Where Is the macOS Library Folder?
MacOS has three Library folders. The hidden ~/Library holds app data, and here is how to open it, what is inside, and what not to delete.
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A Mac has three Library folders. /Library is the machine-wide one every account shares, /System/Library belongs to macOS itself and is locked down, and ~/Library is yours, hidden by default since OS X Lion.
The hidden one is where apps keep their data: Application Support, Preferences, Caches, Containers, Logs, Saved Application State. It hides for a reason. Deleting the wrong thing here does not merely reset an app, it can remove files the app cannot rebuild.
Two routes cover almost every case: Finder > Go > Go to Folder with ~/Library, or hold Option while the Go menu is open and Library appears in the list.
Where macOS stores this, by platform
~/Library
Hidden by default. Open it with Finder > Go > Go to Folder and ~/Library, or hold Option as you open the Go menu and pick Library from the entries that appear. Inside: Application Support (app data, the closest macOS equivalent of Windows AppData\Roaming), Preferences (.plist settings), Caches, Containers, Group Containers, Logs and Saved Application State. Containers holds the sandbox of each app, so deleting one app's container removes that app's local data and it starts fresh. Emptying individual Caches folders is safe when an app misbehaves, since caches get rebuilt, but Application Support is real data: clear it selectively at most, never in bulk.
/Library
Machine-wide, shared by every account on the Mac: Application Support, Preferences, Caches, Fonts, LaunchAgents and PrivilegedHelperTools among them. Writing here needs an admin login, while ~/Library never does. Most day-to-day troubleshooting only ever needs the user folder.
/System/Library
macOS's own files, protected by System Integrity Protection so not even root can modify them. Read from it if you must, but do not plan on editing: SIP blocks changes to /System regardless of sudo, and that protection is the reason your Mac survives updates.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open the Library folder on a Mac?
In Finder choose Go > Go to Folder, type ~/Library and press Return. Or hold Option while the Go menu is open and Library appears between Home and Utilities. Both methods work without changing any settings or unhiding files permanently.
What is the difference between /Library and ~/Library on Mac?
/Library is machine-wide, holding fonts, launch agents and settings that apply to every account, and writing to it needs an admin login. ~/Library belongs to your user account only, holds your app data, and never needs permissions.
Is it safe to delete the Caches folder in Library?
Yes for ~/Library/Caches: apps rebuild what you remove, though the first launch afterwards runs slower while they do. Do not bulk-delete ~/Library/Application Support, which holds databases, login state and project data that no app can regenerate.
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