Is it safe to delete Hugging Face Xet cache?
Caches that Hugging Face's Xet storage uses to avoid transferring the same data twice.
Safe
Its owner recreates it by itself when it needs it, and nothing you made is lost.
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What it is
When Hugging Face tools download or upload files through Xet storage, they keep pieces of files and upload records here so the same data isn't transferred twice, plus a workspace that lets interrupted uploads resume. It's purely an optimization: the models themselves are stored in the hub cache next to it.
If it's removed
Some downloads and uploads transfer more data the next time, and an interrupted upload starts over.
How it's removed
Moved to the Trash, where you can restore it.
The free analyzer finds it and explains it. Removing it is Pro, after a review sheet that lists every move and command. It starts checked in the Cleanup checklist, except inside Documents or Desktop.
Sources
- huggingface.co/docs/huggingface_hub/guides/manage-cache
- huggingface.co/docs/huggingface_hub/package_reference/environment_variables
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.