MacOS VFS not freeing local space

📱 Desktop & mobile clients 💻 Desktop
, ,
1
Support intro

Sorry to hear you’re facing problems. :slightly_frowning_face:

The community help forum (help.nextcloud.com) is for home and non-enterprise users. Support is provided by other community members on a best effort / “as available” basis. All of those responding are volunteering their time to help you.

If you’re using Nextcloud in a business/critical setting, paid and SLA-based support services can be accessed via portal.nextcloud.com where Nextcloud engineers can help ensure your business keeps running smoothly.

Getting help

In order to help you as efficiently (and quickly!) as possible, please fill in as much of the below requested information as you can.

Before clicking submit: Please check if your query is already addressed via the following resources:

(Utilizing these existing resources is typically faster. It also helps reduce the load on our generous volunteers while elevating the signal to noise ratio of the forums otherwise arising from the same queries being posted repeatedly).

Some or all of the below information will be requested if it isn’t supplied; for fastest response please provide as much as you can. :heart:

The Basics

  • Nextcloud Server version (e.g., 29.x.x):

    • 32.0.1

  • Operating system and version (e.g., Ubuntu 24.04):

    • CentOS 9.6

  • Web server and version (e.g, Apache 2.4.25):

    • Apache2.4.62

  • Reverse proxy and version _(e.g. nginx 1.27.2)

    • N/A

  • PHP version (e.g, 8.3):

    • 8.2.29

  • Is this the first time you’ve seen this error? (Yes / No):

    • yes

  • When did this problem seem to first start?

    • Straight after install

  • Installation method (e.g. AlO, NCP, Bare Metal/Archive, etc.)

    • archive

  • Are you using CloudfIare, mod_security, or similar? (Yes / No)

    • no

Macos VFS client version 4.0.1

Macos release 15.6.1

Summary of the issue you are facing:

Files sync to the server without a problem but my local disk utilisation never goes up.

Steps to replicate it (hint: details matter!):

  1. Copy a whole bunch of files to a nextcloud folder and watch it sync

  2. compare usage before and after - no change

  3. Under virtual File sync usage reports as 0GB of 160GB remote files

  4. Pressing Free up space opens a dialog box with no information in it with a button marked reload.

Log entries

Nextcloud

Please provide the log entries from your Nextcloud log that are generated during the time of problem (via the Copy raw option from Administration settings->Logging screen or from your nextcloud.log located in your data directory). Feel free to use a pastebin/gist service if necessary.

|Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly|4|2|1763353408|691aa340ebd88|0|00004529ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|0|1763353408||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/Analysis Files → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/Analysis Files|4|2|1763351261|691a9adda29bd|0|00004574ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|0|1763351261||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly|4|2|1763351262|691a9adeeb87d|0|00004584ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|0|1763351262||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/Original Media → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/Original Media|4|2|1763353408|691aa340ebd88|0|00004585ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|0|1763353408||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/Render Files → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/Render Files|4|2|1763353219|691aa2842d022|0|00004820ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|0|1763353219||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/Transcoded Media → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/Transcoded Media|4|2|1763353238|691aa297198ef|0|00004821ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|0|1763353238||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/.flexohidden → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/.flexohidden|4|2|1763337723|230cbb5033adf5caa4a49b776b4d2531|0|00005038ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|0|1763337723||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/CurrentVersion.imovieevent → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/E8bw S01E05 Case and final assembly/CurrentVersion.imovieevent|4|2|1763337923|17ab504d7997e1adeab7e5f7d5745280|819200|00005039ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|819200|1763337923||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/__Temp → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/__Temp|4|2|1763337426|691a64d2722fd|0|00000556ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|0|1763337426||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/.lock → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/.lock|4|2|1763336758|2f670e3961a2258fe0d834fda4118c9b|0|00000679ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|0|1763336758||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/.lock-info → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/.lock-info|4|2|1763337699|d75d03b7a9288c7b5ef9edb059600fef|370|00000681ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|370|1763337699||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/CurrentVersion.flexolibrary → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/CurrentVersion.flexolibrary|4|2|1763338136|130d7eacf2e1f8552f7a5bddfc12f3c6|118784|00000682ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|118784|1763338136||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/CurrentVersion.plist → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/CurrentVersion.plist|4|2|1763336758|40efbd36026798761f948159ae7a0dd4|326|00000683ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|326|1763336758||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/Settings.plist → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/Settings.plist|4|2|1763336758|59b20c50683a50cfcdf2a0df8ee0b8e2|265|00000684ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|265|1763336758||
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/Sync → Earies 8-Bit Workshop/iMovie Library/Cloud Library.imovielibrary.save/Sync|4|2|1763338147|bf72b9af6bf94ae1455a1259a2e5d367|0|00005040ocxl0dwbv4ph|13||0|0|1763338147||
#=#=#=# Syncrun finished 2025-11-18T02:37:54Z (last step: 1413 msec, total: 1716 msec)
#=#=#=# Syncrun started 2025-11-18T02:37:58Z
#=#=#=#=# Propagation starts 2025-11-18T02:37:58Z (last step: 289 msec, total: 289 msec)
||Earies 8-Bit Workshop/S00 - Retro Rapid/S00E03 - Composite mod to go/E8bw S00S03 Composite mod to go.mp4|8|2|1757649034|3de1fc57a3eae95192f5615b9e7862b4|1115410779|00005761ocxl0dwbv4ph|11|The download would reduce free local disk space below the limit|0|0|0||
#=#=#=# Syncrun finished 2025-11-18T02:37:58Z (last step: 15 msec, total: 305 msec)

PASTE HERE

Web Browser

If the problem is related to the Web interface, open your browser inspector Console and Network tabs while refreshing (reloading) and reproducing the problem. Provide any relevant output/errors here that appear.

N/A

Web server / Reverse Proxy

The output of your Apache/nginx/system log in /var/log/____:

N/A

Configuration

Nextcloud

The output of occ config:list system or similar is best, but, if not possible, the contents of your config.php file from /path/to/nextcloud is fine (make sure to remove any identifiable information!):

