Final Cut & DaVinci Resolve Eating Your Mac's Disk (2026)
Video editors are the heaviest disk users on a Mac. Final Cut Pro render files, optimized and proxy media, plus DaVinci Resolve's cache and gallery routinely total hundreds of gigabytes. Render files and caches are regenerated from your source footage, so they're safe to delete — Final Cut's Delete Generated Library Files and Resolve's Delete Render Cache reclaim the most.
Where the space goes
| App | What piles up | Safe to delete? |
|---|---|---|
| Final Cut Pro | Render files, optimized/proxy media | Yes — regenerated from source |
| DaVinci Resolve | CacheClip, render cache, gallery stills | Yes — rebuilt on playback/render |
| Both | Old project libraries/backups | Review — keep active work |
Reclaim it safely
- Final Cut: File → Delete Generated Library Files → include render files and optimized/proxy media you don't need.
- DaVinci Resolve: Playback menu → Delete Render Cache; and clear the CacheClip folder set in Project Settings.
Find it all in one scan
These caches hide in library packages and custom cache folders, so they're easy to miss. MacCleaner surfaces large regenerable media with real sizes alongside your other big space-users — clear it in a couple of taps, recoverable until you empty. See also clearing Adobe caches and finding large files.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to delete Final Cut Pro render files?
Yes. Render and optimized/proxy files are generated from your source footage and rebuilt on demand. Use File → Delete Generated Library Files. Keep your originals and exports.
How do I clear DaVinci Resolve cache?
Playback → Delete Render Cache, and clear the CacheClip folder set in Project Settings → Master Settings. Both regenerate when you play back or render again.
How much space does video editing use on a Mac?
Render files, proxies and caches routinely total hundreds of gigabytes on an active editing Mac — nearly all of it regenerable from your source footage.
Reclaim the space in two taps
MacCleaner scans read-only, shows every file before anything is touched, marks the safe groups, and lets you choose Trash or permanent. Free for up to 500 MB of cleanup a day.
Download for Mac