# Macaroom

> Macaroom is a native Mac app that shows what is filling your disk. It splits System Data and the rest of your storage into around 30 named sources, explains what clearing each one would do, and moves only what you choose to the Trash, with one-click restore. Scans run on your Mac and never leave it.

- Website: https://getmacaroom.com/
- Price: launch pricing rises in steps: $5 for the first 100 buyers, then $9 and $14 for 100 buyers each, then $19. One-time payment, no subscription. One license key works on up to 10 Macs. 7-day refund.
- Requirements: macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon or Intel. About 8 MB. Current version: 1.2.3.
- Buy: https://getmacaroom.com/#pricing (Stripe checkout; the license key and download appear on the next page and are emailed).
- Maker: GM builds, Australia. Contact: hello@getmacaroom.com
- Not related to macaroom, the electro-pop band from Tokyo.

## What it does

- Names what's inside System Data: app caches, leftovers from apps you deleted, old iPhone and iPad update files, developer caches, local AI models, Xcode build data and more.
- Labels each source as Rebuildable, Personal data, Manage in app, Managed by macOS or Unclassified, and says what removing it would do.
- By app (new in 1.2): everything each app uses in one place, including its caches, data and leftovers, sorted into Safe to clear, Your call and Keep.
- Names hidden folders that coding and AI tools keep in your home folder (Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, VS Code extensions and more) and macOS's own Library data, with a note on whether to keep each one. On the developer's Mac, Unclassified went from 27.6 GB to about 2 GB in 1.2.
- Fast scans: about 2.8 million files in around 25 seconds on the developer's Mac with Full Disk Access, about four times faster than 1.1. Results fill in while it scans.
- "Select safe items" opens a review of everything apps and tools rebuild, with what clearing each one costs, before anything is selected.
- Finds dependencies and build folders in projects you haven't changed in months: node_modules, Rust target, Swift .build, Python virtual environments, Gradle, CocoaPods, Next.js and Xcode build data. It only counts a folder when the project's own files confirm what it is, and never removes source code.
- "Worth a look": compares each scan with the last one to show what grew, roughly when the disk will be full, and what can be cleared now.
- Menu bar panel, optional free space readout in the menu bar, a 30-day free space chart, an optional weekly background scan, a low space alert below 10% free and an alert when free space drops by 10 GB or more in about a day.
- Old downloads: files in Downloads untouched for six months, shown as thumbnails.
- Never deletes anything on its own. Items go to the Trash first and can be restored; Photos, Mail, Messages and app data can't be selected.

## Privacy

- No account and no analytics. File contents are never read or uploaded; only names, sizes and dates are used, on the Mac.
- Network use: a daily update check, and a license check at activation and about once a week when online (license key, a random Mac ID and the app version). Macaroom works offline indefinitely.

## Pages

- [Macaroom for AI assistants](https://getmacaroom.com/ai-info/): how to describe Macaroom, key facts and common questions
- [Help](https://getmacaroom.com/help/): installing, activating, Full Disk Access, updates, uninstalling
- [Get Macaroom again](https://getmacaroom.com/download/): download with a license key, or have the key emailed again
- [Changelog](https://getmacaroom.com/changelog/)
- [Privacy](https://getmacaroom.com/privacy/)
- [Refunds and terms](https://getmacaroom.com/terms/)
- [What is System Data on Mac?](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/what-is-system-data-mac/): what is inside it and what is safe to remove
- [Is it safe to delete Xcode DerivedData?](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/xcode-derived-data/)
- [Macaroom vs DaisyDisk](https://getmacaroom.com/compare/daisydisk-alternative/): honest comparison
- [Is it safe to delete ~/Library/Caches on Mac?](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/library-caches-mac/)
- [How to delete old iPhone backups on Mac](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/delete-old-iphone-backups-mac/)
- [Is it safe to delete iOS DeviceSupport?](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/ios-devicesupport/)
- [How to delete old Xcode simulators and runtimes](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/xcode-simulators-mac/)
- [Docker.raw is huge on Mac: how to shrink it safely](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/docker-raw-mac/)
- [Where Ollama and LM Studio keep models on Mac, and how to delete them](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/ollama-models-mac/)
- [Hidden folders AI coding tools leave on your Mac](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/ai-coding-tool-folders-mac/): ~/.claude, ~/.codex, ~/.gemini, ~/.cursor, ~/.vscode
- [What's in ~/.claude, and what's safe to delete?](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/claude-folder-mac/)
- [What's in ~/.codex, and what's safe to delete?](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/codex-folder-mac/)
- [Is it safe to delete ~/.npm and ~/.cache on Mac?](https://getmacaroom.com/guides/npm-cache-mac/)
- [llms-full.txt](https://getmacaroom.com/llms-full.txt): full text of the guides

