By Tim Hardwick
If you’re running low on space on your Mac’s internal drive, macOS Sequoia 15.1 includes a handy new feature that lets you install large apps directly to external storage. Here’s how to use it to save space on your startup drive.
Apple is known for charging customers a hefty premium for extra storage when they buy a new Mac. Given that internal storage typically can’t be upgraded after purchase, it’s no surprise that external drives are a popular solution for many Mac users who need the extra space but don’t want to pay too much for the privilege.
Until recently, macOS automatically installed new apps downloaded from the Mac App Store to your Mac's startup drive, which wasn't particularly useful for users with dwindling internal storage. However, in macOS Sequoia 15.1, Apple added a new option that lets you download and install apps that require more than 1GB of storage to an external drive. Anyone who works with large apps like Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro, or gamers with games that take up a lot of space, will surely appreciate the ability to download and install large apps to a separate drive.
Install Mac Apps to External Storage
- Connect an external drive to your Mac.
- Open the App Store.
- Click App Store in the menu bar and choose Preferences….
- Check the box next to “Download and install large apps on a separate drive.”
- Select your external drive from the drop-down menu.
Some considerations to keep in mind: This feature only works with apps larger than 1GB, and your external drive must be connected when you enable this setting. (Make sure the drive you connect to is formatted as APFS.) Also, while apps will install to the external drive, keep in mind that depending on the app, some app data may still be stored on the primary drive.
It's also worth noting that you can't choose install locations on a per-app basis with this method — it's an all-or-nothing setup for the apps in question. Finally, for the best experience, use a fast external SSD (or an internal SSD in an external enclosure) to ensure optimal app performance.
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