iMovie Not Enough Disk Space

What does not enough disk space mean on iMovie

Like any video editing app, iMovie requires a lot of disk space in order to work properly. If you see the “Not Enough Disk Space” error message, it means you need to free up memory to save projects, videos, data, cache, and other temporary files.

A note from our experts: 

MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup is a great tool for cleaning your Mac by removing duplicate or large files. In other words, it frees up disk space, allowing you to continue using iMovie without issues.

Here are our instructions to use MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup on your device:

1. Open MacKeeper.
2. Select Safe Cleanup under the Cleaning tab.
3. Click Start Scan.
4. Use the checkboxes to choose the folders you want to scan.
5. Click Clean Junk Files.
6. Wait a few minutes until the process is complete.

Common causes of insufficient disk space in iMovie

Is 256 GB enough for a MacBook? The answer is usually yes, but the most demanding iMovie users may find it inadequate. The reasons for running out of space can vary, but the most common include:

• Large project files and render data accumulation
• Cache and temporary files buildup
• Lack of free space on Mac affecting iMovie

1. Large project files and render data accumulation

The lack of available space on your device may be due to your use of iMovie. We often find that the rendering files take up a significant amount of space when we’ve been using the program for a long time and have created many projects. Working with numerous video files and large projects may also contribute to this issue.

2. Cache and temporary files buildup

Moreover, when we use iMovie extensively, cache and temporary files can accumulate and congest our hard drive. Over time, we’ve personally encountered that old iMovie library files can negatively impact the program’s performance.

3. Lack of free space on Mac affecting iMovie

Finally, your lack of space in iMovie may be linked to a general shortage of space on your Mac. This typically occurs when we have many programs installed and a considerable number of saved documents, especially large files like movies, photos, and music.

How to fix not enough disk space on iMovie

When you receive the “Not Enough Disk Space” message in iMovie, the easiest solution may be to free up space on your Mac. However, this isn’t the only option available to you. Consider trying our other methods to ensure you can continue working on your project smoothly.

Our top recommendations include:

• Clear iMovie cache and temporary files.
• Free up space on your Mac.
• Change iMovie library location.
• Reduce project size and remove unused media in iMovie.
• Check iMovie storage settings to optimize space usage.
• Uninstall and reinstall iMovie.

1. Clear iMovie cache and temporary files

iMovie can create numerous temporary files and cache data, so we believe cleaning it up is important to free up space. You’ll need to remove the rendering files from the iMovie Library to do this.

Follow these steps to clear disk space on iMovie:

1. Open iMovie.
2. Click on iMovie in the menu bar.
3. Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
4. Click Delete next to Render Files.
5. Confirm by clicking Delete again.

2. Free up space on your Mac

While we recommend using MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup tool to automate the process of freeing up space on your Mac, you can also manually delete files and apps you no longer need by following the steps below:

1. Go to your Documents folder.
2. Check your folders for large and unwanted files.
3. Right-click on any files/folders you want to delete, then click Move to Trash.
4. Go to your Applications folder.
5. Select any app you want to remove, right-click on it, then choose Move to Trash.
6. Now, go to your Trash folder.
7. Click Empty, then click Empty Trash to confirm.

3. Change iMovie Library location

Moving the iMovie Library to a different location permanently can be challenging, but you can transfer the library data to another location with a few simple steps. By storing the library on an external device, you’ll free up precious space on your Mac.

We suggest you follow these steps:

1. Open Finder.
2. Click Go in the menu bar, then select Go to Folder from the dropdown menu.
3. Type ~/Movies and press Enter.
4. Select the iMovie Library file.
5. Copy and paste it to your external drive.

4. Reduce project size and remove unused media in iMovie

While it may seem obvious, deleting unnecessary files isn’t always our first instinct when the “Not Enough Disk Space” prompt appears. To resolve this issue, we recommend reviewing your files in iMovie and removing any that you no longer need or can do without, allowing you to continue using the program.

Here’s how to delete unused media in iMovie:

1. Launch iMovie.
2. Unfold the iMovie Library menu in the left sidebar.
3. Right-click on the project you want to remove media from.
4. Click Delete event from the dropdown menu.
5. Click Continue to confirm.

5. Check iMovie storage settings to optimize space usage

Is iMovie taking up too much space, or is another app or other Mac files causing the problem? To find out, we suggest checking your Mac’s storage settings to optimize space usage. Follow our instructions to find how much space iMovie is taking on your Mac:

1. Open your Mac’s System Settings panel.
2. Select General from the sidebar, then choose Storage.
3. Scroll down until you find the list of data taking up space on your Mac.
4. Click the Information icon next to Applications.
5. In the new window, check the Size column to find out which apps are taking more space.

6. Uninstall and reinstall iMovie

Finally, a solution that all IT technicians usually suggest. Restarting your computer or reinstalling an app are often simple and effective methods to resolve computer issues. In this case, we recommend reinstalling iMovie on your Mac:

1. Go to your Mac’s Applications folder.
2. Find the iMovie app and right-click on it.
3. Select Move to Trash from the dropdown menu.
4. Enter your admin password and click OK to complete the process.
5. Open the Trash folder, then click the Empty button.
6. Click Empty Trash to confirm.
7. Now, open the Mac App Store, find iMovie, and click Get to install it again.

For additional solutions to troubleshooting video issues, check out our tutorial on how to record video on a Mac.

The ultimate solution to fix iMovie not enough disk space

You may encounter the “Not Enough Disk Space” error in iMovie for several reasons, but fortunately, there are also various solutions to this annoying problem. You can try deleting large files from your Mac, adjusting the program settings, or even uninstalling and reinstalling iMovie.

However, our top recommendation is to delete temporary iMovie files and free up disk space. For this purpose, MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup is a useful tool designed to remove unnecessary files that are taking up valuable space on your Mac.