# Guides (full text)

## What is System Data on Mac?
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/what-is-system-data-mac/
The short answer
System Data isn't a folder. It's a leftover category: macOS counts everything that doesn't fit its other buckets (Apps, Documents, Photos and so on) as System Data. Apple describes it as files used by the system such as log files, caches, VM files and other runtime resources, plus temporary files, fonts, app support files and plug-ins.
That's why it can be huge, and why Storage settings won't let you open it: Apple says you can't manage its contents from there.
What's usually inside
WhatWhere it livesSafe to remove?
App caches~/Library/CachesUsually yes. Apps rebuild them, though they may be slower the first time. Details here.
App data~/Library/Application Support, ~/Library/ContainersCareful. This is apps' real data (settings, libraries, chats). Clean it up from inside the app.
Xcode build data~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedDataYes. Xcode rebuilds it. Details here.
iOS device support files~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupportMostly. Folders for iOS versions you no longer test on can go. Details here.
Simulators~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulatorUnused ones, yes. Remove them from Xcode or with xcrun simctl delete unavailable. Details here.
iPhone and iPad backups~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/BackupOld ones, yes. Manage them in Finder (select your device › Manage Backups). Details here.
Time Machine local snapshotsManaged by macOSLeave them. macOS removes them on its own when it needs space.
Logs, VM and swap filesSystem foldersLeave them. macOS manages these.
Everyone's mix is different. A developer's System Data is often mostly Xcode and simulators. For most people it's app data, caches and old phone backups.
How to clear it safely
1. Find out what yours actually is
Before deleting anything, see which of the above is big on your Mac. Guessing is how people delete things they needed.
2. Clear what rebuilds itself
Caches and build files are the safe wins. Apps and tools recreate them when they need them.
3. Clean up app data from inside the app
Photos, Messages, Mail and chat apps store their data in System Data. Deleting their folders directly can break them, so use their own settings (for example, Messages › Settings › Keep messages).
4. Start up in safe mode once
Apple suggests starting up in safe mode to clear some system caches. macOS rebuilds them as needed.
What not to do
Don't delete folders in /System or /Library because they're big.
Don't empty folders you can't identify. If you don't recognise it, leave it.
Don't expect the number to hit zero. Some System Data is always there and is supposed to be.
Why the number in Storage settings doesn't match other tools
macOS calculates its categories its own way, including shared APFS space, snapshots and purgeable space. Any tool that measures files directly will get a somewhat different total. What matters is finding the big items you can act on.

