Dropbox Local Cache Folder (.dropbox.cache)

Bottom Line: It is 100% safe to delete the .dropbox.cache folder. Deleting it will NOT delete your synced files or your online Dropbox cloud storage.

What is the .dropbox.cache Folder?

Located inside your local Dropbox folder at C:\Users\Username\Dropbox\.dropbox.cache on Windows or ~/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache on macOS/Linux, .dropbox.cache is a hidden staging directory used by Dropbox.

Dropbox uses this folder to store:

• Staged File Uploads: Chunked files preparing to upload to Dropbox servers.
• Staged File Downloads: Temporary files fetched from the cloud.
• Local Staging Backups: Copies of files recently deleted from Dropbox (kept locally for 3 days).

Over time, this hidden cache folder can grow to 5 GB to 20 GB, filling up your local drive with files you thought were already gone.

Can You Delete .dropbox.cache?

✅ Yes, it is completely safe to delete.

• No cloud data loss: Synced files remain safe in your Dropbox account online.
• Auto-cleared eventually: Dropbox attempts to clear this folder every 3 days, but manual deletion reclaims space immediately.

How to Delete .dropbox.cache

Because .dropbox.cache is a hidden system folder, follow these steps:

Method 1: Manual Deletion via Command Prompt / Terminal

1. Quit the Dropbox app.
2. Run the command for your OS:

# Windows (Command Prompt)
rmdir /s /q "C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Dropbox\.dropbox.cache"

# macOS / Linux (Terminal)
rm -rf ~/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache

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