Quick Summary
The "Not Enough Space To Install" error on macOS indicates that your computer's storage drive doesn't have sufficient free space to accommodate the installation of the software you're attempting to install. This can prevent the software from being fully installed and functional.
Common Causes
- Insufficient Free Disk Space: The most common cause is simply that your hard drive or SSD doesn't have enough free space to hold the new application and any temporary files needed during installation. This includes the space required after unzipping compressed installation packages.
- Hidden Large Files or Folders: Large, hidden files (such as Time Machine local snapshots, system caches, or files in the Trash) may be consuming significant amounts of drive space without your immediate knowledge. Older macOS versions and some software are known to create and keep temporary files.
- Corrupted Disk Permissions: Sometimes, corrupted disk permissions can prevent the installer from writing files to the disk, making it appear as though there isn't enough space even if there is. This is less common but can occur after system updates or software crashes.
- Full or Nearly Full System Volume: Even if the application itself doesn't require much space, a nearly full system volume can impede installation processes. macOS needs free space for temporary files, virtual memory, and other system operations during installation.
Step-by-Step Fixes
Method 1: Empty the Trash and Delete Unnecessary Files
Step 1: Empty the Trash. Right-click the Trash icon in the Dock and select 'Empty Trash'.
Step 2: Use 'About This Mac' to identify large files. Click the Apple menu, select 'About This Mac', then click 'Storage'. Click 'Manage...' to see recommendations and review your files.
Step 3: Delete unnecessary files and applications that you no longer use. Be careful not to delete any system files.
Method 2: Manually Check and Delete Large Files
Step 1: Open Finder and press Command + Shift + G to open the 'Go to Folder' dialog.
Step 2: Enter '/Users/[your username]/' (replace '[your username]' with your actual username) and press Enter. Sort the view by 'Size' (View -> Arrange By -> Size) to identify large files.
Step 3: Look for old downloads, videos, or other large files that you can delete or move to an external drive.
Method 3: Delete Local Time Machine Snapshots
Step 1: Open Terminal (Applications -> Utilities).
Step 2: Type 'tmutil listlocalsnapshots /' and press Enter. You will see a list of local snapshots.
Step 3: Type 'tmutil deletelocalsnapshots [snapshot name]' (replace '[snapshot name]' with the name of the snapshot you want to delete) and press Enter. Repeat for each snapshot you want to delete.
Method 4: Run Disk Utility First Aid
Step 1: Open Disk Utility (Applications -> Utilities).
Step 2: Select the startup disk in the left sidebar (usually 'Macintosh HD').
Step 3: Click 'First Aid' in the toolbar and then click 'Run'. This will check and repair any disk errors.
Method 5: Disable and Re-enable Spotlight Indexing
Step 1: Open System Preferences and select 'Spotlight'.
Step 2: Click the 'Privacy' tab.
Step 3: Drag your Macintosh HD volume to the list of locations that Spotlight is prevented from searching.
Step 4: Remove the Macintosh HD volume from the list by selecting it and clicking the '-' button. Spotlight will re-index your drive, which can sometimes recover space used by corrupted indexes.