Apple Intelligence Models on macOS 27 Cannot Be Removed, Consuming 30 GB of Storage

Apple’s on‑device AI models are non‑removable in macOS 27

Apple ships macOS 27 with a bundle of on‑device "Apple Intelligence" models that remain on the system even when Siri is disabled. Users report that these models consume roughly 30 GB of local storage that cannot be moved to iCloud or deleted through normal system settings.

Why the storage impact matters to users

  • Fixed‑size devices – A 512 GB Mac mini with a 2 TB iCloud plan still loses 30 GB of usable space, which is significant for developers, creators, and anyone with limited local storage.
  • No user control – Apple provides no UI option to uninstall or relocate these models, contrary to the expectations set by previous macOS updates where optional components could be removed.
  • Potential cost implications – Users may feel pressured to purchase higher‑capacity Macs or larger iCloud plans simply to accommodate the forced storage overhead.

Community‑provided workaround to reclaim space

An unofficial, reversible tool exists that can delete the Apple Intelligence models:

  • GitHub – RemoveMacAI – https://github.com/omlahore/RemoveMacAI (based on https://github.com/4evy/pared). The script locates the model files and removes them, freeing the 30 GB of space.
  • Safety note – The tool is community‑maintained, not officially supported by Apple, and may break with future macOS releases. Users should back up their system before running it.

"While I agree with you, there is an unofficial (and reversible) tool which can help you reclaim this space: https://github.com/omlahore/RemoveMacAI (to be complete: it seems to be based on https://github.com/4evy/pared)" – lode

How Apple typically responds to user complaints

  • Support tickets are more effective – Apple rarely reacts to public outrage on platforms like Hacker News. Direct AppleCare support cases, especially with screenshots of unexpected disk usage after an OS upgrade, tend to receive a response.
  • No official removal path – As of the current macOS 27 release, Apple has not provided a documented method to disable or uninstall the AI models.

"Support call tickets are, however, meaningful to them. You’ll have much better luck opening an AppleCare support case via phone call about unexpected disk space usage one day after an upgrade and then asking them how to free the 20GB of space used" – altairprime

Perspectives from the broader community

  • Some users view the forced inclusion of AI models as a reasonable trade‑off for on‑device processing capabilities, arguing that the feature benefits developers who want to avoid cloud compute costs.
  • Others see it as a violation of advertised storage capacity, suggesting that manufacturers should only market the amount of usable space after accounting for OS‑reserved components.
  • A minority advocate switching to Linux‑based systems (e.g., Fedora Silverblue) to avoid such forced, opaque components.

Practical steps for affected users

  1. Verify the storage consumption – Open About This Mac → Storage and look for the "Apple Intelligence" entry (≈30 GB).
  2. Create a backup – Use Time Machine or another backup solution before modifying system files.
  3. Run the RemoveMacAI script – Follow the README instructions on the GitHub repo to delete the model files.
  4. Open an AppleCare ticket – Document the issue with screenshots and request guidance on officially reclaiming the space.
  5. Consider hardware alternatives – If the storage hit is a deal‑breaker, evaluate higher‑capacity Macs or alternative operating systems that give full control over installed components.

Outlook

Apple has not announced any plan to make the Apple Intelligence models optional in future macOS updates. Until an official solution appears, users must rely on community tools or direct support interactions to recover the lost storage.

Sources

Related