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how do you clear purgeable space on OS Ventura?

I have cleaned up as much stuff as I can and I followed directions to clear up purgeable space but I still show like 300 GB of purgeable space. How can I get that cleared up? I tried everything I found online for past OS-X versions


MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 13.0

Posted on Dec 14, 2022 10:58 AM

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Posted on Feb 5, 2023 11:10 AM

Yeah I have the same issue. 90GB sat in purgeable, which I can't clear to reinstall the OS. Nice.

Surely if the OS can see the user trying to reinstall the OS, it should offer to clear the purgeable.

6 replies

Dec 16, 2022 8:41 AM in response to Wireless805

The files that you have control over are located in the Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music and Movies folders.  You can use this free app, GrandPerspective, to find the largest files on your drive so you can determine if they can be deleted or moved to an external HD for storage.


Note: you can empty the Downloads folder after the apps and/or updates that were downloaded have been installed or applied.  Some users have found a couple of Gigabytes of files in their Downloads folder which are no longer needed. 


Dec 16, 2022 8:50 AM in response to Wireless805

Wireless805 wrote:

I need more space on the HDD.

That's your problem right there.

Purgeable is a little misleading if you can't purge it! In any event, is there a way to figure out which files are using that purgeable area to help me determine what I can move to an attached drive?

You aren't supposed to purge it. The operating system will purge it if it thinks it needs to.


It is better to focus on whatever actual problem you are experiencing. In many cases, if you run out of storage space and get an error message, the system will automatically purge this storage and it will be available the next time you look.

how do you clear purgeable space on OS Ventura?

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