What is 'Other' and 'Backups' on my HD?  How can I delete them to create more space?

Other and Backups take up the majority (235GB) of my 250GB HD and leave me with little room for anything else.  I have moved iTunes, iMove and iPhoto to an external harddrive. What are they and can I delete them to create more space?  Please help.

"Backups" are local snapshots created by Time Machine. You don't need to delete them; that happens automatically when necessary. Consider them as equivalent to free space, which is in fact how the Finder reports them.
As for the "Other" category, use a tool such as OmniDiskSweeper to explore your volume and find out what's taking up the space.

Similar Messages

  • HT1373 So i bought music on a different computer but oAn the same itunes account and on the same ipod and when i get on my original computer and i sync my ipod my purchases that were on the other computer didnt show up. How can i put them on my computer/i

    So i bought music on a different computer but oAn the same itunes account and on the same ipod and when i get on my original computer and i sync my ipod my purchases that were on the other computer didnt show up. How can i put them on my computer/ipod

    Download them to the computer to which the iPod is synced, re-sync.
    Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2519 - enabled with iTunes 10.3 and newer; not available in all countries; apps, books (not audiobooks), music, t.v. shows, and movies (some - not all studios have permitted this). Movies currently available in the USA only. Downloading previously purchased movies and TV shows requires iTunes 10.6 or later.  Discontinued items not available. For items not included in the iCloud list, or locations or computer systems where iCloud is not (yet?) available, you only get one download per fee paid.  Apple notes it is your responsibility to back up your purchases.
    Select the store on the left side of iTunes.
    Click on Purchased on the right side under Quick Links.
    You can re-download your available previous purchases.

  • I was backing up my iPhone and importing photos onto iPhoto at the same time , then suddenly it says no more space available (i had 48GB before i do this and now i have 18GB) i can't find the back up or the photo anywhere , how can i delete them ?

    i was backing up my iPhone and importing photos onto iPhoto at the same time , then suddenly it says no more space available (i had 48GB before i do this and now i have 18GB) i can't find the back up or the photo anywhere , how can i delete them ? i dont need the pictures or the back ups , i want to delete them but they are not there

    Empty the Trash if you haven't already done so. If you use iPhoto, empty its internal Trash first:
    iPhoto ▹ Empty Trash
    Do the same in other applications, such as Aperture, that have an internal Trash feature. Then reboot. That will temporarily free up some space.
    According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of available space on the startup volume (as shown in the Finder Info window) for normal operation. You also need enough space left over to allow for growth of the data. There is little or no performance advantage to having more available space than the minimum Apple recommends. Available storage space that you'll never use is wasted space.
    When Time Machine backs up a portable Mac, some of the free space will be used to make local snapshots, which are backup copies of recently deleted files. The space occupied by local snapshots is reported as available by the Finder, and should be considered as such. In the Storage display of System Information, local snapshots are shown asBackups. The snapshots are automatically deleted when they expire or when free space falls below a certain level. You ordinarily don't need to, and should not, delete local snapshots yourself. If you followed bad advice to disable local snapshots by running a shell command, you may have ended up with a lot of data in the Other category. Reboot and it should go away.
    See this support article for some simple ways to free up storage space.
    You can more effectively use a tool such as OmniDiskSweeper (ODS) to explore the volume and find out what's taking up the space. You can also delete files with it, but don't do that unless you're sure that you know what you're deleting and that all data is safely backed up. That means you have multiple backups, not just one.
    Deleting files inside an iPhoto or Aperture library will corrupt the library. Any changes to a photo library must be made from within the application that created it. The same goes for Mail files.
    Proceed further only if the problem isn't solved by the above steps.
    ODS can't see the whole filesystem when you run it just by double-clicking; it only sees files that you have permission to read. To see everything, you have to run it as root.
    Back up all data now.
    If you have more than one user account, make sure you're logged in as an administrator. The administrator account is the one that was created automatically when you first set up the computer.
    Install ODS in the Applications folder as usual. Quit it if it's running.
    Triple-click anywhere in the line of text below on this page to select it, then copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
    sudo /Applications/OmniDiskSweeper.app/Contents/MacOS/OmniDiskSweeper
    Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
    Paste into the Terminal window (command-V). You'll be prompted for your login password, which won't be displayed when you type it. You may get a one-time warning to be careful. If you see a message that your username "is not in the sudoers file," then you're not logged in as an administrator.
    The application window will open, eventually showing all files in all folders, sorted by size with the largest at the top. It may take a few minutes for ODS to finish scanning.
    I don't recommend that you make a habit of doing this. Don't delete anything while running ODS as root. If something needs to be deleted, make sure you know what it is and how it got there, and then delete it by other, safer, means. When in doubt, leave it alone or ask for guidance.
    When you're done with ODS, quit it and also quit Terminal.