{
    "system": {
        "instanceid": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "passwordsalt": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "secret": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "trusted_domains": [
            "172.31.1.69"
        ],
        "datadirectory": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbtype": "mysql",
        "version": "32.0.1.2",
        "overwrite.cli.url": "http:\/\/172.31.1.69\/cloud",
        "dbname": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbhost": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbtableprefix": "oc_",
        "mysql.utf8mb4": true,
        "dbuser": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbpassword": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "installed": true
    },
    "apps": {
        "activity": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "5.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": "filesystem"
        },
        "app_api": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "32.0.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "backgroundjob": {
            "lastjob": "65"
        },
        "bruteforcesettings": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "5.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "circles": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "32.0.0",
            "loopback_tmp_path": "\/cloud",
            "loopback_tmp_scheme": "http",
            "maintenance_run": "0",
            "maintenance_update": "{\"3\":1763286360,\"2\":1763286360,\"1\":1763286360}",
            "types": "filesystem,dav"
        },
        "cloud_federation_api": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.16.0",
            "types": "filesystem"
        },
        "comments": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.22.0",
            "types": "logging"
        },
        "contactsinteraction": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.13.1",
            "types": "dav"
        },
        "core": {
            "backgroundjobs_mode": "cron",
            "installedat": "1763286297.2264",
            "lastcron": 1763433286,
            "lastupdateResult": "[]",
            "lastupdatedat": 1763435164,
            "metadataGenerationDone": true,
            "public_files": "files_sharing\/public.php",
            "vendor": "nextcloud",
            "files_metadata": {
                "photos-original_date_time": {
                    "value": null,
                    "type": "int",
                    "etag": "",
                    "indexed": true,
                    "editPermission": 0
                },
                "photos-exif": {
                    "value": null,
                    "type": "array",
                    "etag": "",
                    "indexed": false,
                    "editPermission": 0
                },
                "photos-ifd0": {
                    "value": null,
                    "type": "array",
                    "etag": "",
                    "indexed": false,
                    "editPermission": 0
                },
                "photos-size": {
                    "value": null,
                    "type": "array",
                    "etag": "",
                    "indexed": false,
                    "editPermission": 0
                },
                "photos-gps": {
                    "value": null,
                    "type": "array",
                    "etag": "",
                    "indexed": false,
                    "editPermission": 0
                },
                "blurhash": {
                    "value": null,
                    "type": "string",
                    "etag": "52064e41d86e179d74ed92cea0580c33",
                    "indexed": false,
                    "editPermission": 0
                }
            },
            "oc.integritycheck.checker": {
                "core": {
                    "FILE_MISSING": {
                        ".htaccess": {
                            "expected": "406f896e874b31ba31ccc4a941f1cc7e4b3e8e495a413cc7908eab595cbab17f24ade371d25d36cf5ef35958099a7ee0376cddf3302ae9571eab301cc0fdb76d",
                            "current": ""
                        },
                        ".user.ini": {
                            "expected": "d67a6180fb1c4cd37bcc0248a794c459814e6b780649ae09943e16c2d57287c4d106dfb61b9616e9adf3467c3f08aef0a7748d7beba80bf2bd617586af93abd1",
                            "current": ""
                        }
                    },
                    "EXTRA_FILE": {
                        "perm": {
                            "expected": "",
                            "current": "112e0bcc2eb1d0b9bd0bf2cd48c56c90fd8dc10decf57ad13861b84f41dbc3f0c7b828bca29d96d8a816f413e4e41e4b1676f20dd4747e42976be6fefca9d5d1"
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "dashboard": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "7.12.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "dav": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "hasCustomDefaultContact": false,
            "installed_version": "1.34.2",
            "types": "filesystem"
        },
        "federatedfilesharing": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.22.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "federation": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.22.0",
            "types": "authentication"
        },
        "files": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "2.4.0",
            "types": "filesystem"
        },
        "files_downloadlimit": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "5.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "files_pdfviewer": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "5.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "files_reminders": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.5.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "files_sharing": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.24.0",
            "types": "filesystem"
        },
        "files_trashbin": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.22.0",
            "types": "filesystem,dav"
        },
        "files_versions": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.25.0",
            "types": "filesystem,dav"
        },
        "firstrunwizard": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "5.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "logreader": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "5.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": "logging"
        },
        "lookup_server_connector": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.20.0",
            "types": "authentication"
        },
        "nextcloud_announcements": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "4.0.0-dev.0",
            "pub_date": "Thu, 24 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0200",
            "types": "logging"
        },
        "notifications": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "5.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": "logging"
        },
        "oauth2": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.20.0",
            "types": "authentication"
        },
        "password_policy": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "4.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": "authentication"
        },
        "photos": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "5.0.0-dev.1",
            "lastPlaceMappedUser": "simon",
            "lastPlaceMappingDone": "true",
            "types": "dav,authentication"
        },
        "privacy": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "4.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "profile": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.1.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "provisioning_api": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.22.0",
            "types": "prevent_group_restriction"
        },
        "recommendations": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "5.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "related_resources": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "3.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "serverinfo": {
            "cached_count_appdata_files": 257,
            "cached_count_filecache": 1189,
            "cached_count_storages": 3,
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "4.0.0-dev.0",
            "size_appdata_storage": 0,
            "types": ""
        },
        "settings": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.15.1",
            "types": ""
        },
        "sharebymail": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.22.0",
            "types": "filesystem"
        },
        "support": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "4.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": "session"
        },
        "survey_client": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "4.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "systemtags": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.22.0",
            "types": "logging"
        },
        "text": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "6.0.1",
            "types": "dav"
        },
        "theming": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "2.7.0",
            "types": "logging"
        },
        "twofactor_backupcodes": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.21.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "updatenotification": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.22.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "user_status": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.12.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "viewer": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "5.0.0-dev.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "weather_status": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.12.0",
            "types": ""
        },
        "webhook_listeners": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "1.3.0",
            "types": "filesystem"
        },
        "workflowengine": {
            "enabled": "yes",
            "installed_version": "2.14.0",
            "types": "filesystem"
        }
    }
}

Apps

The output of occ app:list (if possible).

