5 Methods How to Delete macOS Update Files

5 Methods How to Delete macOS Update Files

When you are running out of storage space on your Mac, one of the first questions to consider can be how to delete macOS update files. Since old macOS files can eat up a lot of space on storage media, deleting them is important.

If you don’t know the location of old update files and the methods to delete them, keep reading this article.

Is It Safe to Delete Update Files?

It depends. Your current macOS version and the kind of files you are looking to delete decide if deleting them affects the working of the relevant app or software. Mostly, deleting updated files from Mac is safe after you have properly installed the software.

How to Delete Update Files From Terminal?

The update files are stored in /Library/Updates on Mac. Removing the update files directly from the macOS file system is not feasible as the files are protected by default. To delete these files on most Apple OS versions, follow the steps given below:

  1. Restart macOS and press the R + ⌘ keys until the startup screen appears.
  2. Open the Terminal in the navigation menu.
  3. Type in the command ‘csrutil disable’ to get unrestricted access to OS folders.
  4. Then, restart your Mac.
  5. Next, go to /Library/Updates folder from the Finder and move them to the bin.
  6. Empty the bin, restart your Mac by pressing the R + ⌘ keys, and then open Terminal.
  7. Now, enter the command ‘csrutil enable’ for activating protection.
  8. Again, restart your Mac.

Now, if you are looking forward to installing the latest updates, you should be able to do it without facing problems.

How to Uninstall Update Files From Finder?

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Have you recently downloaded a software update and the associated files are still stored on your computer? You may never want these files again, and they are unnecessarily consuming storage on the device. Here are the complete steps to delete these files using Finder.

  1. Open the Finder and tap on the Go menu available at the top of the screen.
  2. Click the Go to Folder option, and type in /Library/Updates.
  3. In the Updates folder, find the files that are no longer needed.
  4. Now, drag the selected software updates to the Trash.
  5. At last, empty the Trash to delete the files permanently from your Mac.

Deleting the update files and any associated files from your computer will not help free up space on the hard drive. You need to remove all the files from the Trash folder to permanently delete data and gain access to extra gigabytes.

Can I Delete the Half Downloaded Update?

Sometimes, the software update you are trying to install interrupts in between due to numerous reasons. Slow internet, insufficient battery, improper system performance, lack of space, and similar reasons can interrupt the update process. Wondering how to delete macOS update files when not downloaded completely? Here’s the method.

To get rid of the half-downloaded macOS update, go to the Mac App Store and tap on Updates. Tap on the Pause button to stop the update from installing completely on your computer. On pausing the update, you will see its icon wiggling in the Launchpad. To cancel the update, click on the X button that appears with the icon.

How to Delete Pending Updates on Mac?

Mostly, you get a notification on your Mac screen whenever an update is pending. Not all updates need to be installed, and it’s fine to skip a few of them. More often, the unavailability of enough storage space prevents you from downloading new updates, and they move to the list of pending updates.

To delete a pending update, go to the Mac App Store. Click on the Updates tab, select the updates that you need to delete, and click on the X button. This will delete any pending updates. If you wish to install any of these updates anytime later, you can reinstall them by navigating to the App Store on your Mac.

How to Remove App Bundle From Mac?

Some software comes in a bundle, and you need them for a shorter duration of time. Removing an app bundle can make ample space on the hard drive. If you are experiencing storage issues on your computer, identify bundled apps that are no longer needed and delete them permanently from the computer.

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To delete the app bundle, you need to navigate to the Applications folder. Press Cmd + A keys altogether and type in Applications. To get to the Spotlight, enter Applications in the Spotlight search and open the Applications folder. Find the app bundle, select it, and press the X button. Alternatively, navigate to the Mac App Store, locate the app bundle, and press X.

Conclusion

So, these are some of the ways to delete the updated files on your Mac computer in different scenarios. Before you plan to delete any crucial files from your computer, make sure you have a backup. If anything goes wrong, you may end up losing data. Having a backup on Cloud or external SSD ensures that files are available and you can restore them easily.

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5 Methods How to Delete macOS Update Files

by Mohit Rajora time to read: 3 min
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