Is it safe to delete JetBrains IDE caches?
Indexes, caches and Local History that IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm and other JetBrains IDEs keep, in one folder per IDE version.
Usually safe
It can be recreated, but it takes a download, a reinstall or the tool's own command.
~/
- Never inside ~/
Library/ Caches/ JetBrains/ Toolbox
What it is
Each JetBrains IDE keeps a system folder here for every version you've used, such as IntelliJIdea2026.2. It holds the caches and indexes the IDE rebuilds, and also Local History, the IDE's own record of recent changes to your files, which it keeps for five working days by default. When you install a new major version, the IDE deletes the folders of older versions that haven't been updated in 180 days, and Help > Delete Leftover IDE Directories removes them sooner.
If it's removed
The IDE indexes your projects again the next time you open them, which can take a while. Local History for that IDE version is lost.
How it's removed
Moved to the Trash, where you can restore it. Quit JetBrains IDEs first.
The free analyzer finds it and explains it. Removing it is Pro, after a review sheet that lists every move and command. It's never checked for you: it waits for your choice.
Sources
- jetbrains.com/help/idea/directories-used-by-the-ide-to-store-settings-caches-plugins-and-logs.html
- jetbrains.com/help/idea/invalidate-caches.html
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.