How to Clear Cache on Mac Without Third-Party Apps (2026 Guide)

How to Clear Cache on Mac Without Third-Party Apps: The Complete 2026 Manual Guide

Is your Mac feeling a little sluggish lately? Does the startup chime take forever, or do apps suddenly feel clunky? Before you rush out to buy expensive cleaning software or dig out your credit card for a subscription, let’s talk about a simple fix you can do right now for free.

I’m talking about clearing your cache.

As someone who has used Macs for over a decade, I have learned that you don’t need fancy tools to keep your system running smoothly. Apple builds excellent maintenance tools right into macOS. You need to know where to look for them.

In this guide, I will walk you through the steps to manually clear the cache on your Mac. We will cover browser caches, system caches, and user application caches. We will do it safely, thoroughly, and without spending a single dollar.

Understanding the Cache: Why Your Mac Holds Onto Files

Before we jump into the how-to, let’s briefly discuss what we are actually deleting. Think of the cache as your Mac’s short-term memory.

When you visit a website or open an app, your Mac saves certain data—like images, logos, and scripts—locally on your hard drive. The next time you visit that site or open that app, it loads faster because it doesn’t have to download everything again.

This is a brilliant system. However, over months and years, this "short-term memory" can balloon into gigabytes of data. Sometimes, these files get corrupted, which causes apps to crash or behave oddly. Clearing them out forces your Mac to create fresh, new cache files.

I recommend doing a light cleanup every month. Your Mac will thank you.

Method 1: The Easiest First Step – Built-in Storage Management

Apple knows that storage fills up. That is why they created a dedicated tool to help you manage it. This should always be your starting point.

Here’s how to access it:

1. Click the Apple icon located in the top-left corner of your screen.

2. Select About This Mac.

3. Click on the Storage tab, then click the Manage button.

You will see recommendations like "Store in iCloud," "Optimize Storage," and "Empty Trash Automatically." While these are helpful for general space, we are here for the deep clean. This screen gives you a great overview, but for cache files specifically, we need to roll up our sleeves and get into the system folders.

Method 2: Clearing Browser Cache (Safari, Chrome, Firefox)

The browser is usually the biggest culprit when it comes to cached data. Every image on every website you visit gets stored here. Let's clear it out.

For Safari (macOS Ventura and later)

Safari hides its cache-clearing option by default. You have to enable a secret menu first.

1. Open Safari.

2. In the top menu bar, click Safari > Settings (or Preferences).

3. Go to the Advanced tab.

4. Check the box at the bottom that says "Show features for web developers" (or "Show Develop menu in menu bar").

5. Now, look at your top menu bar for a new option called Develop.

6. Click Develop and select "Empty Caches".

For Google Chrome

Chrome makes this process very straightforward.

1. Open Chrome.

2. Click the three vertical dots located in the top-right corner.

3. Hover over History, then click History again.

4. In the left sidebar, click Clear browsing data.

5. A window pops up. Set the "Time range" to All time.

6. Make sure "Cached images and files" is checked.

7. Click Clear data.

For Firefox

Firefox is just as simple as Chrome.

1. Open Firefox.

2. Click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.

3. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.

4. Scroll down until you reach the Cookies and Site Data section.

5. Click the Clear Data button.

6. Ensure "Cached Web Content" is selected, then click Clear.

My personal advice: After clearing your browser cache, websites might load a tiny bit slower for the first visit. Don't worry. That is just your Mac rebuilding the cache with fresh, non-corrupted files.

Method 3: The Deep Clean – User Application Cache

This is where the magic happens. Every app you use—from Spotify to Photoshop—stashes files in a hidden "Library" folder. Cleaning this out can free up the most space.

Follow these steps carefully. It looks complicated, but I promise it’s just a digital filing cabinet.

