Is it safe to delete Vagrant boxes?
Base images Vagrant has downloaded to create virtual machines, including older versions of each box.
Usually safe
It can be recreated, but it takes a download, a reinstall or the tool's own command.
~/
What it is
Vagrant downloads a box, the base image for a virtual machine, the first time a project uses it, and keeps every version it has downloaded here. When a newer version of a box comes out, the older ones stay until they're removed. The virtual machines themselves are stored by their provider, such as VirtualBox or VMware Fusion.
If it's removed
Older versions of each box are removed. The newest version of every box, and any box a machine still uses, are kept. A removed version downloads again if a project asks for it.
How it's removed
Vagrant's own cleanup command (vagrant box prune --force --keep-active-boxes), run by the app. It removes only what nothing uses, so it frees less than the full size.
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. Its size counts as “up to”, because the command removes only what nothing uses.
Sources
- developer.hashicorp.com/vagrant/docs/cli/box
- developer.hashicorp.com/vagrant/docs/other/environmental-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.