My Mac has been running slow lately and I think the cache might be part of the problem. I’m not sure how to safely clear the cache without accidentally deleting something important. Has anyone done this and can give step-by-step advice? Any risks or things I should watch out for would also be helpful. Thanks in advance, I really need to speed up my Mac.
Ugh, the eternal quest to make our Macs feel fast again. Clearing cache helps, sometimes, but honestly, macOS is supposed to manage cache files on its own. Supposedly. But, hey, let’s pretend we’re smarter than the OS.
So here we go:
- Quit all open apps first.
- In Finder, hit Command + Shift + G (literally, “Go to Folder…”).
- Type in: ~/Library/Caches
- Now, you’ll see a terrifying number of folders. You can go folder by folder and dump what’s inside, not the folders themselves—unless you feel like living dangerously.
- Also do /Library/Caches (without the ~), but you might need your admin password.
- Wait, want to see your browser fly? Open up Safari, Chrome, Firefox, whatever, and clear cache inside the browser settings too.
- Empty the trash when you’re done, or those files are still lurking.
Caveats: this might log you out of some apps/websites, so yeah, have your passwords at hand or ready for a fun mini-panic. And if you delete something the system actually needs (super rare but not impossible), you could have to reinstall a cranky app or two. But usually, you’re just banishing temp files and digital dust bunnies.
Did this actually help my Mac run faster? Meh… a little, sometimes. Sometimes it’s just MacOS having a midlife crisis. If clearing cache does nothing, consider checking Activity Monitor to see what’s hogging your CPU. Could also be an old HDD dying, or just too many tabs open (guilty).
So, yeah, clear those caches if you’re feeling bold. But, ya know, don’t expect miracles.
Honestly, sometimes I think clearing cache on a Mac is just digital snake oil. Yeah, it can help (key word: can), but like @sognonotturno said, macOS is usually decent at babysitting its own cache. I’ll bite tho: if you’re hellbent on getting rid of cache without torching important files, you might want to slow your roll on just mass-selecting folders and hitting delete. Some caches actually do more good than harm—certain apps will just regenerate them at launch, so the only thing you’ll get is a slower app startup. Or, worst case, they’ll act real weird until you reinstall.
If you want a less anxiety-inducing approach (and fewer password panics), try a dedicated cleaning tool like OnyX or CleanMyMac—just don’t go overboard or you risk deleting language files or log files you might regret later (ask me how I know). Those tools have checklists for exactly what you want nuked. But tbh, sometimes the old “turn it off and on again” still wins for sluggishness.
And hey, before waging total war on your caches, double-check your free disk space. macOS crawls if the disk is close to full (think less than 10-15% free). Also, open up Activity Monitor, look for stuff eating RAM or CPU, and reboot if all else fails. Cache clearing is like flossing: might help, might be placebo, but as rituals go, it’s weirdly satisfying. Just don’t expect it to turn a 10-year-old MacBook into a Mac Studio overnight.
Oh, and don’t let anyone shame you for having too many tabs open. That’s just part of the human condition at this point.
You know, I always roll my eyes a bit when people swear by clearing cache as their “magic fix” for a slow Mac, but hey, sometimes the basics do work. That said, nuking caches manually—like what’s already been suggested by others—comes with a whiff of quirky risk-taking. I’d argue, before diving into the Library’s belly, start with the low-hanging fruit: free up real storage. Honestly, macOS gets super sluggish if you’re under, say, 20% disk space. Hit “About This Mac” > “Storage.” Delete the stuff you actually know you don’t need (downloads, gigantic video files, forgotten GarageBand loops—guilty here).
Now, about using “dedicated cleaners.” You’ve seen mentions of tools like OnyX or CleanMyMac—a.k.a. the digital Roombas for your Mac’s corners. They’re stellar for ticking only exactly what you want to delete (and avoiding the “crash my browser logins” surprise). CleanMyMac, in particular, gives nice visibility for what you’re about to erase and usually won’t let you torch anything system-critical. Pro: one-click, simple, and way less likely to delete something dumb. Con? You might need to shell out for full features, and if you’re click-happy, you might wipe app support files that, well, make your apps comfy.
Competitors’ manual methods (like from earlier responses) are fine if you like to see every dusty file before you sweep, but can definitely whack your workflow if you mishit. Oh, and whatever you do, don’t go random-walking down /System—I’ve seen some horror stories there, trust me.
Ultimate hot take: reboot after heavy cache-dumping. No, you’re not a Windows user, just pragmatic. Sometimes that’s the actual fix, with or without all this cache-clearing jazz.
And for what it’s worth: cleaning your Mac’s cache feels satisfying, but sometimes it’s just a warm digital bath, not a miracle cure for old hardware. Try the basics first—I promise, your Mac (and your sanity) will thank you.