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How to clear the cache on my iMac?

clear Caches on Mac



[Re-Titled by Moderator]


iMac 21.5″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Apr 10, 2023 3:07 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 5, 2024 8:23 AM

Following your direction into Library/Caches I can see hundreds of Folders, each with dozens of folders within folders in hierarchy, with files of various suffixes and names beginning with "Cache." Are all these candidates to Delete in one broad stroke? Or, must I search each folder for ONLY those files that are names starting in 'Cache?"


And, what about all those staring with com.Apple ? Are these untouchables? I have included a brief screenshot.


A little more detail is requested to help the uninformed not make a major mistake that may screw up my machine's performance. MacBook Pro 2021 running Sonoma.

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Jan 5, 2024 8:23 AM in response to dsburn99

Following your direction into Library/Caches I can see hundreds of Folders, each with dozens of folders within folders in hierarchy, with files of various suffixes and names beginning with "Cache." Are all these candidates to Delete in one broad stroke? Or, must I search each folder for ONLY those files that are names starting in 'Cache?"


And, what about all those staring with com.Apple ? Are these untouchables? I have included a brief screenshot.


A little more detail is requested to help the uninformed not make a major mistake that may screw up my machine's performance. MacBook Pro 2021 running Sonoma.

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Apr 13, 2023 9:48 PM in response to dsburn99

To clear the cache on your iMac, follow these steps:

 

1. Open the Finder app on your iMac.

 

2. Click on the "Go" menu at the top of the screen.

 

3. Hold down the "Option" key on your keyboard and click on the "Library" option that appears.

 

4. In the Library folder, open the "Caches" folder.

 

5. Select the folder(s) of the app(s) whose cache you want to clear.

 

6.Press the "Command" and "Delete" keys on your keyboard to move the selected folder(s) to the Trash.

 

7. Empty the Trash by right-clicking on the Trash icon in the Dock and selecting "Empty Trash."

 

It's important to note that clearing the cache may cause some apps to take longer to load the first time you use them after the cache has been cleared, but it can help free up space on your iMac and potentially improve its performance.

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Apr 17, 2023 4:34 AM in response to John Galt

John Galt wrote:

Would you care to explain how clearing a cache improves a Mac's performance?

Sure! When you use your Mac, your computer stores data in the cache memory to make it easier and faster to access that data again in the future. This can include things like web pages you've visited, app data, and system files.


Over time, however, the cache memory can become cluttered with outdated or unnecessary data, which can slow down your Mac's performance. Clearing the cache memory can help to free up space and improve your Mac's performance by removing this unnecessary data.


There are a few different types of cache memory that you may want to clear:


  1. Browser cache: If you use a web browser like Safari, Chrome, or Firefox, these browsers store website data in their cache memory. Clearing this cache can help to free up space and improve your browser's performance.
  2. App cache: Some apps also store data in the cache memory. Clearing this cache can help to free up space and improve the performance of those apps.
  3. System cache: Your Mac also has a system cache that stores system files and data. Clearing this cache can help to free up space and improve your Mac's overall performance.


Overall, clearing the cache memory can be a helpful way to improve your Mac's performance, especially if you've been using your computer for a long time and haven't cleared the cache in a while. However, it's important to note that clearing the cache won't necessarily solve all performance issues, and you may need to take other steps to optimize your Mac's performance.




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Apr 17, 2023 4:36 AM in response to John Galt

John Galt wrote:

Would you care to explain how clearing a cache improves a Mac's performance?

Would you care to explain how the bot is able to avoid the auto-numbering that the editor tool adds? I keep trying to add spaces between the items in my numeric list like the bot does, but the editor always wins.

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Apr 12, 2023 1:53 PM in response to etresoft

I am running Monterey 12.6.3. When starting from cold it takes over 2 minutes (sometimes much longer) for the white line to move across then another couple of minutes for Safari to load and similar with all other applications. Safari is the only application in the startup menu. Once an application has loaded it is still very slow. There is still lots of space available on the hard drive.

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Apr 12, 2023 4:03 PM in response to dsburn99

The amount of free space is irrelevant. What kind of iMac is this? My guess is that you have an older iMac that has only a mechanical hard drive. If my guess is correct, this is as good as it gets. Those old iMacs (up to 2019) are just horribly slow.


If you have a newer one from 2017 or later, you can get an external Thunderbolt 3 SSD and use that as a boot drive. Just make sure it is a true Thunderbolt SSD. It is 2023, so in many cases, claims about being "Thunderbolt" are simply lies.

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Apr 13, 2023 10:56 PM in response to sunny_mike

sunny_mike wrote:

It's important to note that clearing the cache may cause some apps to take longer to load the first time you use them after the cache has been cleared, but it can help free up space on your iMac and potentially improve its performance.


Would you care to explain how clearing a cache improves a Mac's performance?

Reply

How to clear the cache on my iMac?

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