Where Does NuGet Store Packages?
Where NuGet keeps the global packages folder on Windows, macOS and Linux, and the dotnet command that prints it.
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Every NuGet restore lands in one global packages folder shared by all projects: %USERPROFILE%\.nuget\packages on Windows, ~/.nuget/packages on macOS and Linux. Target framework subfolders inside each package mean one download serves every project that references it.
The folder only grows, since uninstalling a project orphans its packages. Clearing it is routine maintenance, not surgery. Builds simply re download what they need, which also makes the folder the first suspect when a restore behaves strangely.
Where NuGet stores this, by platform
%USERPROFILE%\.nuget\packages
Paste %USERPROFILE%\.nuget\packages into Explorer. Each package gets a versioned subfolder. The NUGET_PACKAGES environment variable moves the whole folder if set, so check it when this path is empty.
~/.nuget/packages
Shared by .NET SDK, Mono and Visual Studio for Mac installs. Confirm with dotnet nuget locals global-packages --list before scripting anything against the path.
~/.nuget/packages
Same path and same dotnet command as macOS. CI machines often set NUGET_PACKAGES to a workspace folder to keep the cache inside the build agent.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my exact global packages folder?
Run dotnet nuget locals global-packages --list. It prints the live folder, which moves when NUGET_PACKAGES is set or NuGetDefaults.Config redirects it. Trust that output over any documented default.
Is it safe to delete the packages folder?
Yes. It is purely a cache: the next build re downloads whatever projects still reference. Run dotnet nuget locals global-packages --clear to empty it in one step, or delete the folder by hand with Visual Studio closed.
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