Is it safe to delete Dropbox cache?
Temporary copies of files that Dropbox keeps for performance and as a staging area for uploads and downloads.
Usually safe
It can be recreated, but it takes a download, a reinstall or the tool's own command.
~/
~/
What it is
Dropbox keeps temporary files here that help it sync faster, stage uploads and downloads, and keep a copy of files you recently changed or deleted. With Dropbox on File Provider the cache is in a Group Containers folder outside your Dropbox folder; older setups keep a hidden .dropbox.cache folder inside it. Dropbox clears the cache automatically every three days.
If it's removed
If the cache is removed while Dropbox is running, uploads and downloads in progress can be interrupted.
What to do instead
Dropbox clears this cache by itself every three days.
The free analyzer finds it and explains it. The app never removes it.
Sources
Last checked on 26 Sep 2026. Every entry is written and checked by hand; the app and the command-line tool use the same words.