{"id":"comparisons.storage-profile-vs-system-information","url":"/faq/comparisons/storage-profile-vs-system-information","category":{"id":"comparisons","title":"Comparisons & alternatives"},"subcategory":{"id":"built-in-macos","title":"macOS's own storage tools"},"question":"How is the Storage Profile different from macOS's System Information?","alt_questions":["system information storage vs storage studio","storage profile what does it show","about this mac system report storage","storage overview app mac","see storage across mac external drive and cloud"],"short_answer":"System Information lists your drives and their specs. The Storage Profile shows how you use storage: your recently opened working set, categories, and the split across your Mac, external drive and cloud.","answer_markdown":"**System Information** reports hardware facts: your drives, their capacity, format and connection. The **Storage Profile** is about how *you* use storage:\n\n- a persona for this Mac (for example Developer or Media Keeper) and a suggested next step from Tuhi;\n- your real **working set** — the files you've actually opened recently, out of everything stored;\n- what's stored by category, and how it splits across this Mac, your external drive and the cloud, with cloud usage read from each provider;\n- your free space over time, and Storage Studio's own footprint.\n\nEverything is measured on your Mac from quick system signals, and nothing personal leaves it. Use System Information for \"what hardware do I have?\" and the Storage Profile for \"what am I actually doing with it?\" See [Charts](/manual/charts).","answer_html":"

System Information reports hardware facts: your drives, their capacity, format and connection. The Storage Profile is about how you use storage:

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Everything is measured on your Mac from quick system signals, and nothing personal leaves it. Use System Information for "what hardware do I have?" and the Storage Profile for "what am I actually doing with it?" See Charts.

","answer_text":"System Information reports hardware facts: your drives, their capacity, format and connection. The Storage Profile is about how you use storage:\n\n- a persona for this Mac (for example Developer or Media Keeper) and a suggested next step from Tuhi;\n- your real working set — the files you've actually opened recently, out of everything stored;\n- what's stored by category, and how it splits across this Mac, your external drive and the cloud, with cloud usage read from each provider;\n- your free space over time, and Storage Studio's own footprint.\n\nEverything is measured on your Mac from quick system signals, and nothing personal leaves it. Use System Information for \"what hardware do I have?\" and the Storage Profile for \"what am I actually doing with it?\" See Charts.","tags":["storage profile","system information","overview"],"related":[{"id":"comparisons.storage-studio-vs-macos-storage-settings","question":"How is Storage Studio different from the Storage section in macOS System Settings?","url":"/faq/comparisons/storage-studio-vs-macos-storage-settings"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How is the Storage Profile different from macOS's System Information? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"System Information lists your drives and their specs. The Storage Profile shows how you use storage: your recently opened working set, categories, and the split across your Mac, external drive and cloud.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Comparisons & alternatives","path":"/faq/comparisons/"},{"name":"How is the Storage Profile different from macOS's System Information?","path":"/faq/comparisons/storage-profile-vs-system-information"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/comparisons/storage-profile-vs-system-information","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How is the Storage Profile different from macOS's System Information?","alternateName":["system information storage vs storage studio","storage profile what does it show","about this mac system report storage","storage overview app mac","see storage across mac external drive and cloud"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"System Information reports hardware facts: your drives, their capacity, format and connection. The Storage Profile is about how you use storage:\n\n- a persona for this Mac (for example Developer or Media Keeper) and a suggested next step from Tuhi;\n- your real working set — the files you've actually opened recently, out of everything stored;\n- what's stored by category, and how it splits across this Mac, your external drive and the cloud, with cloud usage read from each provider;\n- your free space over time, and Storage Studio's own footprint.\n\nEverything is measured on your Mac from quick system signals, and nothing personal leaves it. Use System Information for \"what hardware do I have?\" and the Storage Profile for \"what am I actually doing with it?\" See Charts.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/comparisons/storage-profile-vs-system-information"}}]},"fragment":"
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Comparisons & alternatives · macOS's own storage tools

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How is the Storage Profile different from macOS's System Information?

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Short answer: System Information lists your drives and their specs. The Storage Profile shows how you use storage: your recently opened working set, categories, and the split across your Mac, external drive and cloud.

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System Information reports hardware facts: your drives, their capacity, format and connection. The Storage Profile is about how you use storage:

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  • a persona for this Mac (for example Developer or Media Keeper) and a suggested next step from Tuhi;
  • your real working set — the files you've actually opened recently, out of everything stored;
  • what's stored by category, and how it splits across this Mac, your external drive and the cloud, with cloud usage read from each provider;
  • your free space over time, and Storage Studio's own footprint.
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Everything is measured on your Mac from quick system signals, and nothing personal leaves it. Use System Information for "what hardware do I have?" and the Storage Profile for "what am I actually doing with it?" See Charts.

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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