  • I have pictures on my phone that I can not delete.  There is no trashcan.  These pictures are in albums and not the camera roll itself.  How can I delete them?

    My wife and I decided that we needed separate accounts for our two 4s phones.  To do this, the data from her phone needed to be transferred out, then transferred back in under the different account.  The pictures were transferred back in using Itunes.  These appear as separate albums in the "photos" app.  I would like to delete some (or all) the pictures in these extra albums, but there is no trashcan to put them in.  I can only delete pictures in the "camera roll" itself.  These pictures are taking up valuable memory and I would like to free up some space.  How can I delete them?

    You're welcome. 
    As it relates to pictures, iTunes will only do two things: it will transfer photos from your computer to your device (if you select to Sync Photos on the Photos tab of your iTunes sync settings); and it will include the camera roll photos on your device in your device backup (if you back up to your computer rather than to iCloud).  It does not transfer photos from your phone, only to your phone.  (Transferring photo from your phone to your computer is done by importing them as expained here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4083.)
    The only area where you might lose pictures by syncing would be if you synced your phone while selecting Sync Photos on the Photos tab of your iTunes sync settings and the photos you had previously synced to your phone from your computer were no longer on your computer.  iTunes is syncing photos one-way; ensuring that the photos transferred from your computer match the photos still on your computer.  If you delete the photos from your computer, then sync, the deleted photos are then removed from your phone.
    This does not effect photos in the camera roll or in your photo stream, it only effects photos in the Photo Library album and albums containing photos in the Photo Library album.
    The deleted photos would have been placed in the recycle bin when you originally deleted them from the computer.  Nothing is put in the recycle bin when syncing with iTunes.

  • Help!!! the app Iphoto is closed marking a erros. I go back and open the application and are not photos. How can I recover them? Are not in the image folder.

    I was editing my photos and adding them to a album and suddenly the app is closed marking a erros. I go back and open the application and are not photos. How can I recover them? Are not in the image folder.

    Option 1
    Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Repair Database. If that doesn't help, then try again, this time using Rebuild Database.
    If that fails:
    Option 2
    Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. (In early versions of Library Manager it's the File -> Rebuild command. In later versions it's under the Library menu.)
    This will create an entirely new library. It will then copy (or try to) your photos and all the associated metadata and versions to this new Library, and arrange it as close as it can to what you had in the damaged Library. It does this based on information it finds in the iPhoto sharing mechanism - but that means that things not shared won't be there, so no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your events, albums and keywords, faces and places back.
    Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one.  
    Regards
    TD

  • I updated my iphone all my contacts and photos are gone. How can I retrieve them?

    I updated my iphone all my contacts and photos are gone. How can I retrieve them?

    Have you failed to use the device as designed?
    If using the iPhone as designed, contacts are synced with a supported application on the computer or a cloud service.  Pictures taken with the device would be copied off to the computer on a regular basis.
    If you have been using the device as designed, simply sync the content back.
    If you have not been using the device as designed, you can try restoring from the most recent backup.  However, if that does not restore them, they are gone.

  • I can't find my pictures from iphoto. I was downloading Iphone pictures and the library disappeared. How can I recover them?

    I can't find my pictures from iphoto. I was downloading Iphone pictures and the library disappeared. How can I recover them?

    Restoring a backup is specific to the backup program you are using to do your daily backups - consult it's manual, help file or author's support site
    Back up your iPhoto library, Depress the option (alt) and command keys and launch iPhoto - rebuild your iPhoto library starting with the first option and trying others until you are succesful
    LN

  • HT5988 When upgrading my Mac from  OS X Snow Leopard, to OS X Mavericks, The installer displayed my parallel and my PC applications. How can i get them back?

    When upgrading my Mac from  OS X Snow Leopard, to OS X Mavericks, The installer displayed my parallel and my PC applications. How can i get them back?

    You either have to restore the Snow Leopard backup you made prior to installing Mavericks, or create a separate Snow Leopard partition to boot to in order to run your older PowerPC applications.
    Either that, or upgrade the apps which won't run in Mavericks to newer versions that do.

