{"id":"freeing-space.what-is-step-1-cache-cleanup","url":"/faq/freeing-space/what-is-step-1-cache-cleanup","category":{"id":"freeing-space","title":"Freeing up space"},"subcategory":{"id":"free-up-space-wizard","title":"Free Up Space wizard and button"},"question":"What does the cache cleanup step of Free Up Space look at?","alt_questions":["Free Up Space step 1 cache cleanup","Which caches does the Free Up Space wizard clean?","Can I untick caches in Free Up Space?","What if Storage Studio crashes while deleting caches?","Cache checklist in Free Up Space"],"short_answer":"Step 1 lists well-known cache locations — developer, browser and container build caches — with sizes. Untick anything you want to keep, then confirm; the deletion is staged so nothing is left half-deleted.","answer_markdown":"Step 1 scans the well-known cache locations on your Mac and shows them as a checklist with sizes: developer build and package caches, browser disk caches, and container build caches. You untick anything you'd rather keep, then confirm.\n\nThe deletion is staged, so if something interrupts it — a crash or a power cut — a folder isn't left half-deleted. Caches are data apps rebuild for themselves, so the cost of clearing them is a slightly slower first launch or build, not lost work.\n\nThe exact list is in [Which developer caches does Free Up Space clear?](/faq/freeing-space/which-developer-caches-does-free-up-space-clear) and [Does it clear browser caches?](/faq/freeing-space/does-storage-studio-clear-browser-caches)","answer_html":"

Step 1 scans the well-known cache locations on your Mac and shows them as a checklist with sizes: developer build and package caches, browser disk caches, and container build caches. You untick anything you'd rather keep, then confirm.

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The deletion is staged, so if something interrupts it — a crash or a power cut — a folder isn't left half-deleted. Caches are data apps rebuild for themselves, so the cost of clearing them is a slightly slower first launch or build, not lost work.

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The exact list is in Which developer caches does Free Up Space clear? and Does it clear browser caches?

","answer_text":"Step 1 scans the well-known cache locations on your Mac and shows them as a checklist with sizes: developer build and package caches, browser disk caches, and container build caches. You untick anything you'd rather keep, then confirm.\n\nThe deletion is staged, so if something interrupts it — a crash or a power cut — a folder isn't left half-deleted. Caches are data apps rebuild for themselves, so the cost of clearing them is a slightly slower first launch or build, not lost work.\n\nThe exact list is in Which developer caches does Free Up Space clear? and Does it clear browser caches?","tags":["caches","free up space","wizard"],"related":[{"id":"freeing-space.which-developer-caches-does-free-up-space-clear","question":"Which developer caches does Free Up Space clear?","url":"/faq/freeing-space/which-developer-caches-does-free-up-space-clear"},{"id":"freeing-space.does-storage-studio-clear-browser-caches","question":"Does Storage Studio clear Safari, Chrome or Firefox caches?","url":"/faq/freeing-space/does-storage-studio-clear-browser-caches"},{"id":"freeing-space.what-is-the-free-up-space-wizard","question":"What is the Free Up Space wizard in Storage Studio?","url":"/faq/freeing-space/what-is-the-free-up-space-wizard"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What does the cache cleanup step of Free Up Space look at? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Step 1 lists well-known cache locations — developer, browser and container build caches — with sizes. Untick anything you want to keep, then confirm; the deletion is staged so nothing is left half-deleted.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Freeing up space","path":"/faq/freeing-space/"},{"name":"What does the cache cleanup step of Free Up Space look at?","path":"/faq/freeing-space/what-is-step-1-cache-cleanup"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/what-is-step-1-cache-cleanup","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What does the cache cleanup step of Free Up Space look at?","alternateName":["Free Up Space step 1 cache cleanup","Which caches does the Free Up Space wizard clean?","Can I untick caches in Free Up Space?","What if Storage Studio crashes while deleting caches?","Cache checklist in Free Up Space"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Step 1 scans the well-known cache locations on your Mac and shows them as a checklist with sizes: developer build and package caches, browser disk caches, and container build caches. You untick anything you'd rather keep, then confirm.\n\nThe deletion is staged, so if something interrupts it — a crash or a power cut — a folder isn't left half-deleted. Caches are data apps rebuild for themselves, so the cost of clearing them is a slightly slower first launch or build, not lost work.\n\nThe exact list is in Which developer caches does Free Up Space clear? and Does it clear browser caches?","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/freeing-space/what-is-step-1-cache-cleanup"}}]},"fragment":"
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Freeing up space · Free Up Space wizard and button

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What does the cache cleanup step of Free Up Space look at?

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Short answer: Step 1 lists well-known cache locations — developer, browser and container build caches — with sizes. Untick anything you want to keep, then confirm; the deletion is staged so nothing is left half-deleted.

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Step 1 scans the well-known cache locations on your Mac and shows them as a checklist with sizes: developer build and package caches, browser disk caches, and container build caches. You untick anything you'd rather keep, then confirm.

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The deletion is staged, so if something interrupts it — a crash or a power cut — a folder isn't left half-deleted. Caches are data apps rebuild for themselves, so the cost of clearing them is a slightly slower first launch or build, not lost work.

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The exact list is in Which developer caches does Free Up Space clear? and Does it clear browser caches?

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Last reviewed

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