Shader cache
Also known as: compiled shader cache, GPU shader cache, shader compilation cache
A shader cache stores the compiled GPU programs (shaders) a game or app builds the first time it renders a scene, so they do not have to be recompiled on later runs. It is safe to clear: the cache rebuilds automatically, at the cost of brief stutter or a slower first launch afterward.
- Holds compiled GPU shaders, not game saves
- Safe to clear — it rebuilds on next launch
- Clearing may cause brief first-run stutter
What the shader cache does
Games ship shaders in a generic form that the GPU driver must compile into machine code for your exact graphics card. To avoid doing this every time, the driver and the game save the compiled results to a shader cache on disk, so future launches load them instantly.
This is why a game often stutters during its first minutes and runs smoothly afterward: the cache is being built. On Windows, GPU drivers and storefronts like Steam keep their own shader caches, which can grow to several gigabytes across a large library.
Is it safe to clear?
Yes. Shader cache is derived data — nothing in it is your save files, settings, or installed content. Clearing it never removes a game; it only forces the shaders to recompile the next time you play.
People clear it to recover space, after a driver update, or to fix rendering glitches. In Windows you can purge the DirectX Shader Cache via Disk Cleanup, and many GPU control panels and storefronts offer their own "clear shader cache" option.