How to Clear Cache on Mac (Safari, Chrome and System)

Clear cache on Mac safely: empty the browser cache in Safari and Chrome, remove user caches in Finder, and see what it fixes, what it doesn't and what to leave.

MacWipe 31 October 2026 7 min read

To clear cache on a Mac, empty your browser cache first (Safari or Chrome), then remove the contents of individual app folders inside ~/Library/Caches using Finder. Caches are temporary copies of data that apps and websites keep so they load faster, so deleting them is generally safe: they are rebuilt as you work.

Clearing cache fixes stale web pages, some misbehaving apps and a little disk space. It does not speed up a healthy Mac, and it rarely frees large amounts of storage. This guide covers both browsers, the user and system caches, and what to leave alone. Steps apply to macOS Tahoe 26, Sequoia 15 and Sonoma 14, and differences are flagged.

What a cache is, and whether clearing it is safe

A cache holds data an app or website can fetch or calculate again: images from a web page, thumbnails, compiled shaders, downloaded update files. Nothing in it is your own work. When you delete it, the app rebuilds what it needs the next time you use it.

That is why the first launch or page load afterwards can feel slower. It is also why clearing caches on a schedule is pointless. You are throwing away data that was making things faster.

Clearing a cache is safe. Clearing the wrong folder is not. Cookies, saved logins, documents and app databases sit close to caches, and some of them live in the same Library folders. The rules in this guide are there to keep you in the cache folders only.

What clearing cache does and does not fix

It can fix:

A website that shows an old version of a page, or a layout that looks broken after the site was updated.
An app that shows corrupted thumbnails or previews.
A login loop or odd behaviour in one app, where a damaged cache file is the cause.
A small amount of disk space, mostly from browsers and apps you use heavily.

It will not fix:

A slow Mac. Low memory, a full disk, too many login items or an old machine are the usual causes.
A full disk on its own. Caches are often a few hundred megabytes to a few gigabytes. Large files, iOS backups and old downloads are bigger targets: see how to find large files on Mac.
A large System Data figure in Storage. That category covers many things beyond caches: see what Mac System Data storage is.

Before any bulk deletion, make sure you have a recent Time Machine backup. Caches are low risk, but a backup costs nothing and covers mistakes.

Clear the browser cache in Safari

Safari keeps cache and cookies as “website data”. Apple’s guide to clearing your cache and cookies in Safari describes this route:

Open Safari.
Choose Safari > Settings, then click Privacy.
Click Manage Website Data.
Select one or more sites, or click Remove All, then confirm.

This removes cookies too, so you may be signed out of websites. Pick individual sites if you only have a problem with one.

To empty the cache without touching cookies, use the Develop menu:

Choose Safari > Settings, then click Advanced.
Tick Show features for web developers (see Apple’s page on the Develop menu).
Choose Develop > Empty Caches in the menu bar.

In Sonoma the checkbox may read Show Develop menu in menu bar. It is the same setting.

To clear history as well, use History > Clear History and pick a time range. Apple notes that if Safari is set up in iCloud, this clears history on your other devices too.

Clear the browser cache in Chrome

Google’s help page on deleting browsing data in Chrome gives the steps:

Open Chrome.
Click More (the three dots, top right), then Delete browsing data.
Choose a time range, such as Last hour or All time.
Tick the cached images and files option. Untick cookies if you want to stay signed in.
Click Delete data.

Typing “Delete browsing data” in the address bar also works. If a single site is the problem, a hard refresh of that page is often enough and costs you nothing.

Clear user caches in Finder

User caches are the per-app folders inside your Library. Every app you use writes here. This is the main manual method for the rest of the Mac.

Quit the apps whose cache you are clearing.
In Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder.
Type ~/Library/Caches and press Return.
Open the folder of one app, such as com.apple.Safari or the name of the app you are troubleshooting.
Select the files inside that folder and move them to the Trash.
Empty the Trash.

Work app by app. Start with the one that is misbehaving. Delete the contents of the app’s folder, and leave the folder itself in place. Do not select the whole Caches folder and delete it, and do not touch the rest of ~/Library. That folder also holds your app settings, mail, saved states and data that cannot be rebuilt.

If macOS says an item is in use, quit the app and try again. If it still will not go, skip it.

Typical large cache folders are browsers, Spotify, Slack, Adobe apps, Photos-related thumbnails and, for developers, Xcode. Xcode’s DerivedData folder, in ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData, holds build output that Xcode regenerates on the next build. Deleting it is a standard fix for odd build errors.

System caches: leave them to macOS

There is also a /Library/Caches folder at the top level of your disk, used by the system and by apps installed for all users. Do not clear this by hand. Files here can be protected or in use by macOS, and removing the wrong one can cause login or update problems. Never delete anything from /System, and never delete anything under /private/var yourself.

macOS manages its own caches. Apple notes in Free up storage space on Mac that starting in safe mode clears certain system caches, which are recreated as needed. This is the supported way to flush them:

On a Mac with Apple silicon: shut down, then press and hold the power button until the startup options appear. Select your startup disk, hold Shift, and click Continue in Safe Mode.
On an Intel Mac: shut down, press the power button and immediately hold Shift until the login window appears.

Log in, then restart normally. Use this only when you have a specific problem, such as a Mac too full to install an update.

What not to delete

Anything in /System, or under /private/var.
The whole of ~/Library, or the Caches folder itself.
Folders named after apps that are not caches, such as Application Support, Mail or Preferences.
Cookies and saved passwords, unless you accept being signed out.
Files in your Documents, Desktop, Photos library or iCloud Drive.

If a folder is not clearly a cache, leave it.

Check what is really using your space

Open System Settings > General > Storage to see the breakdown by category. Caches usually show up in System Data or inside the app that owns them. Apple’s Storage page also offers options such as emptying the Trash automatically after 30 days and moving files to iCloud.

If you cleared caches and the Mac is still full, the cause is almost always large files, old downloads, iOS backups or apps you no longer use. Uninstalling apps properly also removes the caches and support files they leave behind.

A faster way: MacWipe

Doing this by hand means opening folders one at a time and judging each one yourself. MacWipe is a Mac cleaner for macOS 14 or later, on Apple silicon and Intel, signed and notarised by Apple. Smart Scan checks caches, logs, the Trash, app leftovers and browser data in one pass. Cleanup covers system and app caches, logs and junk.

MacWipe shows you every item and why it is safe before anything is removed, and nothing goes without your say. Scanning is free and the first clean is free. After that it is £23.99 a year (monthly, quarterly and £59.99 lifetime plans exist), and one plan covers up to 3 Macs, with a 14-day money-back guarantee. It has no tracking and no analytics. See pricing.

FAQ

Is it safe to delete cache files on a Mac?

Yes, if you stay inside cache folders. Apps rebuild them as needed, so the worst result is a slower first launch. The risk comes from deleting nearby folders that hold settings or data, which is why you should clear one app’s cache contents at a time.

How often should I clear cache on my Mac?

Only when you have a reason: a page that will not update, an app acting up, or a disk that is nearly full. Clearing caches on a routine removes the data that makes your Mac faster, and it will just rebuild.

Will clearing cache delete my passwords or photos?

Clearing the browser cache alone does not. Cookies are separate and removing them can sign you out of sites. Your photos, documents and Keychain passwords are not stored in caches.

Does clearing cache speed up my Mac?

Not noticeably. It can help when one app is stuck on corrupted data. For general slowness, check Activity Monitor for heavy processes, trim your login items and keep some free space on the startup disk.