How to Clear Cache on Mac: Safari, Chrome, App and DNS Cache (Step-by-Step Guide)

If a website keeps loading an old version of a page, an app is acting strangely, or your Mac is running low on storage, learning how to clear cache on Mac is one of the quickest fixes. Caches are temporary files that apps and browsers save so things load faster next time. Most of the time they help, but they can become outdated, corrupted or simply too large.

This guide shows you how to clear cache on Mac safely, step by step: in Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Edge, for your user and app caches, and for the DNS cache. You will also learn what is safe to delete, what to leave alone, and how often you actually need to do it.

What Is Cache on a Mac?

A cache is a set of stored files that lets software skip work it has already done. On a Mac you will find several kinds:

• Browser cache: copies of images, scripts and pages from sites you visit.
• User (app) cache: temporary data that apps such as Spotify, Slack, Photos or Xcode save in your Library folder.
• System cache: files macOS itself uses to run smoothly. macOS manages these automatically.
• DNS cache: a short list of website addresses your Mac has already looked up.

Clearing a cache does not delete your documents, photos or passwords. The app simply rebuilds the files it needs, so the first launch or page load afterwards may be a little slower.

When Should You Clear Cache on Mac?

You do not need to clear cache on Mac on a schedule. Do it when you notice one of these problems:

• A website shows outdated content, broken layouts or keeps failing to load.
• You see errors after an app update.
• An app crashes repeatedly or behaves oddly.
• Your startup disk is nearly full and a cache folder is taking several gigabytes.
• You are troubleshooting a network or DNS issue.

Before You Start: Back Up Your Mac

Clearing browser cache is safe, but deleting files inside your Library folder always carries a small risk. Run a Time Machine backup first, or at least make sure your important files are synced to iCloud or another backup. Then quit the app whose cache you plan to clear.

How to Clear Cache on Mac in Safari

Safari hides its cache option in a developer menu, but you can turn it on in a few clicks. According to Intego’s Safari cache guide, emptying the cache this way keeps your history, cookies and saved passwords intact.

1. Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar.
2. Choose Settings (called Preferences on older versions of macOS).
3. Open the Advanced tab.
4. Tick Show features for web developers (on older versions, Show Develop menu in menu bar).
5. Click Develop in the menu bar and choose Empty Caches. The keyboard shortcut is Option + Command + E.
6. Reload the page that was giving you trouble.

Clear Safari History and Website Data

If emptying the cache does not fix the problem, clear history and site data as well:

1. Click Safari in the menu bar and choose Clear History.
2. Pick a time range, from the last hour to all history.
3. Click Clear History.

This also removes cookies for that period, so you may need to sign in to some websites again. If Safari syncs through iCloud, history on your other Apple devices is cleared too.

How to Clear Cache on Mac in Google Chrome

1. Open Chrome and press Command + Shift + Delete, or click the three-dot menu and choose Delete browsing data.
2. Set the Time range. Choose All time to clear everything.
3. Tick Cached images and files. Untick Cookies and Browsing history if you want to keep them.
4. Click Delete data.

For a single misbehaving site, open it, press Command + Option + I to open Developer Tools, then right-click the reload button and choose Empty Cache and Hard Reload.

How to Clear Cache on Mac in Firefox

1. Open Firefox and go to Settings from the Firefox menu.
2. Select Privacy & Security.
3. Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data.
4. Tick Temporary cached files and pages (labelled Cached Web Content in some versions) and untick the rest if you want to stay signed in.
5. Click Clear.

How to Clear Cache on Mac in Microsoft Edge

1. Open Edge and press Command + Shift + Delete.
2. Choose a time range.
3. Tick Cached images and files.
4. Click Clear now.

How to Clear User and App Cache on Mac

App caches live in your user Library folder. Clearing them can free space and fix app glitches.

1. Quit the apps whose cache you want to clear.
2. In Finder, click Go in the menu bar and choose Go to Folder, or press Shift + Command + G.
3. Type ~/Library/Caches and press Return.
4. Open the folder for the app you want to reset, for example com.spotify.client.
5. Select the files inside that folder and move them to the Trash. Leave the folder itself in place.
6. Empty the Trash and restart your Mac.

What Is Safe to Delete?

Location	Safe to clear?	Notes
Browser cache (via browser settings)	Yes	The safest option.
Contents of app folders in ~/Library/Caches	Usually yes	Quit the app first. It rebuilds the files.
The ~/Library/Caches folder itself	No	Delete the contents of app folders, not the folder.
/Library/Caches (system-wide)	Use caution	Only remove items you recognize, and back up first.
/System/Library/Caches	No	macOS protects these files. Leave them alone.
Files in ~/Library/Application Support	No	These are app data, not cache, and may include settings or saved work.

