Resolving Disk Space Issues When Installing Xcode on macOS

28 February 2025 Stephan Petzl Leave a comment Xcode

Installing Xcode on macOS can sometimes be problematic, especially when the Mac App Store indicates insufficient disk space, despite having ample free space. This guide provides a step-by-step solution to address this issue effectively.

Understanding the Issue

The problem often arises due to the way macOS calculates available disk space. The Finder counts “purgeable” space as free, but the Mac App Store does not, leading to discrepancies.

Step-by-Step Solutions

1. Manually Download and Install Xcode

If the Mac App Store is not cooperating, consider downloading Xcode directly from Apple’s developer site. Follow these steps:

• Visit Apple’s Developer Downloads.
• Search for the desired version of Xcode and download it.
• Install Xcode manually by opening the downloaded file.

2. Clear Purgeable Space

You can clear APFS purgeable space by tricking macOS into cleaning it up. Use the Terminal to create and then delete a large temporary file:

    
      dd if=/dev/zero of=~/hugefile bs=100m
      rm ~/hugefile
    
  

3. Delete Old Simulator Files and Derived Data

Free up space by removing outdated simulator files and derived data:

• Navigate to ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport/ and delete old simulator files.
• Go to ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData and remove all contents.

4. Use DevCleaner for Xcode

DevCleaner is a handy tool available on the Mac App Store that simplifies the cleanup process for Xcode-related files.

5. Remove Cache Files

Deleting specific cache files can resolve the issue:

• Quit the Mac App Store.
• Remove ~/Library/Caches/storedownloadd and ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.appstore.
• Relaunch the Mac App Store and attempt the installation again.

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