  • TS2755 i have no messages in my phone but my storage is 90% full and in my usage it says i have 12MG in messages (saved) but i dont have any messages in my phone - where are they saved ? how can i delete them? please help

    i have no messages in my phone but my storage is 90% full and in my usage it says i have 12MG in messages (saved) but i dont have any messages in my phone - where are they saved ? how can i delete them? please help

        pamalushka54,
    We want to make sure that we get your phone up and running. Can you look to see where you have the most stuff stored at. Settings>General>Usage>Storage.
    This will tell you what exactly is using everything. Then you can delete things from there.
    RobinD_VZWSupport
    Follow us on twitter @VZWSupport

  • Ive deleted contacts from my contacts list but they still pop up when i go to text and type in the name of a current contact. .  How can i delete them off my phones memory for good?

    Ive deleted contacts from my contacts list but they still pop up when i go to text and type in the name of a current contact. .  How can i delete them off my phones memory for good? iPhone 4S

    At the present time, the only way to clear that is to restore the phone as new.  Perhaps a future iOS update will give us the option to clear that cache.

  • I have apps from old work account that I can't remember the password to. On my personal phone those apps keep showing up but I can't update them because I can't remember the password. How can I delete them and download on my new account?

    I have apps from old work account that I can't remember the password to. On my personal phone those apps keep showing up but I can't update them because I can't remember the password. How can I delete them and download on my new account?

    Tap and hold an app until they all start jiggling and an X appears in the icon's top left corner. One by one tap the X to delete the app. when they are all gone you are free to buy them again with your own account.

  • I moved iTunes folder location, now all my personal song ratings and playlists are gone.  How can I get them back?  All the iTunes files are intact, just in a new location.  Running iTunes 11.1.5.5

    I moved iTunes folder location, now all my personal song ratings and playlists are gone.  How can I get them back?  All the iTunes files are intact, just in a new location.  Running iTunes 11.1.5.5 on Windows 7

    Put everything back the way it was.
    Them move the folder correctly.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1364

  • I want to delete a few contacts, apps, pics etc from my iphone, but when I delete and connect to my laptop they sync and come back again. How can I delete those items and not get them back when I connect my iphone to my laptop?

    I want to delete a few contacts, apps, pics etc from my iphone, but when I delete and connect to my laptop they sync and come back again. How can I delete those items and not get them back when I connect my iphone to my laptop?
    Also where exactly on the laptop is teh data stored.
    Thank you!!

    go to 'Edit' in the menu bar. Then choose 'Preferences'.
    you'll see a pop-up and there's a tab called 'Devices' there. If you click that, you will be able to check a box that says 'prevent automatic syncing for iPods, iPads and iPhones' or something like that.
    Hope this helps
    NB: if you don't even see the menu bar that has options like 'File, Edit, View, etc', first click the black/white square button on the top left of your screen, and then click 'show menu bar'. It should pop right up.
    Good luck

  • TS1702 I have an app that appears to need to be updated. I clicked to update three days ago. It has started to update and will not finish. How can I delete the app while its in the middle of updating?

    IPhone 5
    I have an app that appeared to need to be updated. I clicked to update three days ago. It has started to update and will not finish. How can I delete the app while its in the middle of updating?

    Locked on an update can mean a couple of different things. So there are a number of things to try, but start with these.
    If you have a "waiting" icon, try tapping on the icon and see if you can pause the update/download. Of it pauses, tap on it again and see if it will resume.
    Try holding down on the icon until all of the icons on the screen wiggle. If the X to delete pops up on the waiting/stalled app -  tap the X to delete the app. Tao,the home button and the apps will stop wiggling.
    You can also try this and see if the downloads will resume. Reboot the iPad by holding down on the sleep and home buttons at the same time for about 10-15 seconds until the Apple Logo appears - ignore the red slider if it appears on the screen - let go of the buttons. Let the iPad start up.

  • I currently have 2 Apps for each App.  ie: Photoshop CC and Photoshop CC (2014).  How can I delete the Older versions from my List ?

    I currently have 2 Apps for each App.  ie: Photoshop CC and Photoshop CC (2014).  How can I delete the Older versions from my List ?

    CC 2014 uses NEW plugins https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1499663
    -so do not uninstall the older CC programs if you use plugins in your programs
    http://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/help/install-apps.html to install or uninstall

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