How to Clear DNS Cache on Mac

If websites fail to load after a network change, or you recently changed DNS settings, clearing the DNS cache can help.

1. Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities.
2. Type sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder and press Return.
3. Enter your Mac password when asked. Nothing appears as you type, which is normal.
4. Close Terminal and try the website again.

How to Check How Much Space Caches Use

1. Open System Settings and go to General > Storage.
2. Wait for macOS to calculate usage. The bar shows categories such as Apps, Documents and System Data.
3. Caches are mostly counted under System Data, which macOS can shrink on its own when space runs low.

To see the size of your user cache folder, open ~/Library/Caches in Finder, select the folder and press Command + I to show its size.

Should You Use a Mac Cleaner App?

Many third-party apps promise to clear cache on Mac with one click. Some are reputable, but others are bloated, push upgrades or remove files that apps actually need. Before you install one:

• Check that it comes from a known developer and is notarized by Apple.
• Read recent independent reviews.
• Avoid apps that claim your Mac is “infected” or “critically slow” to push a purchase.

For most people, the manual steps above are enough, and macOS manages system caches well on its own.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Deleting the Caches folder itself instead of the files inside app folders.
• Clearing caches while apps are open, which can cause crashes or immediately recreate the files.
• Deleting System Library files, which can cause startup problems.
• Clearing cookies by accident and then losing saved logins. Untick cookies if you only want to clear cache.
• Clearing cache too often. Caches exist to speed things up, so routine clearing makes your Mac slower, not faster.

Cache vs Cookies vs History: What Is the Difference?

Browsers group several kinds of data together, which makes it easy to delete more than you meant to.

Data type	What it stores	What happens if you clear it
Cache	Copies of images, scripts and page files	Pages load fresh copies; nothing personal is lost
Cookies	Small files that keep you signed in and remember preferences	You are signed out of most websites
History	A list of pages you visited	Address bar suggestions and the history list are emptied
Site data	Local storage used by web apps	Web apps may reset settings or offline data

If your goal is only to fix a page that is not updating, clear the cache and leave cookies and history alone.

How to Clear Cache on Mac for Popular Apps

Many apps have their own cache controls, which are safer than deleting files by hand:

• Spotify: open Settings, scroll to Storage and click Clear cache. Downloaded songs are kept unless you remove them separately.
• Slack: from the menu bar choose Help, then Troubleshooting, then Clear Cache and Restart.
• Microsoft Teams: quit Teams fully, then remove the contents of its cache folder in ~/Library/Caches or reset the app from its settings.
• Adobe apps: Photoshop, Premiere Pro and other Creative Cloud apps let you purge or clean media and scratch caches from their Preferences.
• Xcode: developers can free large amounts of space by deleting the DerivedData folder from Xcode Settings > Locations.

Using an app’s built-in option means it removes only temporary files, not your settings or saved work.

Troubleshooting After You Clear Cache on Mac

If problems continue after you clear cache on Mac:

• Restart your Mac so apps start fresh.
• Update macOS and your apps from System Settings > General > Software Update and the App Store.
• Test in a private window to see whether an extension, not the cache, is causing a website problem.
• Reset the app from its own settings or reinstall it if it keeps crashing. If nothing else works, a full reset may be the last resort; see how to factory reset MacBook Air.
• Start in Safe Mode, which clears some system caches and checks your startup disk. The steps differ for Apple silicon and Intel Macs, so follow Apple’s instructions for your model.

How to Clear Cache on Mac: FAQ

Is it safe to clear cache on Mac?

Yes, as long as you clear browser caches through the browser and delete only the contents of app folders in ~/Library/Caches. Do not delete system folders.

Will clearing cache delete my passwords?

Clearing only the cache will not. Clearing cookies or website data can sign you out of websites, but saved passwords in iCloud Keychain or your browser stay put.

How often should I clear cache on Mac?

Only when you have a problem or need storage space. There is no benefit to clearing it daily or weekly.

Does clearing cache speed up a Mac?

It can fix slow or glitchy apps and free disk space, but it will not make a healthy Mac noticeably faster. Pages and apps may even load slightly slower right after you clear it.

What is the shortcut to empty the cache in Safari?

After you enable the Develop menu, press Option + Command + E.

The Bottom Line

To clear cache on Mac, start with the browser or app causing trouble, use its built-in option, and only then move on to ~/Library/Caches or the DNS cache. Back up first, quit apps before deleting anything, and never touch system folders. Done this way, clearing the cache is a safe, quick fix for many everyday Mac problems.

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