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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To remove Apple Intelligence’s on-device models from a Mac, turn Apple Intelligence off in System Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri. Apple says disabling the feature removes those models. Then check System Settings > General > Storage to see the available space. This also disables Apple Intelligence; Apple does not document a way to delete only its models while keeping the feature on.
Turn off Apple Intelligence to remove its on-device models
- Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
- Select Apple Intelligence & Siri.
- Turn off Apple Intelligence and confirm if prompted.
Apple’s Apple Intelligence setup guidance says that turning the feature off removes its on-device models. The exact labels may vary by macOS version. Apple does not describe a separate model-only deletion control or a way to relocate the models to an external drive.
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Check whether the Mac has more available space
On macOS Ventura 13 or later, open System Settings > General > Storage. Apple’s Mac storage guidance explains that the storage view updates as space is freed. On older macOS versions, choose About This Mac > Storage. Allow the display to refresh after turning off Apple Intelligence; the amount of space shown can vary by Mac and system state.
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If storage is still tight, clean up personal files
These steps can free space used by other data, but they are not ways to remove Apple Intelligence models while leaving the feature enabled.
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- Review Downloads and large files: delete items you no longer need, or move personal files to external storage.
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Apple also notes that starting a Mac in safe mode can clear certain system caches that macOS recreates automatically. Treat this as a possible source of temporary space, not a substitute for managing personal files or a guaranteed way to reclaim a particular amount.
Do not manually erase System Data
System Data is a storage category, not a single folder intended for manual cleanup. Apple says it can include logs, caches, virtual-memory files, temporary files, fonts, app support files, and plug-ins; macOS manages its contents, and the category’s size varies. Avoid deleting unfamiliar system or model-related files to try to reclaim space. See Apple’s guide to finding and deleting files on Mac for an explanation of storage categories.
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What to expect if you turn Apple Intelligence back on
You can enable Apple Intelligence again in System Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri. Apple says the on-device models start downloading after setup, and download time varies. A Wi-Fi connection and power can help the download proceed as quickly as possible. Apple’s published device storage requirement is a compatibility requirement, not a measurement of the models’ actual storage use on your particular Mac; the footprint is not established as one fixed figure for every Mac. Apple describes on-device processing as central to Apple Intelligence, with more computationally demanding requests able to use Private Cloud Compute, but this does not provide a user control to move or selectively remove the local models. See Apple’s setup and availability details and Apple Intelligence and privacy on Mac.
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- The available storage capacity may vary.
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