Enabled:

  • activity: 5.0.0-dev.0
  • app_api: 32.0.0
  • bruteforcesettings: 5.0.0-dev.0
  • circles: 32.0.0
  • cloud_federation_api: 1.16.0
  • comments: 1.22.0
  • contactsinteraction: 1.13.1
  • dashboard: 7.12.0
  • dav: 1.34.2
  • federatedfilesharing: 1.22.0
  • federation: 1.22.0
  • files: 2.4.0
  • files_downloadlimit: 5.0.0-dev.0
  • files_pdfviewer: 5.0.0-dev.0
  • files_reminders: 1.5.0
  • files_sharing: 1.24.0
  • files_trashbin: 1.22.0
  • files_versions: 1.25.0
  • firstrunwizard: 5.0.0-dev.0
  • logreader: 5.0.0-dev.0
  • lookup_server_connector: 1.20.0
  • nextcloud_announcements: 4.0.0-dev.0
  • notifications: 5.0.0-dev.0
  • oauth2: 1.20.0
  • password_policy: 4.0.0-dev.0
  • photos: 5.0.0-dev.1
  • privacy: 4.0.0-dev.0
  • profile: 1.1.0
  • provisioning_api: 1.22.0
  • recommendations: 5.0.0-dev.0
  • related_resources: 3.0.0-dev.0
  • serverinfo: 4.0.0-dev.0
  • settings: 1.15.1
  • sharebymail: 1.22.0
  • support: 4.0.0-dev.0
  • survey_client: 4.0.0-dev.0
  • systemtags: 1.22.0
  • text: 6.0.1
  • theming: 2.7.0
  • twofactor_backupcodes: 1.21.0
  • updatenotification: 1.22.0
  • user_status: 1.12.0
  • viewer: 5.0.0-dev.0
  • weather_status: 1.12.0
  • webhook_listeners: 1.3.0
  • workflowengine: 2.14.0
    Disabled:
  • admin_audit: 1.22.0
  • encryption: 2.20.0
  • files_external: 1.24.0
  • suspicious_login: 10.0.0-dev.0
  • twofactor_nextcloud_notification: 6.0.0-dev.0
  • twofactor_totp: 14.0.0
  • user_ldap: 1.23.0

Tips for increasing the likelihood of a response

  • Use the preformatted text formatting option in the editor for all log entries and configuration output.
  • If screenshots are useful, feel free to include them.
    • If possible, also include key error output in text form so it can be searched for.
  • Try to edit log output only minimally (if at all) so that it can be ran through analyzers / formatters by those trying to help you.
2

To clarify - my local disk utilisation only increases as I add files. As they sync, the local space consumed by the file is never freed even though the app says its using 0GB locally and 160GB+ remote. The icon against the file is a cloud with a down arrow through it but all the files are remaining locally and can still be fully accessed if the client is stopped and/or the wifi switched off. This proves the file is still local even though all indications are that the file is remote.

Not sure if the nextcloud.cfg isVfsEnabled is still used but it says false regardless of the setting in the client app. If I exit the client app change isVfsEnabled=false to true and restart the app it goes straight back to false again even with the “Enabled virtual files” ticked. Also noticed 0\Folders\1\virtualFilesMode=off - not sure if thats relevant but changing to on doesn’t seem to do anything and it does not change back to off.

1 Like