How to Clear Cache on Mac

Edited 3 days ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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When it comes to maintaining your Mac's performance, clearing the cache can be quite helpful. Cache files are temporary files that your system and applications create for quick access. However, over time, these files accumulate and can take up a lot of space on your hard drive, potentially slowing down your system. In this article, we will guide you step-by-step on how to clear the cache on a Mac. This guide will be user-friendly, with clear instructions divided into easy-to-follow sections. By the end of it, you'll know how to free up space and potentially improve your system's performance.

What is cache?

Before diving into the steps, it's important to understand what a cache is. A cache is a hardware or software component that stores data, so that future requests for that data can be fulfilled faster. Mac systems use cache files to store temporary files that are needed to run applications and the system efficiently.

The primary types of cache on a Mac are:

• System cache: This is used by macOS to store system-level temporary files.
• User cache: Stored under the current user's directory and contains files cached by applications.
• Browser cache: Stored by the web browser to hold frequently used web data.

Why should you clear the cache?

Clearing cache files can provide several benefits:

• Free up disk space: Over time, cached files can take up a lot of disk space.
• Fix problems: Sometimes, corrupted cache files can cause problems with the app. Clearing the cache may solve these problems.
• Improve performance: Removing old cache files can improve system and application performance.

How to clear the system cache on a Mac

Clearing the system cache requires deleting files from the system-level cache directories. Follow these steps:

1. Open Finder. Click the Finder icon in the Dock.
2. Go to the folder: Use the Go menu and choose Go to Folder... or press Shift + Command + G.
3. Enter the path: Type /Library/Caches and press Return.
4. Select files: Within the Cache folder, you can manually select and delete the contents of each folder.
5. Delete files: Move the selected files to the Trash.
6. Empty the Trash: Finally, empty the Trash to permanently delete the cache files.

Note: Be careful not to delete the entire Caches folder, as the system needs it. Delete only the contents inside it.

How to clear the user cache on a Mac

Clearing the user cache involves deleting files from user-specific cache directories. Follow these steps:

1. Open Finder. Click the Finder icon in the Dock.
2. Go to the folder: Use the Go menu and choose Go to Folder... or press Shift + Command + G.
3. Enter the path: Type ~/Library/Caches and press Return.
4. Select files: Within the Cache folder, you can manually select and delete the contents of each folder.
5. Delete files: Move the selected files to the Trash.
6. Empty the Trash: Finally, empty the Trash to permanently delete the cache files.

Again, be sure to only delete the contents within the cache directories, not the directories themselves.

How to clear browser cache on Mac

Most web browsers store cache data to improve the loading time of frequently visited websites. Here's how to clear the cache for some popular browsers:

Google Chrome

1. Open Chrome.
2. Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and select Settings.
3. Scroll down and click on Privacy and security.
4. Click on Clear browsing data.
5. Select Time range and choose Cached images and files.
6. Click on Clear data.

Safari

1. Open Safari.
2. Click Safari menu and choose Preferences.
3. Go to Privacy tab.
4. Click on Manage Website Data.
5. Select the websites whose cache you want to clear and click Remove.
6. Click Done.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Firefox.
2. Click the three-line menu in the upper-right corner and select Preferences.
3. Go to Privacy & Security.
4. Scroll down to Cookies and Site Data section.
5. Click on Clear Data.
6. Make sure Cached Web Content is selected and click Clear.

How to automate cache clearing on Mac

Clearing cache files manually can be time-consuming. Fortunately, you can automate the process using a cleanup utility like CleanMyMac X, Onyx, or CCleaner. Here's how to do it using CleanMyMac X as an example:

1. Download and install: Download CleanMyMac X from the official website and install it.
2. Open CleanMyMac X: Launch the application.
3. Smart Scan: Select Smart Scan from the sidebar and click Scan.
4. Review details: Once the scan is complete, review the details and click Clean.

CleanMyMac X will scan various types of junk files including cache files and remove them automatically.

Risks and precautions

Although clearing cache files can free up space and improve performance, it also involves some risks:

• Accidental deletion: Accidentally deleting essential files can result in system instability.
• Temporary slowdown: Initially, some apps may run slower as they regenerate deleted cache files.

To minimize the risk, always double-check the files you're deleting and consider creating a backup of your important data.

Conclusion

Clearing cache files on your Mac is a straightforward process that can lead to improved performance and freeing up disk space. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily manage your system, user, and browser cache files. Additionally, using automatic cleanup tools can save you time and effort. However, always proceed with caution so as not to accidentally delete essential files.

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