macOS 15 Sequoia could help fix one thing we hate about MacBooks: lack of storage space

macOS 15 finally offers the ability to install apps directly on an external drive, which could be a lifesaver for Mac gamers

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Applejust made another very handy tweak to the way storage works with macOS in its latest version, Sequoia, which is still in beta testing (albeit on the cusp of launching) – and this one could be something of a lifesaver in certain scenarios.

The change is a new option in the settings for the Mac App Store whereby you can instruct macOS to automatically download and install any app, or game, which is larger than 1GB to an external drive, as opposed to the main system drive in the Mac.

As9 to 5 Macreports, this has happened in the freshly released beta of macOS 15.1, the third beta on this branch which is for developers only, and is the sole build that carriesApple Intelligence features. (These AI capabilities won’t debut with macOS 15 Sequoia, but rather with the 15.1 release that’ll come a little later).

It’s a useful ability to have if you have a small drive in yourMac or MacBook, as many of us do – it’s really expensive to equip a MacBook in particular with a larger SSD – or you’ve crammed all sorts of software on, and are running out of storage space.

We mentioned this isanotherhandy tweak that macOS 15 introduces on the storage front, as it follows a previous change in a past beta whereby usersno longer need to have double the storage space requirementswhen installing an app from the App Store. (A temporary requirement it must be noted – but still a serious stumbling block in some cases where storage space is thin on the ground).

Analysis: Drive to thrive

The new installation option is very welcome, although it’s always been the case that you can run apps from an external drive (some apps, anyway – there are others that must be installed on the system drive for various reasons). Previously, however, you’ve had to manually shift the app across after installing it on your main drive, so it’s obviously a far more convenient touch to have applications just installed on the external disk in the first place, if this is the way you want to go.

While it’s great to have this option, it’s odd that Apple has only just added it, really. Why hasn’t it been brought in before now? We can only offer a shrug of our shoulders. WithMacs continually taking stridesto become more proficient gaming machines –macOS 15 will help on this front, too, with Game Mode tuning to ensure faster frame rates – perhaps this has been pushed up a priority list somewhere, as it’ll certainly help when it comes to fitting beefy game folders onto an Apple device.

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Just remember that apps might be quite a bit slower on an external drive, so it could well be worth buying one of thebest nippy external SSDs, especially if gaming is on your to-do list with planned installations away from your Mac’s main drive.

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Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - ‘I Know What You Did Last Supper’ - was published by Hachette UK in 2013).

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