How to Fix the Not Enough Disk Space Issue on iMovie?

“How to free up space on iMovie? Whenever I try to save a project, I get the iMovie not enough disk space error on my Mac instead!”

As I stumbled upon this query on Reddit, I realized that so many people suffer from unwanted iMovie storage problems. Since Mac can have a restricted environment, the iMovie memory usage can spike at times, causing this error. Thankfully, learning how to clear disk space on iMovie is pretty easy and there are different ways to do it.

Let’s get it started and fix the no more space on the iMovie issue like a pro.

Part 1. Why Does iMovie Take up so Much Space on Mac?

Before you start fixing these iMovie storage problems, it is important to learn why does iMovie take up so much space. To analyze this, you can just go to iMovie and check the storage it is occupying.

• There could be tons of rendering files occupying space.
• You could be working on numerous video files and projects.
• There might be a lot of saved (or unsaved) data on iMovie.
• Sometimes, there could be a problem with Mac’s storage management, causing a spike in iMovie memory storage.
• A change in iMovie preferences or settings could have also increased its storage.
• There could be plenty of iMovie cache, temporary, or old library files occupying space on the Mac.

Part 2. Top Fixes for the "Not Enough Disk Space" Issue in iMovie

Now when you know why does iMovie take up so much space, let’s fix this iMovie memory usage problem. Since there could be different reasons for the iMovie not enough disk space error, I would recommend following these solutions.

Fix 1: Get rid of Projects from the iMovie Library

As I have listed above, one of the major reasons for the no more space on iMovie error is the existing projects and events. That is, if you have a lot of events and projects running on iMovie, then it can consume unwanted space.

To resolve these iMovie storage problems, simply launch the application and go to the “All Projects” section from the sidebar. Here, you can view the available projects and right-click the one you want to remove.

Click on the “Move to Trash” option to delete the iMovie project from the application. You can also do the same for the Events section to optimize the iMovie memory usage.

Fix 2: Delete Render Files on iMovie

Just like every other video editing tool, iMovie also saves different render files that can accumulate a lot of space. Since you might not need the saved render files, you can consider removing them instead. To learn how to delete render files in iMovie, just follow this basic drill.

Step #1. At first, just launch the iMovie application on your Mac and go to its Menu > iMovie > Preferences.

Step #2. As the Preferences window in iMovie would be launched, look for the “Render Files” segment and click on the “Delete” button.

Step #3. Simply confirm the action to delete render files in iMovie and wait for the process would be completed.

Step #4. Alternatively, you can also launch Finder and go to the ~/Movies/ folder to manually delete the “Render Files” folder from Mac.

Fix 3: Clear the Entire iMovie Library Package

If you have been using iMovie for a while now, then its library can have a lot of unwanted files. To get the best results and fix the iMovie not enough disk space problem, you can clear the library package entirely. In order to learn how to clear disk space on iMovie by removing its library package, follow these steps:

Step #1. At first, visit Finder on your Mac and click on the Go > Go to Folder option. Here, enter the ~/Movies/ address to open the Movies folder.

Step #2. Once the Movies folder is opened, just select the “iMovie Library” folder. Now, right-click it and select the “Show Package Content” option from the context menu.

Step #3. This will open the entire iMovie Library folder from where you can delete any file or folder (by moving it to the Trash).

Fix 4: Move the iMovie Library Content to Another Location

By default, all the iMovie library data is stored at ~/Movies > iMovie Library folder on Mac. Although it is tough to change the iMovie destination by default, you can move the library data to another location.

For instance, you can just connect your external hard drive to your Mac and move the iMovie library data. Just go to ~/Movies/iMovie Library and manually move the files to the connected external hard drive (by copy-pasting it or just drag-and-drop the data).

Once the iMovie data has been moved to the external drive, you can delete the library files to fix the iMovie storage problems.

Fix 5: Reinstall the iMovie App on Your Mac

Another reason for the no more space on the iMovie issue can be a corrupt or outdated application. Therefore, to fix these iMovie storage problems causes by a problematic app, you can simply reinstall it.

Step #1. To learn how to free up space on iMovie, just launch Finder > Applications and get a list of the installed apps.

Step #2. From here, select the iMovie app, right-click, and choose to move it to the Trash to uninstall it.

Step #3. Once the iMovie app is uninstalled, you can manually go to the ~Library folder and browse folders like Preferences, Caches, Container, and Application Support. You can now manually remove any iMovie-related data from these folders.

Step #4. After uninstalling iMovie and removing its data, you can restart your Mac. Later, you can go to the App Store on Mac and install the iMovie app on it again.

Fix 6: Manage the Storage and Resources on Your Mac

Lastly, if nothing else seems to work and the iMovie memory usage is still overwhelming, then you can manage the storage on your Mac. Here’s how to free up space on iMovie by managing your Mac’s storage.

Step #1. Go to the desktop on your Mac and click on the Apple icon from the top to select the “About This Mac” option.

Step #2. This will open dedicated options related to your Mac. You can check the “Storage” tab to view how much space is available or occupied.

Step #3. Now, click on the “Manage” button under the Storage tab to get numerous options to manage your Mac’s storage.

Step #4. From here, you can choose to empty the Trash on your Mac, optimize its storage, and even reduce its clutter.

By following these options, you would be able to optimize the iMovie memory usage and get more available space for your iMovie projects.

Part 3. Wondershare Filmora: The Best iMovie Alternative for Mac

As you can see, working on iMovie on Mac can be a bit complicated and users can get the iMovie not enough disk space error frequently. Therefore, you can consider using Wondershare Filmora instead, which is one of the best video editing tools for Mac and is the recommended iMovie alternative.

• Extremely Beginner-friendly

One of the best things about Wondershare Filmora is that it is extremely easy to use. The tool has automated advanced video editing features that won’t need any technical experience to master.

• Tons of Video Editing Features

On Filmora, you can find all kinds of video editing features that would let you clip, split, merge, crop, and perform tons of other operations.

• Several Transitions and Effects

Filmora also offers a wide range of readily available captions, effects, transitions, audio, images, and several other options. You can just drag and drop any effect or transition of your choice to apply it to your projects.

• An Inbuilt Audio Mixer

If you want, you can instantly add voice-overs to a video using the inbuilt option in Filmora. There is also a native audio mixer that would let you edit the inserted video based on different parameters (like fading, ducking, and so on).

• More Advanced Features

There are tons of professional and advanced video editing features that you can explore in Filmora. Some of these features are color grading, audio ducking, speed control, motion tracking, keyframing, and more.

That’s a wrap, everyone! After following this guide, you would be able to fix these iMovie storage problems for sure.

As you can check, I have provided a stepwise solution on how to free up space on iMovie and optimize the iMovie memory usage in different ways. Besides that, you can also consider using Wondershare Filmora instead of iMovie. Not only is Filmora a better video editing tool, but it is also extremely easy to use and will not yield any issues like iMovie on your Mac.