Can I delete the Caches folder in my Library on Mac?
Check first. The Caches folder holds copies apps keep so they open and load faster. Clear the folders of the apps that take the most space rather than the whole folder; each app makes its own again as you use it.
At a glance
| Owner app | macOS |
|---|---|
| Typical size | 1–20 GB |
| Safe to delete? | Check first |
| Comes back? | Yes, as you use your apps |
| What you lose | You lose nothing you made. Rather than removing the whole folder, open it and clear the apps that take the most space; each app creates its folder again as you use it. Some apps may ask you to sign in again or take a little longer to start the first time. |
| Where it is | ~/ |
What it is
Inside ~/Library/Caches every app on your Mac gets a folder, usually named after the app or its developer, such as com.apple.Safari or Google. Apps keep things there that they can fetch or work out again: images from web pages, previews, downloaded data, updates waiting to be installed. On the Mac used to check this page the folder held about 140 app folders and 3.1 GB.
Caches grow because apps rarely clean up after themselves, and apps you no longer use leave their folders behind. One browser or design app can account for most of the size.
Removing an app’s folder loses nothing you made: the app builds it again as you use it. Removing the Caches folder itself is a different matter, since the system and running apps expect it to be there. That’s why Gigabroom marks the folder as Check first and offers the app folders inside it as separate rows instead.
Delete it by hand
- Quit the apps whose caches you want to clear.
- In Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder… and paste
~/.Library/ Caches - Choose View › as List, then View › Show View Options, turn on Calculate all sizes, and click the Size column to sort.
- Move the largest app folders to the Trash. Leave the Caches folder itself in place.
With Gigabroom
- Open Gigabroom and wait for the scan.
- In Clean Up, open Temporary Files. Each app’s cache folder is its own row, and most are marked Safe and ticked.
- Untick anything you want to keep, then click Clean Up. The folders go to the Trash, and Put Back is available until you empty it.
Before you delete
Quit an app before clearing its folder, or it may keep using the files and write them again. A few apps keep downloads or offline content here, so the next launch can be slower, and some may ask you to sign in again.
Related folders
| Folder | Safe to delete? | Typical size |
|---|---|---|
~/ | Safe | — |
~/ | Safe | — |
~/ | Check first | — |
/ | Check first | — |
~/ | Safe | — |
Questions
Will deleting caches speed up my Mac?
Usually not. Caches exist to make apps faster. Clearing them frees disk space; the first launch of each app afterwards may be a little slower.
Why is the Caches folder back to its old size after a week?
Because you used your apps. Browsers, music and video apps refill their caches quickly. That’s expected, and a reason to clear only the largest folders when you need space.
Is there a difference between ~/Library/Caches and /Library/Caches?
Yes. The one with the tilde is in your home folder and belongs to your user account. /Library/Caches is shared by all users of the Mac and mostly used by the system.
Can I lose documents or photos this way?
Apps are not supposed to keep your own files in Caches. Your documents live in Documents, Desktop, iCloud Drive and the app libraries, such as Photos. Gigabroom marks the few cache folders that hold something worth a look as Check first.
Last checked on macOS 27.0.1 · 2026-11-10