Where Is the Caches Folder on Mac?
The per user Caches folder on Mac, what is safe to delete, and the system trees to leave alone.
Last updated
Mac apps stash working data in a Caches folder under your Library, one subfolder per app or bundle ID. Browsers, Xcode derived data and chat app media pile up there, often into tens of gigabytes on old installs.
Deleting an app cache subfolder with the app closed is safe; it rebuilds on next launch at the cost of a few cold starts. Leave the System and root Library cache trees alone, since those belong to macOS itself. When in doubt, use Manage Storage before hand deleting anything.
Where macOS stores this, by platform
~/Library/Caches
One subfolder per app, safe to clear per app with the app closed. System caches live in /System/Library/Caches and /Library/Caches instead; do not hand delete those.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to delete everything in ~/Library/Caches?
Mostly yes with apps closed, since caches rebuild on launch. Prefer deleting per app folders for the worst offenders first. Never touch /System/Library/Caches, which belongs to macOS itself.
Which Mac caches grow the largest?
Developer folders like Xcode DerivedData, browser caches, and chat app media stores. Sort ~/Library/Caches by size in Finder list view to find your own offenders in seconds.
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