Is it safe to delete the Library/Caches folder on Mac?

By Pruneo TeamPublished: October 22, 2026Updated: October 22, 2026

Many cleaning tips say “delete your Library/Caches folder”. It often frees several gigabytes, but there is not one Caches folder on a Mac: there are three, and they are not the same. This guide explains what each one holds, what really happens when you delete a cache and how to do it without surprises.

What a cache is, according to Apple

Apple’s File System Programming Guide says the Caches folder “contains cached data that can be regenerated as needed” and that apps “should never rely on the existence of cache files”. By convention, each app stores its caches in a subfolder named after its bundle identifier, for example ~/Library/Caches/com.example.MyApp/.

This is the key point: a well made app must work even if its cache disappears. That is why deleting caches is usually safe. It is not a guarantee for every app, but it is the rule Apple gives developers.

The three Caches folders

Apple splits the file system into domains. The File System Overview describes the user domain (your home folder), the local domain (shared by all users of the Mac) and the system domain (software installed by Apple). Each one has its own Library and its own Caches.

~/Library/Caches (your user)

The ~ means your home folder. This is where browsers, chat apps, music apps, editors and most of your apps keep their caches. It is the one that usually grows the most, and the safest to clean.

Sandboxed apps (many from the App Store) keep their caches inside their container instead, at ~/Library/Containers/<bundle id>/Data/Library/Caches. The same rules apply, but do not delete the container itself: it holds the app’s data and settings too.

/Library/Caches (all users)

This folder belongs to the local domain. Apple says this domain is typically managed by the system, and users with administrator privileges can add, remove or change items in it. It holds caches of apps and services shared by all users. It is usually smaller, and some folders belong to system services. Leave it alone unless a folder clearly belongs to an app you know and you have closed it.

/System/Library/Caches (macOS)

Apple says /System “must not be modified”. It is protected by System Integrity Protection, so you cannot delete it anyway. If you want to clear some system caches, Apple’s supported way is to start up in safe mode once: it clears some system caches, which are created again as needed.

What happens when you delete a cache

• The app gets slower for a while. It has to download or calculate again what it had saved: thumbnails, web resources, previews.
• The space comes back little by little. Caches grow again with use. That is normal and does not mean the cleaning failed.
• Some apps may ask you to sign in again or download content again, depending on what the developer keeps there.
• Open apps can fail. If an app is running and its cache disappears, it can show errors or crash. That is why you close it first.
• Your documents are not affected. Your files live in Documents, Desktop, iCloud Drive and similar places, not in Caches.

How to clear caches safely, step by step

1. Measure first

This command only reads. It lists the 15 biggest cache folders:

du -hd 1 ~/Library/Caches 2>/dev/null | sort -h | tail -15

du and sort are documented in their man pages (man du, man sort). Folder names usually match the app, for example com.apple.Safari or a browser name.

2. Quit the app

Quit the app whose cache you want to delete (Command-Q), not just close its window. If you want to clean many apps at once, quit all of them or plan a restart right after.

3. Move the folder to the Trash

In the Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder (Shift-Command-G, listed in Apple’s Mac keyboard shortcuts) and type ~/Library/Caches. Select only the folders of the apps you closed and move them to the Trash.

Using the Trash gives you a way back: if an app behaves strangely, put the folder back where it was. After a few days with no problems, empty the Trash.

4. Or use Terminal

If you prefer Terminal, delete one app folder at a time, never with a wildcard on the whole folder.

# Replace with the real folder name you saw with du
rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.example.MyApp

Avoid commands like sudo rm -rf /Library/Caches/* or rm -rf ~/Library/*. One typo in a path with sudo can delete files you need.

How to tell which app owns a folder

Most folder names in Caches are bundle identifiers, like com.apple.Safari. If you do not recognize one, ask Spotlight which app uses it. This command only searches, it does not change anything:

mdfind "kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier == 'com.apple.Safari'"

mdfind is documented in man mdfind. If it returns an app path, you know which app to quit before you clean. If it returns nothing, the app may be uninstalled. In that case its cache is a leftover and you can move it to the Trash, but check ~/Library/Application Support too, because the app may have left data there as well.

What not to touch in Library

Library has many folders that look like caches but are not:

• ~/Library/Application Support. Apple says it “can include files that contain user data”. Delete a folder there only after you uninstall its app.
• ~/Library/Preferences. App settings. Deleting them resets apps.
• ~/Library/Containers and ~/Library/Group Containers. App data, not only cache.
• ~/Library/Mail, ~/Library/Messages and ~/Library/Keychains. Your mail, messages and passwords.
• Anything under /System. Managed and protected by macOS.

For developer folders like Xcode’s DerivedData, which are big but are not in Caches, use the specific guide: Delete Xcode DerivedData without breaking anything.

When it is worth it

Clearing caches makes sense when you need space now, when one folder is clearly huge, or when an app shows old content or errors and its developer suggests it. It does not make the Mac faster in general: caches exist to save time. If space keeps running out, the problem is usually elsewhere: large files, local snapshots or development junk. See What is System Data on Mac and the general guide How to free up space on Mac.

Summary

1. ~/Library/Caches is yours and safe to clean, with the app closed.
2. /Library/Caches is shared: only touch what you recognize.
3. /System/Library/Caches belongs to macOS: use safe mode if you need to clear it.
4. Measure with du, delete per app and use the Trash to keep a way back.

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