How to Clear Cache on macOS Sequoia and Sonoma

Caches are files that your Mac creates when you browse websites and use applications. They are supposed to speed up your Mac. But if you don't clean them often. Over time, they will pile up and take up huge storage space, making your Mac run slower than it should. In this article, we'll first explain what cache is on your Mac, why you should empty it, and then give you details on how to clear caches from the system, applications, and popular browsers.

What Is Cache on Mac?

A cache is a type of temporary memory used to collect temporary data to help your system, browser, and applications load faster in the future. For example, when you browse a website, your browser downloads HTML files, images, videos, Java scripts, etc., and stores them in a cache folder. Next time you visit the site again, your browser will load the data through the stored cache files without connecting to the network. 

Common cache files include system cache, application cache, and browser cache.

Why Should You Clear Cache on Mac?

Caches can enhance the speed of your Mac. However, having too many of them not only consumes valuable storage space but also degrades your Mac's performance. Therefore, it's essential to clean them periodically. Deleting the cache offers several benefits, including freeing up storage space, fixing webpage errors, preventing tracking by malware and third-party software, and removing outdated content from applications. You can learn more about freeing up space on your Mac here.

Is It Safe to Delete Cache Files on Mac?

It is generally safe to delete cache files from the system folder (/Library/Caches) and the user folder (~/Library/Caches). However, some applications may store important files in their cache folders. Please be careful when you delete the application cache on Mac.

How to Quickly Clear Cache Files on Mac

It is really time-consuming to manually delete caches in the system, applications, and browsers. But if you have BuhoCleaner in hand, deleting the cache files on your Mac is no longer time-consuming. BuhoCleaner is one of the best cleaners for macOS Ventura and M1/M2 Macs. It allows you to remove cached files from the system, applications, and browsers in seconds.

You don't need to be a Mac guru, just install it on your Mac. After installation, launch it, click the Scan button, and it will detect all cache files on your Mac. If you trust the Smart Selection option, click the Remove button directly. Otherwise, click the View Details button to select the files you want to keep or delete manually.

How to Manually Clear System Cache on Mac

The macOS caches do not take up much storage space. Some of the cache files are critical to your system, and clearing them may cause problems with your system. If you still insist on clearing your system cache, we strongly recommend that you back up your system files first. 

1. On the Finder window, press Shift-Command-G to open the Go to the Folder window.

2. Type in /Library/Caches/ and then click the Go button.

3. Delete the files in each subfolder.

4. Empty your Trash.

   

How to Manually Clear Web Browser Cache on Mac

It's not difficult to clear browser caches on Mac. But one thing you should know is that once you delete the browser caches, when you revisit a page, Mac needs time to re-download the page from the Internet, and you may feel that the browser is slower than before. Therefore, if you are not clearing browser caches for storage purposes, you can leave them alone.

How to Clear Cache in Safari on Mac

1. Launch Safari browser.

2. Click the Safari menu > Preferences > Advanced tab.

3. Select the box next to the Show Develop menu in the menu bar.

4. Go back to the Safari menu, click the Develop menu, and select Empty Caches.

   

Alternatively, you can quickly clear the cache in Safari with the shortcut: Command-Option-E.

How to Clear Cache in Chrome on Mac

1. Launch the Chrome browser.

2. Click the three-dot menu in the right corner of the Chrome window.

3. Hover your mouse over More Tools and select Clear Browsing Data.

4. Choose a time range in the new pop-out window and check the boxes next to Cookies and other sites' data and Cached images and files.

5. Click the blue Clear data button.

   

How to Clear Cache in Firefox on Mac

1. On your Mac, open Firefox.
2. Click the Firefox icon in the menu bar and select Preferences.
3. Click the Privacy and Security
4. Scroll down to Cookies and Site Data and click the Clear Data button.
5. Uncheck the box next to Cookies and Site Data and click the Clear button.
6. Close the about page.

   

Related Article: How to Flush DNS Cache in macOS Ventura, Monterey & Earlier

How to Manually Clear Application Cache on Mac

Application caches are stored in the user's library folder. Although they take up much more storage space than the system cache, there is still no need to clear them unless you are experiencing application errors or are running out of storage space. If you do want to clear the application cache, follow the steps below.

1. Open a Finder window and press Shift-Command-G to open the Go to Folder window.
2. Type ~/Library/Caches in the blank box, click the Go button, and you will see the caches of all applications.
3. Find the folder of the app whose cache you want to delete.
4. Go into it, delete all its files, and then empty the trash.

   

Conclusion

Now you know how to clear your system cache, application cache, and browser cache on your Mac. Please keep in mind that if you're not sure whether you can delete a cache file, you'd better keep it untouched.

Actually, using BuhoCleaner to clear cache files is your best bet. It's risk-free and time-saving. Have a try now.