"Backups" take up most storage - Help?

[celticfc482]

Just got a new macbook pro and used time machine once to backup to a hard drive. When I check how much memory I have left it says Backups take up 70gb, what exactly is this and can i get rid of them to save space as I don't want any backups on the laptop?

Thanks

 

[octatonic]

Just got a new macbook pro and used time machine once to backup to a hard drive. When I check how much memory I have left it says Backups take up 70gb, what exactly is this and can i get rid of them to save space as I don't want any backups on the laptop?

Thanks

Disable Time machine in preferences.

BTW 'memory' isn't the right term here.
The term you want is storage.

 

[celticfc482]

Disable Time machine in preferences.

BTW 'memory' isn't the right term here.
The term you want is storage.

Yeah I thought about that in the title then forgot to say storage then I posted

 

[celticfc482]

If turning off Time Machine takes that storage away does that mean its just "hypothetical" storage. What I mean is its not actually taking up 70gb on the drive, it just says it is?

 

[Ccrew]

If turning off Time Machine takes that storage away does that mean its just "hypothetical" storage. What I mean is its not actually taking up 70gb on the drive, it just says it is?

No, it saves snapshots to your local disc awaiting connection to Time Machine. It's taking up the space, but is programmed to release it if other applications call for it.