Help · Mac storage
How much space does Apple Intelligence use on a Mac?
On macOS 27, Apple Intelligence downloads its models automatically on Macs that support it, and there's no longer a switch that removes them. Here's what Apple says, what people have measured, and the safe ways to get the space back.
What Apple says
Apple's support article “How to get Apple Intelligence” says it needs up to 14 GB of storage on Macs with M3 or later and at least 12 GB of memory, and up to 8 GB on other supported Macs. The features are automatically available when you update to macOS 27.
What people have measured
- MacRumors measured 20.67 GB on an M4 Pro Mac mini.
- Ars Technica measured 22.42 GB on an M3 MacBook Air (on a beta) and about 14 GB on an M1 MacBook Air, a Mac in Apple's “up to 8 GB” group.
- Users have reported 24 to 30 GB, though those figures aren't independently checked.
Storage settings may show a larger number than the space you'd actually get back: in one AppleInsider test the figure dropped by about 24 GB but free space rose by about 14 GB.
Can you turn it off to get the space back?
On macOS 27, Apple no longer offers a switch that turns Apple Intelligence off and deletes its downloaded files, as MacRumors reported. Apple's own guide to turning off Apple Intelligence features lists separate switches (Siri, summaries, Smart Replies and others) and Screen Time restrictions, but Apple doesn't say anywhere that turning them off frees storage.
Why we don't recommend removal tools
Unofficial tools and Recovery-mode tricks that delete the models have appeared, and one was discussed widely on Hacker News. 9to5Mac's verdict on the best-known one was “think twice”: it's unofficial, makes system-level changes, could stop working or cause problems after a macOS update, and removes Siri, Writing Tools, summaries, Photos Clean Up and other features. Its own instructions note it isn't notarised. Deleting files from Recovery isn't documented by Apple, and the models can download again after an update.
If you rely on your Mac for work, we'd leave Apple Intelligence's files alone until Apple offers a supported way to remove them.
What you can safely do instead
- Turn off the Apple Intelligence features you don't use in System Settings (it won't necessarily free space, but it stops them running).
- Free space elsewhere, using Apple's own advice: delete old iPhone backups, empty the Trash, clear out Downloads, remove apps you don't use, and keep films and music you can stream again in the cloud.
- Move big libraries to an external drive: Photos, other big folders.
- See what else is in System Data, often caches, snapshots and developer files you can deal with.
Sources: Apple Support, “How to get Apple Intelligence” (14 Sep 2026) and “Turn off and restrict access to Apple Intelligence features on Mac”; MacRumors, 23 Sep 2026; MacDailyNews, 25 Sep 2026 (citing AppleInsider and Ars Technica); 9to5Mac, 5 Oct 2026; Apple Support, “Free up storage space on Mac” (6 Jul 2026). Checked October 2026.
Get back the space you can.
Apple Intelligence's files are best left alone for now. Pangalin Space Manager's free scan shows everything else that's using your disk, explains it, and frees what's safe: you can free your first 5 GB at no cost.
Free to scan · first 5 GB freed free · Notarised by Apple · Apple silicon, macOS 13 or later