There are a few ways to add more storage to your MacBook Air. I’ll go in-depth on the methods throughout this article. The methods include installing a new SSD, upgrading and utilizing iCloud, and External HDDs.
My name is Ty, and I’ve worked in the tech industry for over 2 years and the at-home techy since middle school. I have experience with all kinds of hardware within this industry and know the ins and outs of them all.
This post will show you just a few ways you can extend the life of, or simply add more storage to your MacBook Air. Whether you run out of space due to all of your family photos, or you are future-proofing your device, you came to the right place!
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Key Takeaways
- Adding storage to your MacBook Air could take a bit of disassembly on your part, depending on the method you choose.
- You can use Cloud storage instead of your hard drive, and upgrade the capacity if you start running low by simply purchasing it!
- External HDDs are a great way to expand your storage without having to do any work at all other than plugging it in, and moving the files you need!
How to Check Your MacBook Air Storage Space
Depending on the model of MacBook Air you purchased, the size of your hard drive may vary. Just follow these steps for an easy way to check your storage, and how much you have left.
Step 1: Navigate up to the apple logo on the top left of the screen and select “About This Mac”.
Step 2: Once there, navigate to Storage, it will show your total disk space, as well as the disk space you have left.
If You’re Running Out of Room
Running out of room can be a worrisome experience. But fret not, I have a few solutions to ease your mind, the first being; just clear some space!
It might sound crazy, but simply going through your downloads, all of your files, and deleting what you no longer need can clear up plenty of space to get you back on your feet again.
Click on the Finder app, which is the smiley face that looks white and blue. From there you can peruse your files, and delete old ones that you no longer need.
Once you have deleted everything you need to, go to your trash, the trashcan icon, right click it, and select “Empty Trash”.
Solution 1: Using iCloud
If you don’t want to go through and delete any of your precious your data, don’t worry, there are alternatives to just getting rid of your beloved files completely. If you are on a MacBook Air, then you most likely have an Apple account.
With this account, you get access to a free 5GB iCloud. If you find that you need more space, iCloud+ is a monthly subscription that gives you access to increased cloud storage capacities. The price increases as the storage space does, prices range from $1 for 50GB, to $10 for 2TB.
Step 1: Navigate back up to that apple logo and select, “About this Mac”, select the “Storage” Tab. While there, select “Manage”.
Step 2: There will then be a Store in iCloud button, which will store all of your old files, photos, and folder. It will only keep your more recent things.
Solution 2: Using an External Hard Drive
If you aren’t a fan of putting your data up into the cloud, this is the option for you. An external hard drive is exactly what it sounds like, a portable HDD that you can plug in and utilize whenever you need it.
Unlike iCloud+, an external hard drive is a one-time purchase. Once you have the hardware, it is yours. This also means that you can’t upgrade it either. So you’ll have to purchase one big enough or purchase another one if you run out of room again.
You will also need to make sure that you purchase one that has a USB-C cable so that it can be plugged into your MacBook Air, and work with no problem. The goal is to be pretty much plug-and-play, you should not have to do any work at all, besides moving the data onto the HDD.
Solution 3: Upgrade Your Hard Drive
With certain models of MacBook Airs, you can also buy a compatible SSD or HDD with increased capacity, manually remove the old HDD, and replace it with your new, larger one.
However, not all MacBook Airs are able to have their hard drives removed, and therefore, are not able to be upgraded at all. If you want to check to see if your model is one that can be upgraded, check the link.
Once you find out if your MacBook Air is one that can be upgraded, all you have to do is purchase a solid-state drive that will fit it, and crack that guy open. You may need to purchase the screw-bit that the MacBook Air uses to even open it though.
If all of that is starting to sound just a bit too complicated, you can always take your MacBook into your local tech shop, and let them know what you’d like to do, just pay, and let them do all of the heavy liftings!
Final Thoughts
There are a few ways that you can “add more storage” to your MacBook Air. You can physically add the extra storage via SSD (or have a professional do it), utilize the iCloud and all it has to offer and even just purchase a portable, external HDD to use.
As you can see, you have options. All that is left now, is to decide which one you think might be the most convenient for you personally. I hope I have equipped you with enough knowledge to make the best decision.
