---
id: mac-storage-basics.will-turning-off-time-machine-free-up-space
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/will-turning-off-time-machine-free-up-space
category: "Mac storage basics"
subcategory: "Time Machine basics"
question: "Will turning off Time Machine free up space on my Mac?"
alt_questions:
  - "disable time machine save space"
  - "time machine off local snapshots"
  - "stop time machine storage mac"
  - "turn off automatic backups space"
short_answer: "Somewhat — Time Machine stops making local snapshots and their space is released as they expire — but you lose backups. Release snapshots when needed instead."
tags: ["time machine", "snapshots", "free space"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/why-do-local-snapshots-come-back", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-exclude-folders-from-time-machine"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Will turning off Time Machine free up space on my Mac?

A little, over time: with Time Machine off it stops making its hourly local snapshots, so the space they hold is released as they expire. But you also stop backing up — a poor trade for some temporary space.

A better approach is to keep Time Machine on and release snapshots when you need room, or exclude large, rebuildable folders from backups.