---
id: mac-storage-basics.can-i-delete-the-xcode-command-line-tools
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/can-i-delete-the-xcode-command-line-tools
category: "Mac storage basics"
subcategory: "Programming languages and toolchains"
question: "Can I delete Apple's Command Line Tools to save space?"
alt_questions:
  - "remove command line tools mac"
  - "xcode-select install again"
  - "commandlinetools folder size"
  - "do i need command line tools"
  - "uninstall developer tools mac"
  - "library developer commandlinetools"
short_answer: "You can delete /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools, but git, Homebrew and compilers need it. Reinstall any time with xcode-select --install."
tags: ["command line tools", "developer", "xcode"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-free-up-space-used-by-xcode", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-clean-up-homebrew"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Can I delete Apple's Command Line Tools to save space?

You can, but many things depend on them — git, compilers, Homebrew and the Python that ships with them. Only remove them if you don't do any development.

They live in **/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools**; deleting that folder (administrator password needed) removes them. If something later asks for them, macOS offers to reinstall, or run `xcode-select --install`. If you have full Xcode installed, the tools inside Xcode are separate — see [freeing space used by Xcode](https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/how-do-i-free-up-space-used-by-xcode).