--- title: "Clearing app caches safely" url: https://storagestudio.us/wiki/app-caches category: "Freeing up space" tags: ["caches", "free up space", "apps", "emergency space"] summary: "Storage Studio clears only the parts of an app's data that the app rebuilds by itself, such as its web and graphics caches. An app's settings, sign-ins, cookies and history are never touched, for any app." updated: 2026-10-01T05:34:49.000Z --- # Clearing app caches safely Storage Studio clears only the parts of an app's data that the app rebuilds by itself, such as its web and graphics caches. An app's settings, sign-ins, cookies and history are never touched, for any app. An app [cache](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-cache) is a store of files the app can make again: downloaded web content, compiled code, graphics data. Clearing it frees space and costs you nothing except a moment while the app rebuilds what it needs. Storage Studio clears **only** that kind of data. An app's settings, sign-ins, cookies, sessions and history stay exactly where they are, for every app. ## How Storage Studio finds caches It doesn't rely on a list of app names. It looks at what folders contain and where they live: - **Inside an app's data folder**, it looks for the well-known cache subfolders that apps use for web, code and graphics caches, and clears only those subfolders. The folder around them, which holds settings and sign-ins, is left alone. Because it goes by folder contents, an app you installed yesterday is covered too. - **In the folder macOS sets aside for caches**, which apps use for files they can rebuild, it can offer to clear a single app's cache. - **Known developer and package caches** are handled separately. See [Developer caches and build folders](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/developer-storage). An app's whole data folder is never offered for clearing or moving. Where Storage Studio can't name a part that the app is known to rebuild, it offers nothing and says why: *These are apps' own files. Storage Studio only moves the part an app rebuilds by itself — never its settings, sign-ins or history.* ```mermaid %% caption: What Storage Studio checks before clearing part of an app's data flowchart TD A[Folder inside an app's data] --> B{Is it a known rebuildable cache subfolder?} B -->|No| C[Left alone - settings, sign-ins and history] B -->|Yes| D{Is an app using it right now?} D -->|Yes| E[Skipped this time] D -->|No| F{Is it a cloud placeholder?} F -->|Yes| E F -->|No| G[Cleared - the app rebuilds it] ``` *Flowchart — What Storage Studio checks before clearing part of an app's data. Outline:* - Folder inside an app's data - leads to Is it a known rebuildable cache subfolder? - Is it a known rebuildable cache subfolder? - No: leads to Left alone - settings, sign-ins and history - Yes: leads to Is an app using it right now? - Is an app using it right now? - Yes: leads to Skipped this time - No: leads to Is it a cloud placeholder? - Is it a cloud placeholder? - Yes: leads to Skipped this time - No: leads to Cleared - the app rebuilds it ## Where caches get cleared | Where | What happens | |---|---| | Free Up Space, and the first step of Smart Care | App caches are cleared, following the age on the **Clean app caches** rule | | More menu, **Clean App Caches** | Clears the same cache subfolders straight away, whatever their age | | Emergency Space | Offers rows such as **Clear** *(app)***'s cache**, one per app, with a copy kept on your fast drive when there's room | | Auto Rules | May suggest or apply rules for caches it finds on your Mac | In every case, items an app has open are skipped and tried again next time. ## Clearing one app's caches To clear a single app's cache, open [Emergency Space](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/emergency-space) from the More menu (•••) and tick that app's **Clear** *(app)***'s cache** row, if it's listed. The row explains that the folder holds files the app can rebuild and that *Your settings, sign-ins and history are somewhere else and aren't touched.* When there's room on your fast drive, a copy is kept first, so you can put it back from the [Recycle Vault](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/recycle-vault). If there isn't room, the row says the clear can't be undone. To change how old cache items must be before Free Up Space clears them, open **Settings** → **Rules** and change the age on the **Clean app caches** rule. That age applies when your external drive is connected and the rules run. If the drive isn't connected, Free Up Space still clears app caches, but without the age limit. ## After clearing The first time you open an app after its cache is cleared, it may take a little longer to start or to show pictures and pages, while it rebuilds what it needs. - **What's the best app to free up space on a Mac?** If you want space back without losing files, the best approach is "move, don't delete." Storage Studio relocates big apps and folders to an external drive (with a shortcut left in place so they still open), reclaims space macOS is holding in old snapshots, and keeps cloud files online-only — all… (https://storagestudio.us/faq) - **How do I free up space on my Mac?** Empty the Trash, clear app caches, remove old downloads, and move large apps and folders you rarely use to an external drive. Storage Studio does all of this in one tap with Tuhi — it clears caches and rarely-used files, reclaims old local backups, and keeps cloud files online-only, previewed… (https://storagestudio.us/faq) - **How do I get more storage on my Mac without deleting my files?** Pair your Mac with an external SSD and offload what you don't need on the startup disk. Storage Studio moves large apps, folders, and media to the external drive and leaves a shortcut in the original spot, so you reclaim space while keeping every file — nothing is deleted. (https://storagestudio.us/faq) - **Is it safe to clear the cache on a Mac?** Yes — app caches rebuild automatically, so clearing them safely reclaims space; the only risk is deleting the wrong thing by hand. Storage Studio clears only known-safe caches and rarely-used files, shows a preview first, and never touches your personal files without asking. (https://storagestudio.us/faq) See also: [Free Up Space](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/free-up-space) · [Temporary files you can't see](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/temporary-files) · [Auto Rules](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/auto-rules) · [Smart Care](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/smart-care) ## What links here - [Auto Rules](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/auto-rules) - [Cache](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-cache) - [Developer caches and build folders](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/developer-storage) - [Free Up Space](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/free-up-space) - [Freeing up space: the options](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/freeing-up-space-overview) - [How Storage Studio deletes things](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-deletions-work) - [How Storage Studio keeps every change reversible](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/how-storage-studio-keeps-you-safe) - [Smart Care](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/smart-care) - [Temporary files you can't see](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/temporary-files) - [The Recycle Vault](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/recycle-vault)