Safari Web Cache Folder (~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari)

Bottom Line: It is 100% safe to clear the Safari web cache. Clearing it will NOT delete your Safari bookmarks, iCloud keychain passwords, reading list, or browser history.

What is the Safari Web Cache Folder?

Located at ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari on macOS, this hidden cache directory is created by Apple Safari.

Safari caches:

• Web Page Cache (WebKitCache): Images, stylesheets, and WebGL assets from visited websites.
• Favicon Cache: Website icons shown in tabs and bookmarks.
• Pre-rendered Preview Tiles: Webpage thumbnails used in Safari’s Start Page.

Over months of active web browsing on Mac, Safari’s cache folder expands to 2 GB to 6 GB+.

Can You Delete Safari Web Cache?

✅ Yes, it is completely safe to delete.

• No password risk: Safari Keychain passwords and reading lists are backed up to iCloud.
• Fixes Mac browser lag: Clearing Safari cache resolves website loading glitches and frees storage on Mac SSDs.

How to Safely Clean Up Safari Cache on Mac

Method 1: Using Safari Developer Menu (Recommended)

1. Open Safari on Mac.
2. Go to Safari > Settings (or Cmd + ,) > Advanced.
3. Check Show features for web developers (or Show Develop menu in menu bar).
4. Click Develop in the top Mac menu bar > Empty Caches (or press Cmd + Option + E).

Method 2: Manual Terminal Deletion

rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/*

Related Guides

• Learn about deleting macOS ~/Library/Caches.
• How to clean up Browser Cache.
• Check if you can clean Chrome Code Cache.