System data taking up 172 GB (2025 MacBook Air)

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MRC1991 Author

Level 1

18 points

System data taking up 172 GB (2025 MacBook Air)

172.34 GB of the 245 GB of available storage on my MacBook is being taken up by "System Data," which the storage tab within System Settings does not allow you to manage, easily view, or declutter in anyway.

How can I fix this? At this point, I can barely install the Microsoft and Adobe apps I need for work without my disk being totally full.

FWIW - I have a 2025 MacBook Air, 15-inch, M4. Chip: Apple M4. Memory: 16 GB.

Also, this is far from a new problem. Previously discussed: Here, here, and here. I have no idea what Apple's developers are doing, but whatever it is - it certainly does not involve being skilled, or at least competent, at their jobs.

Posted on Nov 18, 2025 2:05 PM

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Answer 1

tbirdvet

Level 6

17,030 points

Nov 18, 2025 4:17 PM in response to MRC1991

If after doing all to improve your storage (256 is small for today's OS) and still not much change then Then only way I have improved that is to erase and reinstall the OS from recovery mode. That usually sets the system storage number much lower.

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Answer 2

TheLittles

Level 10

202,805 points

Nov 18, 2025 4:31 PM in response to MRC1991

"System data taking up 172 GB (2025 MacBook Air): 172.34 GB of the 245 GB of available storage on my MacBook is being taken up by "System Data," which the storage tab within System Settings does not allow you to manage, easily view, or declutter in anyway. How can I fix this? At this point, I can barely install the Microsoft and Adobe apps I need for work without my disk being totally full.[...]

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Apple provided me with a bunch of Terminal commands, and seemingly trashed the System Data down to zero --just 4 hours later, it was all back. Point being: If you ever go about clearing it all(or lots of it), prep the deletion process with a Time Machine Backup, and then create the backup right after the deletion. Then, restore from that backup you just created. It might just prevent this from restoring itself. Still have yet to try that, and, if a success, I'd author a User Tip on that.

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