---
title: "Purgeable space"
url: https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-purgeable-space
category: "Glossary"
tags: ["glossary", "free up space", "local snapshots"]
summary: "Purgeable space is room macOS is using for things it can clear by itself when it needs the space, such as local snapshots. It counts as available, but isn't empty yet."
updated: 2026-10-01T05:35:48.000Z
---

# Purgeable space

Purgeable space is room macOS is using for things it can clear by itself when it needs the space, such as local snapshots. It counts as available, but isn't empty yet.

**Purgeable space** is room on your disk that macOS is using for things it can clear by itself whenever it needs the space — mainly [local snapshots](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-local-snapshot) and some caches. It's a macOS term, not a Storage Studio one.

Finder counts purgeable space as available, and so does Storage Studio's free-space figure, so the two agree. But purgeable space isn't empty yet: macOS frees it on its own schedule, or when something asks for the room.

This is why free space sometimes doesn't go up straight after you move or delete something. If a local snapshot was taken before the move, it still holds the old copy, and that space stays purgeable until the snapshot goes. The **Local Snapshots** window shows how much snapshots are holding and can release it for you.

See also: [Why deleting files doesn't always give the space back](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/why-deleting-doesnt-free-space) · [I moved files but my free space didn't go up](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/space-didnt-come-back-after-a-move) · [Local snapshots](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/local-snapshots)

## What links here

- [I moved files but my free space didn't go up](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/space-didnt-come-back-after-a-move)
- [Local snapshot](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-local-snapshot)
- [Local snapshots](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/local-snapshots)
- [Storage Studio and macOS Storage settings](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/compared-with-macos-storage-settings)
- [Why deleting files doesn't always give the space back](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/why-deleting-doesnt-free-space)