Is It Safe to Delete Epic Games VaultCache?

What is the VaultCache?

Located deep within the Epic Games launcher installation directory (usually C:\Program Files\Epic Games\Launcher\VaultCache), this hidden folder is notorious in the PC gaming community for silently consuming massive amounts of SSD storage space.

Why Does It Exist?

When you download a game or a massive asset pack (like Unreal Engine assets) from the Epic Games Store, the launcher downloads the raw installation files into the VaultCache first. It then extracts and installs the actual playable game onto your hard drive.

However, to save you from having to re-download the game if you ever want to reinstall it in the future, Epic Games leaves the massive installation files sitting in the VaultCache forever. This means if you download a 50GB game, it can actually take up 100GB of space (50GB for the playable game, and 50GB sitting dead in the VaultCache).

Can You Delete It?

Yes, it is 100% safe to delete.

Deleting the files inside the VaultCache will NOT uninstall your video games, and it will NOT delete your save files.

How to Safely Empty It

Instead of manually deleting the files in File Explorer (which can sometimes confuse the launcher), you should do it through the Epic Games app:

1. Open the Epic Games Launcher.
2. Click on your profile icon in the top right and select Settings.
3. Scroll down to the “Edit Vault Cache Location” section.
4. While you can’t click a delete button here, you can simply navigate to the folder path listed there using Windows File Explorer.
5. Select all the folders inside VaultCache and press Shift + Delete.

What Happens If You Delete It?

You will instantly reclaim a massive amount of wasted storage space. Your currently installed games will continue to run perfectly fine.

The only downside is that if you uninstall a game and decide you want to play it again next year, you will have to re-download it from the internet, rather than installing it instantly from the local VaultCache.

Bottom Line

Emptying the Epic Games VaultCache is a highly recommended PC maintenance task for gamers, as it safely reclaims massive amounts of wasted space without affecting your installed games.