How to clear Chrome cache on Mac
You can clear Chrome cache on Mac without losing anything that matters: it holds only copies of images and pages Chrome keeps to open sites faster. Clearing it frees space and fixes sites that show a stale page, while your passwords, bookmarks and sign-ins stay. This guide explains what each box in Chrome’s window deletes and what to do if you use several profiles.
- Open MacWashing and choose System Junk in the sidebar.
- Click Start Scan.
- Look through what it found and click Clean. Anything debatable stays unchecked.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
How to clear cache in Chrome on Mac
- In Chrome, click More (the three dots at the top right) and choose Delete browsing data. The shortcut is Shift-Command-Delete.
- Choose a time range. To clear the whole cache, click More and choose all time.
- Check Cached images and files and uncheck the other boxes, above all Cookies and other site data.
- Click Delete from this device.
You can also type Delete browsing data in the address bar and choose the action Chrome suggests: it opens the same window.
What each box deletes
- Cached images and files: copies of pages and images. Sites open a little slower the first time afterwards.
- Cookies and other site data: what sites store to remember you. Check it and you may be signed out of sites and lose their settings.
- Browsing history: visited pages, shortcuts on the New Tab page and address bar suggestions.
- Download history: the list of downloads only. The files stay on your Mac.
If you’re signed in to Chrome, what you delete is also removed from your other devices and your Google Account. Extensions and your activity in Google search aren’t touched by this window.
Several profiles and what not to delete
Each Chrome profile has its own cache. The window clears the profile you have open, so repeat the steps in each profile you use.
Don’t delete ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome in Finder to “clear the cache”: that folder holds your profiles with bookmarks, history, passwords and extensions. The window above removes the cache safely.
With MacWashing, it’s one click
System Junk in MacWashing clears Chrome’s cache together with the caches of your other apps, in one go. It clears caches only: your bookmarks, history, passwords and sign-ins stay.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Will MacWashing delete my own files when it cleans?
No. It removes only what it can match to a known app or a known kind of junk, in places apps leave files; macOS and Apple’s files are never touched. Anything debatable is marked and stays unchecked until you decide.
What about apps that are open?
If an open app holds files being cleaned, MacWashing waits for it to quit or quits it at your request, and opens it again afterwards.
Is it free?
Yes, within the free trial: System Junk and the Uninstaller free up to 25 GB in total, with no account or card needed.
Will clearing cache in Chrome delete my passwords?
No. With only Cached images and files checked, your passwords, bookmarks, history and sign-ins stay.
Can I clear Chrome cache for one site only?
Chrome clears its cache for all sites at once. Settings › Privacy and security › Third-party cookies › See all site data and permissions deletes one site’s stored data, but that includes its cookies, so you’re signed out of it.
Why does Chrome’s cache grow back?
Chrome saves parts of every site you open, so the cache refills as you browse. That’s normal. Clear it when a site misbehaves or when you need space.