Where Does Restic Keep Its Cache?
Restic caches repo metadata per OS in standard cache dirs. The Linux, macOS, and Windows paths plus overrides.
Last updated
Restic keeps a local cache of repository metadata so repeated operations skip re-downloading. Each repository gets its own subdirectory named by repo ID, with timestamps Restic uses to prune stale entries.
Defaults are OS specific: ~/.cache/restic on Linux, ~/Library/Caches/restic on macOS, and %LOCALAPPDATA%\restic on Windows. Override with --cache-dir or RESTIC_CACHE_DIR. Pass --no-cache to skip caching entirely or --cleanup-cache to drop old entries.
Where Restic stores this, by platform
~/.cache/restic
Follows $XDG_CACHE_HOME when set. Subfolders are per repo ID. Restic has no config file of its own; the repo plus this cache are the whole local state.
~/Library/Caches/restic
Standard Caches location. Same override flags as Linux. Deleting it only costs time on the next run since it rebuilds from the repo.
%LOCALAPPDATA%\restic
Local AppData cache. Set RESTIC_CACHE_DIR to move it, useful when the system drive is tight. Passwords and keys are never in here, only metadata.
Frequently asked questions
can i delete the restic cache safely
Yes. It holds downloaded metadata, not backup data. Restic rebuilds it from the repository on the next command. Use restic with --cleanup-cache occasionally instead of hand deleting when several repos share the folder.
how do i move the restic cache
Pass --cache-dir <path> on each run or export RESTIC_CACHE_DIR once. Point it at a roomy disk; big repos can grow the cache substantially during check and prune runs.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.