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If you want to free up space on your Mac, start with macOS Storage settings and remove files you can identify—not every folder named “cache” or “log.” macOS already clears some caches and logs it considers safe when it needs room. For developers, Xcode’s project-specific DerivedData is a more targeted cleanup option, but deleting it can mean waiting for a rebuild.
Check what is using storage before deleting anything
On macOS Ventura 13 or later, open Apple menu > System Settings > General > Storage. Review the storage categories and any recommendations macOS offers. On earlier macOS versions, Apple directs users to About This Mac > Storage. See Apple’s Free up storage space on Mac guide for the current interface guidance.
Categories are useful for orientation, but they do not always identify one folder you can safely remove. In particular, Apple describes System Data as a broad category for Apple and third-party files that do not fit a more specific category. It is not a single cache folder, so do not try to delete “System Data” wholesale.
Note the available space, then review macOS recommendations, large personal files, and downloads. If you move an item to Trash, its space is not freed until you empty Trash; check its contents first.
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Is it safe to delete Mac caches and logs?
Sometimes, but the label alone is not enough to tell. A cache should hold data an app can regenerate or do without; files an app needs to function belong elsewhere. Apple’s developer guidance distinguishes a discardable caches directory from Application Support, which apps use for support data. See Using the file system effectively and Apple’s cachesDirectory documentation.
Apple Support says: “When space is needed on your Mac, macOS also clears caches and logs that are safe to delete, including temporary database files, interrupted downloads, staged macOS and app updates, Safari website data and more.” That system-managed cleanup is a sensible first step. It does not mean every cache or log can be removed manually without consequences.
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For logs, avoid recursively deleting entire user or system log folders. Apple’s guidance establishes that macOS clears logs it considers safe when space is needed; it does not provide a blanket rule that all logs are safe to remove yourself. If you are troubleshooting a specific app, use that app’s documented log-management procedure rather than treating every log as disposable.
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Can I delete Xcode DerivedData?
For a targeted Xcode cleanup, you can remove the relevant project’s generated DerivedData rather than deleting broad developer folders. Apple’s Xcode 26 release notes name ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData in specific build-workaround steps. This makes it a supported example in that context, not a promise that every generated file is always safe to erase.
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- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
- Quit Xcode and identify the project whose build data you intend to clear.
- In Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder, enter
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData, and press Return. - Locate the corresponding project data and move only that item to Trash. Avoid deleting all of
~/Library/Developer. - Empty Trash only after confirming you do not need to restore the removed data.
Xcode may regenerate DerivedData when you build again. The next build can take longer, and a cleanup may not fix problems caused by other project, toolchain, or support files.
Choose the cleanup that fits your situation
| Action | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Use macOS Storage recommendations | Starting with system-managed storage cleanup and reviewing broad storage categories | Recommendations do not make every file in a broad category a safe manual deletion target |
| Remove project-specific Xcode DerivedData | Targeted Xcode build-data cleanup or troubleshooting | Xcode may need to rebuild the data, making a later build slower |
| Move large files to external storage | Keeping large files or project archives without using internal storage | Requires an external storage device and does not clean caches |
When external storage makes sense
If large files are the main issue, moving suitable files to an external drive can free internal storage. Apple discusses moving files as part of Optimise storage space on your Mac. An external SSD is optional: it provides another place to keep files, but it is not required for cache cleanup and does not remove caches or logs from your Mac.
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