How do you tidy up the {user}/Library folder

Question

Level 1

12 points

How do you tidy up the {user}/Library folder

Trying to release some disc space on my MacBook Air running Catalina and I find that in my User there is a 60GB discrepancy between the visible files in Finder and the total space used. There seems to be an invisible directory /Library in my user with a vast amount of stuff in it;

a - Can anyone suggest how I can get in to see it (I admit I have used Terminal to have a look around but it is very clunky when dealing the directory of this size);

b - Can anyone guide as to what this is folder is used for and possible criteria for keeping/binning any of the contents.

It is a significant problem because I have a 128GB drive and this one folder is taking up nearly 50% and preventing me from upgrading.

Many thanks

MacBook Air 11″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Mar 6, 2021 2:16 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Limnos

Level 10

418,849 points

Mar 6, 2021 2:21 PM in response to jontichild

Yes, that's the user library and there's a good reason they now have it hidden, because if you delete the wrong stuff you can make a mess of things.

Un-hide the User Library folder - http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20110704093233123

Mac 101: Easily show the user Library folder in Lion - http://www.tuaw.com/2011/08/25/mac-101-easily-show-the-library-folder-in-lion/

1. In the Finder, select the Go menu from the menu bar at the top of your screen. You'll notice a list of folders across your system such as Desktop, Downloads, Home, etc.

2. While the Go menu is displayed, hold down the option key on your keyboard. Like magic, the Library folder will appear between the Home and Computer folders. Click on it to open a Finder window displaying all of the files inside your Library folder.

I don't know where snapshots are stored but they may take up space:

About Time Machine local snapshots - https://support.apple.com/HT204015 - "When you use Time Machine on a Mac notebook computer, Time Machine saves some of its backups to your startup drive."

Reply

Answer 2

Mar 6, 2021 2:25 PM in response to jontichild

jontichild wrote:

Trying to release some disc space on my MacBook Air running Catalina and I find that in my User there is a 60GB discrepancy between the visible files in Finder and the total space used. There seems to be an invisible directory /Library in my user with a vast amount of stuff in it;

a - Can anyone suggest how I can get in to see it (I admit I have used Terminal to have a look around but it is very clunky when dealing the directory of this size);