1. Open a new Finder window.

2. In the top menu bar, click Go.

3. Press and hold the Option (Alt) key on your keyboard.  You will see the "Library" folder appear in the dropdown menu.

4. Click Library while still holding the Option key.

5. Find and open the folder named Caches.

Now you are inside the nerve center of your app data. You will see folders with strange names like com.spotify.client or com. google.Chrome.

· What to delete: Open each folder and delete the files inside.

· What to keep: Keep the folders themselves. It is safer to delete the contents rather than the whole folder, as the app might get confused if the folder is missing.

To delete, drag the files to the Trash, or right-click and select "Move to Trash." Once you are done, right-click the Trash can in your Dock and select Empty Trash.

Method 4: The System Cache Cleanup (For the Brave)

This is the "grown-up" level of Mac maintenance. System caches are located in a different Library folder that affects all users on the computer. You need to take a little extra care at this point.

1. In Finder, select Go and then click Go to Folder.

2. Type this exactly: /Library/Caches and hit Return.

3. You will see another list of folders.

Warning: Do not delete everything in sight here. Stick to deleting the contents of folders belonging to apps you recognize. Avoid deleting anything that looks like a core system process (usually folders starting with "com.apple").

This is a great way to free up space that the regular user cache doesn't touch, but if you are unsure about a file, leave it be. It is better to have a cluttered cache than a broken system.

Method 5: The Terminal Power Move

If you want to feel like a hacker while cleaning your Mac, the Terminal is for you. There is a specific command that runs three clean-up scripts: daily, weekly, and monthly. These handle logs and temporary files that the Finder might not show you.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Terminal (found in Applications > Utilities).

2. Type (or copy-paste) the following command exactly:

   sudo periodic daily weekly monthly

3. Press Return.

4. You will be asked for your password. Type it in (you won't see the characters typing for security reasons) and hit Return.

5. Let it run. It might take a minute or two, but you won't see much happening on the screen. When it's done, the command line prompt will return.

This is one of my favorite tricks. It is Apple's own built-in maintenance suite, running silently in the background.

Additional Tips for Freeing Up "Purgeable" Space

Sometimes, you delete files, but the space doesn't show up as free. Instead, it shows as "Purgeable" in your Storage settings. This is space that macOS knows is free but is holding onto just in case.

To force the system to reclaim this space:

· Restart your Mac. This is the simplest way. A reboot clears out temporary system junk and often flushes the purgeable space.

· Disable and re-enable Time Machine backups. If you use Time Machine, it creates local snapshots. Going into Time Machine settings and turning off automatic backups can sometimes force the system to let go of that space.

A Personal Checklist for Monthly Maintenance

To keep your Mac in top shape without any third-party apps, here is my personal routine:

· Weekly: Clear browser caches (especially if I’m doing web development or heavy research).

· Monthly:

  · Navigate to ~/Library/Caches and empty the contents of large app folders.

  · Run the sudo periodic daily weekly, and monthly Terminal command.

  · Empty the Trash and Downloads folder.

· Quarterly:

  · Check for old iOS backups in Finder > General > Manage Backups.

  · Clear out the Mail downloads folder at ~/Library/Mail.

Conclusion

You don't need to pay for a subscription to keep your Mac healthy. The tools are already built into your computer, waiting for you to use them. By spending just ten minutes a month on these manual steps, you can reclaim gigabytes of space, speed up your applications, and extend the life of your machine.

I encourage you to try at least one of these methods today. Start with your browser cache, and you will likely notice the difference immediately.

Call to Action: Which method worked best for you? Do you have a favorite manual cleanup trick I missed? Take a look at your Storage settings right now and see how much "System Data" you can clear using the steps above.

External Link for further reading:

For more official details on storage optimization, you can always refer to Apple's own support pages regarding macOS storage management.

Disclaimer:

The information shared in this article is intended solely for educational purposes. While clearing the cache is generally safe, it involves modifying system directories. Please ensure you have a current backup (using Time Machine or another method) before deleting any files you are unsure about. The author is not responsible for any data loss or system issues resulting from following this guide. Always delete files at your own risk.