Why is Spotify using so much storage on my Mac?
Safe to delete; it rebuilds itself. Spotify keeps songs it has already streamed, plus any music you downloaded for offline listening, in its PersistentCache folder. Deleting it loses nothing from your account; your offline downloads will need downloading again.
At a glance
| Owner app | Spotify |
|---|---|
| Typical size | 1–10 GB; more with many offline downloads |
| Safe to delete? | Rebuilds itself |
| Comes back? | Yes, as you listen and download again |
| What you lose | Nothing is lost from your account, but offline downloads will need downloading again, which takes time and data. Spotify's Settings > Storage > Clear cache keeps your downloads and removes the rest. |
| Where it is | ~/ |
What it is
To start songs quickly and save data, the Spotify app on a Mac keeps copies of music it has already played. The same folder holds the songs, albums and podcasts you downloaded for offline listening.
The folder grows with every new song you play and every playlist you download, and it is easy to forget downloads you made for a trip. That is why it can reach several gigabytes on a Mac you mostly use for work.
Nothing in it is yours alone: your library lives in your Spotify account. If you delete the folder, Spotify streams songs again as you play them, and anything you had downloaded needs downloading again before you can listen offline.
Delete it by hand
- To keep your downloads, use Spotify itself: click your profile picture, choose Settings, scroll to Storage and click Clear cache.
- To remove everything, including offline downloads, quit Spotify and choose Go › Go to Folder… with
~/.Library/ Application Support/ Spotify - Move the
PersistentCachefolder to the Trash, then empty the Trash.
With Gigabroom
- Open Gigabroom and wait for the scan.
- In Clean Up, open Messages & Media. Spotify's folder is listed as Saved songs and offline music, labeled Rebuilds itself.
- Its small temporary files folder appears as a separate Temporary files row.
- Untick the row if you want to keep your offline downloads, or click Clean Up. The folder goes to the Trash, and Put Back is available until you empty it.
Related folders
| Folder | Safe to delete? | Typical size |
|---|---|---|
~/ | Safe | — |
~/ | Check first | — |
Questions
Will I lose my playlists or liked songs?
No. Playlists, liked songs and your library are in your Spotify account, not in this folder.
What is the difference between Clear cache and deleting the folder?
Clear cache in Spotify's Settings removes streamed songs and keeps your offline downloads. Deleting the PersistentCache folder removes both.
Can I keep Spotify's music on an external drive?
Yes. In Settings › Storage, Change location moves where Spotify keeps its files.
What is the other Spotify folder in Caches?
`~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client` holds cover art and other small temporary files. It is safe to delete and is usually much smaller.
Last checked on macOS 27.0.1 · 2026-11-10