How to Clear Cache on Mac (Safari, Chrome, and System)
There is no single "clear cache" button on a Mac, so you clear it in three places: in Safari, use Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data > Remove All (or History > Clear History); in Chrome, use Chrome > Clear Browsing Data or ⌘ Shift Delete; and for system and app caches you go to Finder > Go > Go to Folder > ~/Library/Caches. This guide is for any Mac user whose disk is filling up, whose browser is misbehaving, or who just wants to clear caches safely without breaking apps or losing logins.
TL;DR
- macOS has no global cache button; you clear browser caches and the system cache folder separately.
- Safari cache lives in Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data; clearing it may log you out of sites.
- Chrome's own cache is at Clear Browsing Data, with options for time range and what to wipe.
- System and app caches sit in ~/Library/Caches; you can empty contents but should not delete the folder itself.
- macOS rebuilds most caches automatically, so clearing frees space short-term but it usually grows back.
How do I clear the Safari cache on Mac?
Safari stores website data, history, and cached files to load pages faster. Clearing it can fix broken or outdated pages and free a little space, but it will sign you out of sites and clear your history.
- Open Safari, then from the menu bar choose Safari > Settings (or Preferences on older macOS).
- Click the Privacy tab, then Manage Website Data.
- Click Remove All to clear every site's cache and cookies, or select specific sites and choose Remove.
- To also clear browsing history, use History > Clear History from the menu bar and pick a time range.
- If you want to delete only the cache without the rest, enable the Develop menu in Settings > Advanced, then choose Develop > Empty Caches.
| Safari goal | Where to do it |
|---|---|
| Clear cache and cookies | Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data > Remove All |
| Clear history too | History > Clear History |
| Empty cache only | Develop > Empty Caches |
How do I clear the Chrome cache on Mac?
Chrome keeps its own cache, separate from Safari and from macOS. Clearing it is the standard fix for sites that load wrong or won't update.
- Open Chrome and press
⌘ Shift Delete, or go to the three-dot menu and choose Delete Browsing Data. - Set the Time range (use All time for a full clear).
- Tick Cached images and files. Leave Cookies and other site data unticked if you don't want to be logged out.
- Click Delete data.
- Restart Chrome so it rebuilds a clean cache.
| What you tick | Effect |
|---|---|
| Cached images and files | Frees space, fixes stale pages, keeps logins |
| Cookies and other site data | Logs you out of websites |
| Browsing history | Clears your visited-sites list |
If you also use other browsers like Firefox or Edge, each keeps its own cache, so repeat the equivalent steps in each one.
How do I clear the system and app cache folder?
Most non-browser caches live in a hidden Library folder. This is where you reclaim larger amounts of space, but it is also where you should be careful.
- In Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder from the menu bar (or press
⌘ Shift G). - Type ~/Library/Caches and press Return. This is your user-level cache.
- Open individual app subfolders and delete the files inside them, not the named folders themselves.
- Empty the Trash afterward to actually reclaim the space.
- For system-wide caches at /Library/Caches, leave them alone unless you know exactly what a folder is, because some are needed at startup.
| Folder | What it holds | Safe to clear contents? |
|---|---|---|
| ~/Library/Caches | Per-app user caches | Usually yes, app by app |
| /Library/Caches | Shared system caches | Be cautious, leave unknowns |
| /System/Library/Caches | OS caches | No, leave it to macOS |
Quit an app before clearing its cache folder, and never delete the Caches folder itself, only the contents you recognize. A restart lets macOS rebuild what it needs cleanly.
Is it safe to clear cache on a Mac, and what does it really do?
Clearing cache on a Mac is generally safe, but it is rarely the big space win people hope for, and it is honest to be clear about that.
Natively, macOS manages most caches for you. The system creates them to speed things up and purges them automatically when the disk runs low, which is why "clearing cache" often frees space that quietly comes back as you keep using apps and browsers. Clearing browser cache mainly helps with broken or outdated pages; clearing the system cache folder can free more, but the OS may rebuild much of it.
What Cleanor adds is on the photo and media side rather than the cache side: it finds the duplicate photos, near-duplicate shots, and large videos that are usually the real reason a Mac or phone library is full, and it lets you review everything before deleting. What Cleanor cannot do is replace macOS's own maintenance, and it will not promise to magically wipe "system junk," because much of that is legitimate cache the OS needs and will rebuild. If a third-party "Mac cleaner" promises dramatic, repeatable space savings from cache alone, be skeptical; we explain why in the truth about cleaner apps and whether they're safe. For browser slowness specifically, see what app cache is and when it's safe to clear.
FAQ
Will clearing the cache make my Mac faster?
Not usually in a lasting way. Cache exists to make apps and pages load faster, so deleting it can briefly slow things down until it rebuilds. The exception is when a corrupted cache is causing a specific bug, in which case clearing it fixes that. We dig into the broader myth in will clearing cache actually speed up my phone.
Does clearing the cache log me out of websites?
Clearing the cache alone (cached images and files) does not log you out. You only get logged out when you also clear cookies and site data, which Safari's Manage Website Data and Chrome's cookies option will do. If staying signed in matters, clear only the cache portion.
What is the difference between cache and System Data on a Mac?
Cache is temporary files apps store to load faster, while "System Data" (the catch-all storage category) bundles caches, logs, and other support files together. They overlap, but System Data is broader and harder to clear directly. For the phone equivalent, see what System Data is and whether you can delete it.
Is it safe to delete everything in ~/Library/Caches?
It is usually safe to delete the contents, because apps will recreate what they need, but do it with apps quit and never remove the Caches folder itself. Leave the system-level /System/Library/Caches alone. If you are unsure about a specific folder, skip it rather than guess.
Clear caches, then tackle what's really full
Clearing caches is good housekeeping, but on most Macs and phones it is photos and videos, not caches, that actually fill the disk. Cleanor scans your library for duplicate and near-duplicate photos and large media, and lets you review everything before deleting. See how it works on Cleanor for iOS, or start with the full playbook at clean up phone storage.
Not sure where the space went? Start with storage full: what should I delete first, then read what app cache is and when it's safe to clear to decide which caches are worth touching at all.