Is it safe to delete Rosetta translation cache?
Translated copies of apps and tools made for Intel-based Macs, which Rosetta keeps so they open faster next time.
Managed by macOS
macOS manages it. It's never moved to the Trash.
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What it is
On a Mac with Apple silicon, Rosetta translates apps and tools built for Intel processors when they first run, and keeps the translated code in /private/var/db/oah. macOS manages this folder, and System Integrity Protection keeps other apps out of it. It only grows when you use software made for Intel-based Macs.
If it's removed
If the cache were cleared, apps made for Intel-based Macs would open more slowly the next time while Rosetta translates them again.
What to do instead
Leave it to macOS. Versions of your apps built for Apple silicon don't need Rosetta, so updating them keeps this cache from growing.
The free analyzer finds it and explains it. The app never removes it.
Sources
- support.apple.com/en-us/102527
- cloud.google.com/blog/topics/threat-intelligence/rosetta2-artifacts-macos-intrusions
- eclecticlight.co/2021/01/22/running-intel-code-on-your-m1-mac-rosetta-2-and-oah
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.