Is it safe to delete npm cache?
Packages and package information npm has downloaded, kept so it doesn't download them again.
Safe
Its owner recreates it by itself when it needs it, and nothing you made is lost.
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What it is
npm keeps a copy of every package and package listing it downloads in this folder, and reuses it when you install the same versions again in any project. npm never removes anything from it by itself, so it grows as your projects add and update dependencies. npm downloads anything it needs again, so removing it doesn't affect projects that are already installed.
If it's removed
The next installs download packages again, so they take longer and need an internet connection. Projects that are already installed keep working.
How it's removed
npm's own cleanup command (npm cache clean --force), run by the app.
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
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.