I purchased an M1 Mac Mini when it was first announced in 2020, and I have found it to be a fantastic machine. It meets all my needs, but I made a mistake by choosing the 256GB model, which has now filled up completely. I’ve noticed that the system data has ballooned to over 50GB, making storage a serious issue.
To address the problem, I’ve tried various methods such as deleting unnecessary files and optimizing my storage to leverage iCloud. I even moved my photo library out of local storage and into iCloud, which was something I had hoped to avoid. Despite these efforts, my Mac Mini is still full, and I’m unable to open several applications due to the lack of available space.
Now I’m left with two key questions: Firstly, how can I resolve the current storage problem? Secondly, what is the best way to add external storage for offloading files, especially media? I assume I would need at least two drives—one for the data and another for backup.
This need for extra storage would likely require a hub, as I would need additional ports for connection. An alternative I have considered is upgrading to a newer MacBook Air with higher storage capacity. This may be a more straightforward solution, allowing me to avoid the hassle of external drives and managing backups altogether.
I just want to ensure that I make the best decision for my future computing needs.
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