Hyperspace, the latest utility developed by Mac expert John Siracusa, has seen several updates since its debut in February. If you haven’t given Hyperspace a try since its initial release, new features await you that could help you free up even more disk space.
To start, here’s a brief overview of how Hyperspace originated, as detailed in the Hypercritical blog:
Nowadays, many Mac users are unaware that using the “Duplicate” option in Finder to create a copy of a file does not actually duplicate the file’s content. […]
Numerous Mac applications exist that can clear up disk space by locating duplicate files and then removing them. By leveraging APFS clones, my application could recover disk space without deleting any files! As someone who tends to hoard digital files, this concept was incredibly appealing.
By the end of that week, I had developed a minimal Mac application that mimicked the functionality of my Perl script. Over the following months, I refined and tested the app, eventually naming it Hyperspace. I’m excited to share that Hyperspace is now accessible on the Mac App Store.
The latest update of this storage-saving application now supports the reclamation of space without having to delete files from cloud services such as Apple’s iCloud Drive, Microsoft’s OneDrive, and others.
Initially, Hyperspace launched with a cautious approach, avoiding interactions with more complicated file storage locations. However, the app has since evolved to include cloud storage optimization, including iCloud Drive. An earlier version also incorporated features for scanning package directories like Apple Photos and iMovie libraries, Logic Pro projects, and more.
These functionalities are turned off by default as a safety measure. You can activate them in the app settings under the Advanced tab.
As always, it’s crucial to have a reliable backup strategy in place, particularly before executing actions that, while should not lead to any data loss, may still pose risks. Remember, iCloud by itself is not a true backup solution; deleting files in one location will remove them from all associated locations.
Hyperspace is free to download and operate on your Mac. Following the scan that identifies your storage-saving possibilities, you can opt to purchase the app to actually reclaim space without deleting files.
The app allows for unlimited scans at no cost. Hyperspace offers three one-time purchase choices and two subscription plans.
Hyperspace seamlessly integrates with your Mac’s storage as well as any attached devices utilizing Apple File System (APFS). You can find Hyperspace on the Mac App Store.
