How to Check Disk Space and Storage Usage in Terminal on a Mac

Quick Answer

To check how much free space remains on your Mac’s startup disk, open Terminal and run:

df -h /

The df command reports available disk space, while -h displays the numbers in an easier-to-read format such as gigabytes. The / tells Terminal to check the volume used by the startup system.

To see which folders use the most space, run:

du -sh ~/* 2>/dev/null

This summarizes the approximate size of the folders and files directly inside your home folder. These commands only read storage information; they do not delete or change your files.

Open Terminal on Your Mac

Terminal is included with macOS and lets you run text commands. To open it:

1. Press Command-Space to open Spotlight.
2. Type Terminal.
3. Press Return.
4. Enter a command, then press Return to run it.

Terminal commands are case-sensitive. A command usually does not provide a visible confirmation when it finishes, so read the output carefully before running another command.

Check Free Space on the Startup Disk

The df command shows how much space is used and available on a mounted disk or volume. A mounted volume is a disk area that macOS currently makes available for reading and writing.

Before running the command, it does not change files or system settings.

df -h /

Look for the line describing the volume mounted at /. The columns generally include:

• Filesystem: The underlying disk or volume.
• Size: The total capacity available to that filesystem.
• Used: Space currently occupied.
• Avail: Space available for use.
• Capacity: The used percentage.
• Mounted on: The location where macOS makes the volume available.

The -h option means “human-readable.” Without it, sizes may appear as blocks that are harder to interpret.

If you want to check every mounted filesystem instead of only the startup volume, run:

df -h

This may include additional volumes, external drives, disk images, and other mounted storage. Focus on the volume relevant to the files you are managing. An external drive can show a different amount of free space from your Mac’s startup disk.

Measure the Main Folders in Your Home Folder

The du command estimates disk usage. The following command checks the items directly inside your home folder and reports a total for each one:

du -sh ~/* 2>/dev/null

Here is what the command means:

• du estimates the space used by files and folders.
• -s displays one summary total for each item instead of listing every file inside it.
• -h uses readable units.
• ~ represents your home folder.
• * matches the items directly inside that folder.
• 2>/dev/null hides permission-related error messages.

This command only reads file information. It does not modify or remove anything.

The results can help identify whether a large amount of space is being used in folders such as Downloads, Documents, Pictures, Movies, or Desktop. The size shown for a folder may not exactly match the amount Finder displays because different tools can count snapshots, links, protected files, and filesystem metadata differently.

Sort the Results by Size

To list the largest items first, use:

du -sh ~/* 2>/dev/null | sort -hr

The sort -hr portion sorts human-readable sizes in reverse order, placing larger entries at the top.

If a folder name contains spaces, the command still handles it correctly because the shell expands each matching path as an individual item. You can inspect a large folder more closely with the next command.

Check a Specific Folder

To measure one folder, replace the example path with the folder you want to inspect:

du -sh ~/Downloads

This reports the combined estimated size of everything inside Downloads. You can use the same pattern for another common folder:

du -sh ~/Documents
du -sh ~/Pictures
du -sh ~/Movies

These commands do not delete or move anything. They can take longer when a folder contains many files or when the contents are stored on a slower drive.

To see the immediate subfolders and files inside Downloads, run:

du -sh ~/Downloads/* 2>/dev/null | sort -hr

This is useful when the folder total is large but you need to identify the items contributing most to it.

Find Large Files with find

A large folder summary may not reveal which individual files are taking up space. The find command can locate files larger than a selected threshold.

For example, this command searches your home folder for files larger than 1 gigabyte:

find ~ -type f -size +1G -print 2>/dev/null

The command means:

• find ~ searches your home folder and its contents.
• -type f limits the results to regular files.
• -size +1G selects files larger than 1 gigabyte.
• -print displays each matching path.
• 2>/dev/null hides errors from folders that Terminal cannot read.

This command only lists file paths. It does not remove or change the matching files.

To search for files larger than 500 megabytes instead, run:

find ~ -type f -size +500M -print 2>/dev/null

Be careful when interpreting the results. Some large files may be needed by applications, macOS, virtual machines, media libraries, or backup software. Do not delete a file simply because it is large. Confirm what it is, whether you still need it, and whether the application that created it is currently using it.

If you want a graphical approach for locating unusually large items, you can also use How to Find Large Files on a Mac.

Inspect Storage Usage with du from the Root of the Disk

You can examine the top-level directories on the startup volume with:

sudo du -xhd 1 / 2>/dev/null

This command may ask for your Mac user account password. When you type a password in Terminal, no characters or dots appear on screen. Press Return after entering it.

