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.
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:
Clearing cache files can provide several benefits:
Clearing the system cache requires deleting files from the system-level cache directories. Follow these steps:
Go
menu and choose Go to Folder...
or press Shift + Command + G
./Library/Caches
and press Return
.Note: Be careful not to delete the entire Caches
folder, as the system needs it. Delete only the contents inside it.
Clearing the user cache involves deleting files from user-specific cache directories. Follow these steps:
Go
menu and choose Go to Folder...
or press Shift + Command + G
.~/Library/Caches
and press Return
.Again, be sure to only delete the contents within the cache directories, not the directories themselves.
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:
Settings
.Privacy and security
.Clear browsing data
.Time range
and choose Cached images and files
.Clear data
.Safari
menu and choose Preferences
.Privacy
tab.Manage Website Data
.Remove
.Done
.Preferences
.Privacy & Security
.Cookies and Site Data
section.Clear Data
.Cached Web Content
is selected and click Clear
.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:
Smart Scan
from the sidebar and click Scan
.Clean
.CleanMyMac X will scan various types of junk files including cache files and remove them automatically.
Although clearing cache files can free up space and improve performance, it also involves some risks:
To minimize the risk, always double-check the files you're deleting and consider creating a backup of your important data.
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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