Guide
Is it safe to delete Library Caches on a Mac?
Mostly, yes. What ~/Library/Caches holds, which caches are safe to delete, which to leave alone, and how to clear them without losing anything.
Updated 5 min read
Short answer: yes, for app caches. A cache is a copy of data an app can download or recreate, kept so it loads faster. Deleting it doesn't remove your documents, settings or logins. But "delete the whole Caches folder" is still poor advice, and a few caches are worth leaving alone. Here is what is in there and how to clear it safely.
What is in the Caches folders?
~/Library/Caches: caches for your user account. Each app usually has its own folder, often named after its bundle ID, such ascom.apple.Safariorcom.spotify.client. This is the one people mean./Library/Caches: caches shared by every user on the Mac, including some macOS services./System/Library/Caches: caches macOS manages and protects. Leave it alone.
To open your own Caches folder, press Shift Command G in Finder and type ~/Library/Caches.
Which caches are safe to delete
- Caches of apps that are closed. Quit the app, delete the contents of its folder, and it rebuilds what it needs on the next launch.
- Caches of apps you have uninstalled. These are pure leftovers.
- Browser caches, cleared from the browser's own settings, so bookmarks, passwords, history and open tabs stay.
- Developer and package caches, such as Xcode, npm or Homebrew caches. Tools download or rebuild them as needed.
Which caches to think twice about
- Caches of apps that are running. Deleting files an app is using can make it crash or behave oddly until you restart it.
- Very large caches you don't recognise. Some apps keep content you would have to download again, such as offline music, maps or video, in their cache folders. Check what an app stores before you clear a cache of many gigabytes.
- Shared caches in
/Library/Cachesthat belong to macOS services.
How to clear Library Caches safely
- Quit the apps whose caches you want to clear.
- In Finder, go to
~/Library/Caches, switch to list view and turn on View → Show View Options → Calculate all sizes to see the biggest folders. - Open a folder and delete its contents. Keep the folder itself and the
Cachesfolder. - Empty the Trash, then restart your Mac so open apps start fresh.
Why clearing caches only frees space for a while
Apps rebuild their caches as you use them, so the space comes back gradually. Clearing caches is most useful when one has grown far beyond what an app needs, when an app is misbehaving, or when the caches belong to apps you no longer use. Clearing caches every day only makes your apps slower.
Let Roomy decide which caches are safe
Roomy's System Junk cleaner lists each app's cache with its size and a plain-English note on what goes and what stays. Caches of apps that are open, macOS caches and unknown caches over 1 GB are rated Review instead of Safe, and only Safe items are selected for you. Read how ratings work.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I delete everything in ~/Library/Caches?
Apps rebuild what they need, so nothing important is lost, but apps that were open can misbehave until you restart them, some will be slower the first time, and a few will download content again. Deleting caches one app at a time, with that app closed, avoids those surprises.
Do deleted caches come back?
Yes. Caches are rebuilt as you use your apps, so clearing them frees space right away but not permanently. That is normal: the goal is to remove caches that have grown far beyond what an app needs, or that belong to apps you no longer use.
Can I delete /Library/Caches and /System/Library/Caches too?
Leave /System/Library/Caches alone; macOS manages it and protects it. /Library/Caches holds caches shared by all users, and some belong to macOS services. Only remove folders there that clearly belong to apps you recognise, and expect to enter an administrator password.