The options mean:

• sudo runs the command with administrator privileges.
• du estimates disk usage.
• -x keeps the search on the same filesystem and avoids crossing into other mounted volumes.
• -h uses readable units.
• -d 1 limits the display to one directory level below /.
• / starts at the root of the startup filesystem.
• 2>/dev/null hides error messages.

This command only reads storage data. sudo grants additional permission for the duration of this command; it does not permanently change your account or disk.

Because it scans a large portion of the system, it may take some time. The results can include directories that are protected, managed by macOS, or not safe to alter manually. Use the output to investigate, not as a list of items to delete.

Understand APFS, System Data, and Storage Differences

Modern Macs commonly use APFS, Apple’s filesystem. APFS can use features such as snapshots and shared space between volumes. As a result, the number reported by a folder scan may not match the storage summary shown in System Settings or About This Mac.

Several factors can explain a difference:

• macOS system files may be protected from normal access.
• Local snapshots can reserve space while remaining managed by the system.
• Caches and temporary files may change while you are measuring them.
• Some applications store data outside your home folder.
• Multiple APFS volumes can share available space.
• Files may be deleted but still held open by a running application.
• Cloud-managed files may have local and online components.

Terminal is especially useful for checking the actual free space reported by the filesystem and for comparing the relative size of accessible folders. It is not always a complete replacement for macOS storage categories.

If your Mac is nearly full, first identify large personal files, unused applications, downloads, media, and old installers. For additional cleanup steps, see How to Free Up Storage Space on a Mac. You can also review Apple’s built-in recommendations with How to Use Optimize Storage on a Mac.

Check a Different Mounted Volume

To check an external drive or another mounted volume, first list mounted filesystems:

df -h

Find the path in the Mounted on column. Then pass that path to df. For example, if a volume is mounted at /Volumes/Archive, run:

df -h "/Volumes/Archive"

The quotation marks protect paths that contain spaces. Replace the example path with the actual path shown on your Mac.

To summarize the top-level contents of that volume, use:

du -sh "/Volumes/Archive"/* 2>/dev/null | sort -hr

Do not disconnect an external drive while Terminal or an application is actively reading it. If you need to remove it, close files stored on the drive and eject it in Finder first.

Troubleshooting

Terminal says “Permission denied”

Some folders are protected by macOS privacy controls. Start with your home folder rather than the entire root filesystem:

du -sh ~/* 2>/dev/null | sort -hr

If you need to inspect protected areas, you can give Terminal access in System Settings under Privacy & Security, but only enable access when necessary. The exact available privacy controls can vary by macOS version and account permissions.

The command appears to stop

A disk scan can take time, especially when it examines many files, an external drive, or a directory with restricted access. Wait for the command prompt to return.

To stop a running command, press:

Control-C

This interrupts the current command. It does not undo any file changes, although the commands in this guide are designed to read information rather than change files.

The numbers do not match Finder

Finder and Terminal may calculate or present storage differently. Compare the same volume and remember that APFS snapshots, protected files, caches, cloud storage, and open deleted files can affect totals.

Use df -h / for the filesystem’s available-space figure, and use du to investigate which accessible folders contain the most data.

You do not recognize a large file

Do not delete it immediately. Display more information about a file with:

ls -lh "/path/to/file"

Replace the example path with the path printed by find. The command shows the file’s size, permissions, owner, and modification date. You can then identify the application or folder associated with it before deciding what to do.

If the file belongs to an application, system component, backup, virtual machine, or media library, use that software’s own management tools when available.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the simplest Terminal command to check Mac storage?

Run:

df -h /

It shows the total size, used space, available space, and usage percentage for the filesystem containing the startup system.

Which Terminal command shows the largest folders?

Run:

du -sh ~/* 2>/dev/null | sort -hr

This sorts the items directly inside your home folder from largest to smallest.

Does du delete anything?

No. The du commands in this guide only read directory information and display estimated usage. They do not delete, move, or modify files.

Why is available space different from the sum of my folders?

Filesystem overhead, APFS snapshots, protected system data, caches, cloud files, and other mounted or managed storage can make the figures differ. df reports available space at the filesystem level, while du measures files it can scan.

Can I use Terminal to check an external drive?

Yes. Run df -h to find the drive’s mount path, then use that path with df or du. Keep the drive connected while the command runs, and eject it normally before disconnecting it.

Final Thoughts

Use df -h / for a quick view of free space and du -sh with sort -hr to find which folders use the most storage. These read-only commands provide a practical starting point for investigating a nearly full Mac without changing your files. Always identify unfamiliar data before removing it, especially when it belongs to macOS or an application.