How to Clear the Cache on Mac to Free Up Space

All computers, including Mac laptops and desktops, contain temporary cache files that are meant to accelerate certain processes, including loading times for websites and apps. However, cache files can accumulate over time, taking up valuable space on your disk drive and actually slowing your Mac over time. Leaving behind too many cache files can also pose a privacy risk, as they can be used to track your online activity. This tutorial demonstrates how to routinely clear the cache on your Mac to prevent system slowdowns and limit privacy risks.

How to Clear All Types of Cache on Mac

Before jumping into learning how to clear cached files on a Mac, we recommend you create a backup of the important files and folders. This is a crucial step, as it will provide peace of mind in the event that something goes wrong. After everything goes as planned, you can remove these backups.

Good to know: looking for a tutorial on how to clear the cache on a Windows computer? Our guide covers the best methods to safely clear the cache data on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Clear the Mac User Cache

Follow these steps to clear the user cache on Mac:

1. Click on the “Go” Menu at the top of the screen and select “Go to Folder.”

2. Type the following command and select “Caches.”

~/Library/Caches

3. Right-click on the files you want to remove and click “Move to Trash,” or select all the files, right-click on one of the folders and select “Move to Trash.”

Note: you can also use Command + Shift + G to skip steps 1 and 2, then type “~/Library/Caches” into the text field.

Clear Application Cache on Mac

Deleting the application cache on Mac is unnecessary, as many of these files help programs load faster. This is similar to cleaning the system cache. However, if the app is bugged or you just need to clean this folder to open some space on your Mac, follow the steps below:

1. Open “Finder,” choose the “Go” menu, and click “Go to Folder.”

2. Type the following command:

/Users/[UserName]/Library/Caches

3. You can see the user caches for all apps in this window.

4. Choose the folder you want to delete or open the folder and select the files inside. Drag them to “Trash” or right-click and choose “Move to Trash.”

Tip: need deeper access to your Mac’s file system? Learn how to enable root user on your Mac.

Clear the Safari Cache on Mac

One of the best ways to resolve website loading problems and errors is to erase the cache on your browser. Follow the instructions below to clear the Safari cache on Mac:

1. Click on the “Safari” menu and select “Settings.”

2. Click on the “Advanced” tab, then enable “Show Develop menu in menu bar.”

3. A new “Develop” option appears in the menu at the top of your screen. Click that and choose “Empty Caches.”

Note: you can also press Option/Alt + Command + E to instantly empty caches. Clearing the Safari cache is just one of the more than 10 ways to improve your Mac experience with macOS Ventura.

Clear the Google Chrome Cache

You may wish to clean the cache in Google Chrome for the same reasons you would in Safari or any other browser. Do so by following the instructions below:

1. Click on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of “Google Chrome” and select “Settings.”

2. In the left pane, choose “Privacy and security” and select “Clear browsing data.”

3. Choose your desired “Time Range”: “Last hour,” “Last 24 hours,” “Last 7 days,” “Last 4 weeks,” or “All time.” Check “Cached images and files,” then click on “Clear data” to delete the browser cache.

Tip: are you an avid Google Chrome user? Discover how to use Google Chrome extensions to take a scrolling screenshot of a webpage on your Mac.

Clear the Firefox Cache

The steps to clear the Firefox browser cache are very similar to Google Chrome. Follow the steps below to clear the Firefox cache on a Mac:

1. Click on the hamburger menu (three lines) at the top-right corner, then choose “History.”

2. Choose “History” from the next menu and click “Clear recent history.”

3. Choose the “Time range to clear”: “Last hour,” “Last two hours,” “Last four hours,” “Today,” or “Everything.” Check the “Cache” box and click “OK.”

Note: use the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + Delete to open the “Clear All History” menu.

Clear the System/Browser/App Cache in One Click

It can be challenging to follow instructions to clean your Mac cache if you’re not technically savvy. The best course of action is to use one of the best cache cleanup applications. Below, we demonstrate how to use CleanMyMac X in this situation.

1. Download CleanMyMac X (free version).

2. Run the app and select “System Junk,” then click “Scan.”

3. Click “Review Details.”

4. Review the report, select the files you wish to delete, and finally, click the “Clean” option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Image credit: Pexels. All screenshots by Farhad Pashaei.

Farhad Pashaei

As a technophile, Farhad has spent the last decade getting hands-on experience with a variety of electronic devices, including smartphones, laptops, accessories, wearables, printers, and so on. When he isn’t writing, you can bet he’s devouring information on products making their market foray, demonstrating his unquenchable thirst for technology.