How to Clear Cache on MacBook Pro

Posted By: technowifi

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Three Types of Cache on Your MacBook Pro

Your MacBook stores three types of cached data: browser cache (Safari, Chrome), application cache (individual apps storing temporary files), and system cache (macOS files for faster performance). Each type is cleared differently, and clearing all three can free up several gigabytes of storage on a MacBook that hasn’t been cleaned in a while.

Clear cache when your MacBook is running low on storage, when Safari or other apps feel slow, when websites aren’t loading correctly, or when an app is behaving strangely after an update. Clearing cache doesn’t delete your files, passwords, or personal data – just temporary files that get rebuilt as you use the machine.

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How to Clear Safari Cache

  1. Open Safari.
  2. Click “Safari” in the menu bar, then “Settings” (or press Command + comma).
  3. Go to the “Privacy” tab.
  4. Click “Manage Website Data.”
  5. Click “Remove All” to clear all website cache and data, or search for specific sites and remove them individually.
  6. Click “Remove Now” to confirm.

This clears cookies, cached files, and stored website data. You’ll be logged out of most websites. Your bookmarks, saved passwords in Keychain, and browsing history are not affected.

To clear history as well, go to Safari in the menu bar, then “Clear History.” Choose a time range (last hour, today, today and yesterday, all history) and click “Clear History.” This removes both history and cached data for the selected period.

Clear Safari Cache Using the Develop Menu

For a faster approach that clears only the cache without touching cookies or history, use the Develop menu.

  1. Open Safari, then go to Safari, then Settings, then Advanced.
  2. Check “Show features for web developers” (or “Show Develop menu in menu bar” on older macOS).
  3. Close Settings. A “Develop” menu now appears in the menu bar.
  4. Click Develop, then “Empty Caches.”

This clears only cached images, scripts, and page data. Your cookies, login sessions, and history stay intact. It’s the cleanest way to clear Safari cache without side effects.

How to Clear Chrome Cache on MacBook

  1. Open Chrome.
  2. Press Command + Shift + Delete (or click the three-dot menu, then “Delete browsing data”).
  3. Select the “Advanced” tab for granular control.
  4. Check “Cached images and files.” Uncheck everything else if you only want to clear cache.
  5. Set the time range to “All time.”
  6. Click “Delete data.”

Chrome’s cache can grow to several gigabytes on heavy users. Clearing just “Cached images and files” frees storage without logging you out of websites or removing your browsing history. If you also want to clear cookies (which logs you out everywhere), check that box too.

How to Clear System Cache

System cache includes temporary files that macOS and your apps create for faster performance. These files are safe to delete – macOS rebuilds them as needed.

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Click “Go” in the menu bar, then “Go to Folder” (or press Command + Shift + G).
  3. Type ~/Library/Caches and press Enter.
  4. You see folders for individual apps and system processes. Each folder contains cached data for that app.
  5. Select all folders (Command + A) and move them to Trash (Command + Delete).
  6. Empty the Trash (right-click the Trash icon, then “Empty Trash”).

This deletes user-level cache files. Some apps may take slightly longer to open the first time after clearing because they need to rebuild their cache. This is normal and temporary.

For system-level cache (which requires more caution), navigate to /Library/Caches (without the ~ tilde). These are system-wide cache files. You can delete the contents of individual folders here, but don’t delete the folders themselves. When in doubt, restart your MacBook instead – macOS cleans up many system cache files during a restart.

How to Clear Application Cache

Individual apps store cache data in ~/Library/Caches under folders named with the app’s bundle identifier (like com.spotify.client or com.apple.Safari). You can clear a specific app’s cache by deleting its folder in the Caches directory.

Some apps have their own cache-clearing option built in. Spotify, Slack, Discord, and Adobe apps let you clear cache from within the app’s settings. Check the app’s preferences before manually deleting cache folders.

For a more thorough app cleanup, delete and reinstall the app. This removes all cached data, preferences, and temporary files. Download the app again from the App Store or the developer’s website and sign in fresh.

How to Clear DNS Cache

DNS cache stores the IP addresses of websites you’ve visited so your Mac doesn’t have to look them up every time. If a website recently moved servers and you’re seeing the old version, or if websites aren’t loading despite your internet working, clearing the DNS cache can fix it.

  1. Open Terminal (search for it in Spotlight with Command + Space).
  2. Type: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
  3. Press Enter and type your admin password when prompted.
  4. DNS cache is cleared. No confirmation message appears, but it’s done.

How Much Space Can You Recover?

The amount varies based on how long it’s been since you last cleared cache and how heavily you use your MacBook. Browser cache typically accumulates 500 MB to 2 GB. System and app cache can reach 5 to 15 GB on a MacBook that’s been used daily for a year without clearing. After clearing everything, expect to recover 2 to 10 GB on average.

Check your storage before and after to see the difference. Go to Apple menu, then About This Mac, then Storage (or System Settings, then General, then Storage on macOS Ventura and later). The “System Data” or “Other” category is where most cache lives.

Is it safe to clear all cache on MacBook?

Yes. Cache files are temporary by design. Your MacBook rebuilds them as needed. The only side effects are temporary: websites load a bit slower on first visit (because cached assets need to be re-downloaded), apps may take a second longer to open the first time, and you’ll need to sign back into websites if you cleared cookies. No personal files, documents, photos, or apps are affected.

Will clearing cache speed up my MacBook?

If your MacBook is low on storage (less than 10 to 15 GB free), clearing cache can noticeably improve performance because macOS needs free space for virtual memory and temporary files. If you have plenty of free storage, clearing cache won’t make the Mac faster and may temporarily slow things down as apps rebuild their cache. For performance issues unrelated to storage, restarting the MacBook is often more effective than clearing cache.

How often should I clear cache on MacBook?

There’s no need for a regular schedule. macOS manages cache automatically and clears old files when storage gets low. Clear cache when you’re troubleshooting a problem (website not loading correctly, app behaving oddly) or when you need to free up storage space. Clearing cache every day or week provides no benefit and just forces everything to reload.

See also: How to Clear Cache on iPhone, How to Screen Record on MacBook Pro, How to Screenshot on MacBook Pro

Sources

Apple – Free Up Storage on Mac | Apple – Clear Safari Data