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Why is username folder bigger than the drive?

T

TorontoSS

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 9, 2009
1,093
397
Hello - i have a question. I have a 256gb mac. if i go to check my storage section on "about this mac" it notes that i have used about 128gb and have 126gb free. This is fine.

But if i go to finder, look at the Macintosh HD drive it says the same, if I go to my username, it says its using 195gb on disk. Is this true? I don't understand what could be using this much space.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: I did some sleuthing and saw there were hidden folders which showed the Library Folder had 99GB.
so here's my next question. If I get a new mac and transfer my data over to the new one using migration assistant, does this 99GB library data also get transferred? Can I opt for it not to?
 
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The other space that your user folder reports might be space used by files that have been moved automatically to iCloud.
Your system can automatically keep itself cleaned up by moving files that you haven't accessed for a while. Your system still keeps track of the space needed, and that will reflect in total space used. Does that clear things up for you?
 
hobowankenobi said:
Yes, typically, the Migration Assistant will move everything.

Why not remove the invisible folder now, assuming it is nothing you want?
Click to expand...

will it move everything even if I just want to move photos, music and documents and NOTHING else?

I would have unticked all other boxes.


TiggrToo said:
NO!!!!! 😱

The Library folder is most definitely needed. There's a reason it's normally hidden...

Please do not tell users to delete random folders in future. Had @TorontoSS done that they'd have been in a world of hurt.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/14286571/what-does-mac-os-library-folder-store
Click to expand...

Don’t worry I did not delete it! I wasn’t going to!

DeltaMac said:
The other space that your user folder reports might be space used by files that have been moved automatically to iCloud.
Your system can automatically keep itself cleaned up by moving files that you haven't accessed for a while. Your system still keeps track of the space needed, and that will reflect in total space used. Does that clear things up for you?
Click to expand...

thanks - sort of. But OTHER is different than Library, correct?
I have 125 used. About 40gb of that is other.

But my Library in the folder is 100GB itself. Odd right?
 
OK...yes, I should have been more clear and specific. Yes, your Libary is essential. You should not delete it.

Why not look and see what the items in your Library are, and see what is taking up so much space?

It is possible that some things in your Library are not essential.

The only way to know is to look. If you don't want to dig through the large folders to see what is occupying so much space, then no, you should not delete anything. Some years back it was much easier for the average user to sort out. But Apple keeps making more and more stuff hidden, or otherwise inaccessible.

This leads to more and more questions like this....."What is using up all my space?"

You have to look to find out. And that means finding invisible stuff. Luckily there are few free tools that make it easy to do. One is Omni DiskSweeper.
 
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OP:
Download DiskWave from here:
It's small in size and free.

Open DiskWave and go to the preferences.
Put a checkmark in "show invisible files".
Close preferences.

The DiskWave window shows you all your drives in plain English (no ridiculous graphical formats).
Click on any drive.
Now, you'll see what's ON the drive, listed in order of "largest to smallest".
You can easily locate what's eating up your space.

What is it?
 
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