How to Clear Cache on a Mac Safely
User app caches live in ~/Library/Caches and are safe to delete: they're temporary files apps rebuild automatically. Quit the app first, delete the contents of its cache folder (not the folder itself), then empty the Trash. Leave /System caches alone — macOS manages them.
Where Mac caches live
~/Library/Caches— per-user app caches. Safe./Library/Caches— system-wide app caches. Mostly safe, but be selective./System/Library/Caches— macOS internals. Leave alone.
Clearing them by hand
- Quit the apps you're clearing.
- In Finder press ⇧⌘G and enter
~/Library/Caches. - Open a specific app's folder and delete its contents. Keep the folder itself.
- Empty the Trash — otherwise nothing is freed.
~/Library/Application Support and ~/Library/Preferences — different folders entirely.What it costs you
Almost nothing. The next launch may take a moment longer while the app rebuilds what it needs, and a browser may re-download some assets. That's the whole downside.
Doing it without the guesswork
The tedious part is knowing which folders are worth the trouble and which are 4 KB of nothing. MacCleaner measures each one, marks the rebuildable ones as safe, shows you exactly what's inside before you commit, and lets you choose Trash (recoverable) or permanent.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to delete ~/Library/Caches?
Yes. Delete the contents of app cache folders rather than the folders themselves, and quit the apps first.
Will clearing cache delete my passwords or settings?
No. Those live in Application Support, Preferences and the Keychain — not in Caches.
How often should I clear caches on a Mac?
Only when you need space or an app misbehaves. macOS doesn't need routine cache clearing.
See where your space actually went
MacCleaner scans read-only, shows you every file before anything is touched, and lets you choose Trash or permanent. Free for up to 500 MB of cleanup a day.
Download for Mac