Mac Users Reclaim Storage With New Apple Intelligence Removal Tool

A new open-source tool is making waves in the Mac community by helping users reclaim valuable storage space taken up by Apple's AI models. Called "RemoveMacAI," the tool disables Apple Intelligence on macOS 27, removes its downloaded models, and prevents them from being downloaded again. In macOS 27, Apple removed the toggle to disable Apple Intelligence wholesale, and simply disabling individual features doesn't remove the models from your Mac's drive. As explained by the developer, RemoveMacAI gets around this by using a configuration profile to switch off Apple's own asset management service and remove the models. It then configures the system so attempts to download the removed models are redirected to a closed local port, preventing them from immediately coming back. And it does all this without disabling System Integrity Protection (SIP) or manually deleting files from protected system locations, unlike some older tools have. The tool can free up roughly 10GB-12GB of space depending on which models are present on your Mac. That said, some users are reporting cases of Apple Intelligence models having taken up a lot more space, which they've now reclaimed. With the Apple models gone, you lose all Siri-related AI features, Writing Tools, Genmoji, Image Playground, ChatGPT integration, summaries, smart replies, inline predictions, Photos Clean Up, Spatial Photos, and Xcode predictive completion. Even so, plenty of users appear happy to make the sacrifice to free up space, especially on non-upgradeable Macs with 256GB of storage. The profile reportedly persists across updates. And if you're wondering, dictation still works. The project has attracted hundreds of GitHub stars since its release last week, and there's lots of discussion on Reddit and Hacker News about the need for such a tool. Just be aware that MacRumors isn't endorsing RemoveMacAI, and anyone using it does so at their own risk. The developer has mentioned one caveat, and it's that some of the configuration-profile restriction keys that the tool relies on were deprecated by Apple in macOS 26.4. While they still work in macOS 27.0.1, a future version could always change that. Something to keep in mind. Popular StoriesApple Intelligence Taking Up 30GB+ on Some Macs Running macOS 27Wednesday September 23, 2026 3:30 am PDT by Tim HardwickAfter you install macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple automatically downloads a multi-gigabyte AI model to your Mac the next time it's connected to the internet. Unlike previous versions of macOS, you can't prevent it. Siri AI, and by extension Apple Intelligence, are now a mandatory part of your system. For macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple says the latest Apple Intelligence features require up to 14GB...iOS 27.2 Beta Previews New Apple Intelligence Health AppWednesday September 16, 2026 10:32 am PDT by Juli CloverThe first beta of iOS 27.2 includes Apple's redesigned Health app, giving developers a chance to try out the features ahead of launch later this year. Apple's developer notes for the feature say the Health app is being tested in this beta, but it won't be in the launch version of iOS 27.2. It will instead come later in the year. The Health app will incorporate Apple Intelligence to turn...Three All-New 'Audio Intelligence' Features Arrive With Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4Apple today announced "Audio Intelligence," a new suite of Apple Intelligence-powered features for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 that use the built-in microphone to help users catch missed moments in conversation and stay aware of important sounds. The Apple Watch's Audio Intelligence comprises four features: Siri Recap: Uses ambient listening to generate high-level...