log files. Also, open Activity Monitor to see if any processes are consuming an excessive amount of resources.
  3. iCloud Drive: If you're using iCloud Drive to sync files, it may be downloading files to your local storage. You can adjust your iCloud Drive settings to optimize storage by going to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud, clicking "Options" next to iCloud Drive, and enabling "Optimize Mac Storage."
  4. Malware or a virus: In rare cases, malware or a virus could cause rapid storage consumption. Run a trusted antivirus or antimalware tool to scan your system.

To better understand what's taking up space on your MacBook, use a storage analyzer like DaisyDisk, GrandPerspective, or OmniDiskSweeper to visualize your storage usage.

If none of these suggestions help, you may want to consider backing up your important files and performing a clean installation of macOS. This process will remove any potentially problematic software or files and give you a fresh start. If the issue persists even after a clean installation, it could be indicative of a hardware issue, and you should contact Apple Support for further assistance.





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Apr 29, 2023 2:22 PM in response to Mitch Stone

I’m afraid reinstalling macOS might be the only way, in my humble opinion. That’s what I would do anyway. It may be that it’s old and just needs a fresh install. I would also reformat the main storage drive to completely obliterate any malicious garbage that might have snuck its way onto your Mac, then I would reinstall macOS. Be sure and back everything up first, but be careful not to backup the malicious garbage with it. 👍👍👍

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Apr 29, 2023 2:44 PM in response to MEGA49R

Problem is, you can't know what malicious garbage you might have, and backing up with Time Machine and migrating it to the "fresh" OS purposely reinstalls everything you had before. The other issue is if your Mac has very little startup drive space left, Time Machine won't back up your Mac, and you won't be able to reinstall the OS in recovery mode either.


So... as far as I can tell, since nobody seems to know why the HDD space disappears, the only solution is to copy all of your important files to an external drive, nuke the internal, and start from scratch. This means losing everything you have installed that you haven't copied off or have stored in iCloud. IOW, a BFM.


Hoping for a better idea.

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Apr 29, 2023 3:34 PM in response to Mitch Stone

OH!!! I’ve an idea! Contact Apple!

-or-

when I was suffering from chronic pc slowness, I replaced not just the OS… but the drive and the ram as well, and now it’s about as fast as a gaming pc and everything is still on the old drive if I need it. There’s an idea too!👍

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My MacBook Pro storage is always full even if I clean 20GB

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