Is it safe to delete Xcode caches?
Cached network data and other temporary files that Xcode and its command-line build tool keep so they don't have to fetch 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
Xcode and its command-line build tool, xcodebuild, keep cached network responses and other temporary data in these folders. Apple's guidelines say the Caches folder is for data an app can recreate, and Xcode recreates what it needs the next time you open it or build a project.
If it's removed
Xcode may take a little longer to open or to load some information the first time afterwards.
How it's removed
Moved to the Trash, where you can restore it. Quit Xcode first.
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
- developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/FileManagement/Conceptual/FileSystemProgrammingGuide/MacOSXDirectories/MacOSXDirectories.html
- developer.apple.com/documentation/foundation/filemanager/searchpathdirectory/cachesdirectory
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.