OS X allows you to create a number of partitions on your Mac so that each partition can have its own OS or anything you wish to store there. The feature lets you install another version of the OS X, and you can also install Windows on your Mac in that separate partition.
If you have created a partition on your Mac for any reason, but it is no longer used, you can have it removed from your Mac to reclaim the memory space it is currently using. It is a really good idea to free up some memory space that is being used for a partition that you do not use on your machine.
We have shown you at an earlier time how to create a new partition in Mac. In this article we will show you how to erase and then delete a partition on your Mac.
Note: this should erase all the data stored on the partition, so please back up all your important files before proceeding.
Erasing a Partition on a Mac
The built-in Disk Utility will help you with this
1. Launch the Disk Utility app on your Mac.
2. When the app launches, you will see all of the partitions you have created so far in the left panel. You need to select the partition you wish to erase by clicking on it.
Once you have selected a partition by clicking on it, click on the “Erase” button on the top to erase the partition.
3. The following screen should ask you to enter a name for the partition and the format that it should use as its filesystem. You just need to click the “Erase” button here.
4. OS X should start erasing the partition, and when it is done you will see the following message that says the partition was successfully erased. Click on the “Done” button to continue.
The partition you wanted to remove has been successfully erased. The following is how you can remove it from your Mac.
Removing a Partition on a Mac
Again, you are going to use the Disk Utility app.
1. Launch Disk Utility.
2. Select your main hard drive in the left panel by clicking on it. Make sure you are selecting the actual hard drive and not its partitions. The hard drive is usually called “Macintosh HD” or “Fusion Drive.”
After selecting the hard drive, click on the “Partition” option on the top.
3. You will see a graph showing all of the partitions and the amount of memory space they have occupied. Click on the partition you wish to remove in the graph and then click on the “-” (minus) sign in the panel to remove the partition.
4. Click on “Apply.”
5. OS X should then create your main hard drive, and when it is done doing so, click on the “Done” button to continue.
Conclusion
If you have a partition on your Mac that you do not use anymore, you may want to remove it to reclaim the memory space. The guide above helps you do exactly that.
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Mahesh Makvana
Mahesh Makvana is a freelance tech writer who’s written thousands of posts about various tech topics on various sites. He specializes in writing about Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android tech posts. He’s been into the field for last eight years and hasn’t spent a single day without tinkering around his devices.
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