## Is it safe to delete Xcode DerivedData?
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/xcode-derived-data/
What DerivedData is
Every time you build a project, Xcode writes intermediate build products, indexes and logs to ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData, one folder per project. It's there to make the next build faster. Xcode never cleans up folders for projects you've stopped working on, so it grows forever.
Is it safe to delete?
Yes. Nothing in DerivedData is your source code or settings. If you delete it, Xcode recreates what it needs. The only cost is that the next build of each project takes longer, and indexing (autocomplete, jump to definition) catches up in the background.
Quit Xcode first, so it isn't writing to the folder while you delete it.
How to delete it
From Finder
In Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder… and enter ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData.
Move the project folders you don't need to the Trash, or all of them.
From Terminal
rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/*
This deletes permanently, with no Trash. Double-check the path before pressing Return.
Other Xcode storage worth checking
FolderWhat it isSafe to remove?
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupportDebug symbols copied from each iOS version you've connected a device onYes for old iOS versions. They're copied again if you connect that version. Details
~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulatorSimulator devices and their dataUnavailable ones, yes: xcrun simctl delete unavailable. Details
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/ArchivesBuilds you archived for releaseCareful. Keep archives of shipped versions if you need their crash symbols.
~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.XcodeXcode's own cacheYes. It's rebuilt.
Other developer leftovers
The same idea applies to node_modules folders, Rust target folders, Python virtual environments and Gradle caches in projects you haven't touched in months. They're all rebuilt by one install or build command. Two other big ones on developer Macs: Docker's disk and local AI models.

## DaisyDisk alternative: Macaroom vs DaisyDisk
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/compare/daisydisk-alternative/
The one-line difference
DaisyDisk shows you where your space went. Macaroom tells you what it is and whether it's safe to delete.
Side by side
DaisyDiskMacaroom
How it shows storageAn interactive sunburst map of foldersNamed sources: "Xcode build data", "iPhone backups", "Leftovers from deleted apps"…
Explains what each item isNo, you read folder namesYes, with what removing it would do
Says what's safe to clearProtects system files, and the rest is your callLabels every item: rebuildable, yours, manage in its app, or owned by macOS
Old project build folders (node_modules, DerivedData…)Shown as foldersFound and grouped, with untouched projects flagged
Removing filesDeletes what you collectMoves to the Trash, with Restore
What changed since last week, low-space warnings, menu barNoYes
External, network and cloud drivesYesNo, your Mac's own storage only
Scan speed on very large disksVery fastFast: 2.8 million files in about 25 seconds on our Mac
Languages14English
Free trialYes7-day refund instead
Price$9.99 one-timeOne-time, see current price
macOSWorks on older macOS versions toomacOS 14 or later
Choose DaisyDisk if…
you want to see external drives, a NAS or cloud storageyou like exploring a visual map and know what the folders areyou're on an older version of macOS
Choose Macaroom if…
you keep asking "what even is System Data?"you want to know what's safe to delete before you delete ityou're a developer with old Xcode, simulator and node_modules clutteryou want a heads-up before your Mac runs out of space
Comparison checked against DaisyDisk's website on 29 September 2026. If something here is out of date, email hello@getmacaroom.com and we'll fix it.

## Is it safe to delete ~/Library/Caches on Mac?
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/library-caches-mac/
The short answer
Clearing an app's folder inside ~/Library/Caches is safe: the app rebuilds what it needs. The cost is speed, not data. The next launch or page load can be slower, and offline content may download again. macOS treats this folder as something apps must be able to lose, so apps aren't supposed to keep anything there that they can't recreate.
Rules that keep it safe
Quit the app first. Clearing a cache while its app is running can confuse it until it restarts.
Clear the folders inside, not the Caches folder itself.
Leave folders that start with com.apple. alone. Those belong to macOS and Apple's own apps, and macOS clears them itself when space runs low.
Leave /Library/Caches (without the ~) alone. That's the system-wide one, shared by every user.
Go after the big ones, not all of them. Most of the space is usually in a handful of folders. Clearing hundreds of tiny ones gains almost nothing.
How to clear a cache
From Finder
Quit the app whose cache you want to clear.
In Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder… and enter ~/Library/Caches.
Choose View › Show View Options, turn on Calculate all sizes, and sort by Size.
Move the folders of the apps you picked to the Trash, then empty the Trash.
From the app itself
Browsers, Spotify, Slack, Xcode and many other apps have a clear-cache option in their own settings. That's always the cleanest way, because the app knows exactly what it can lose.
Developer caches
Some folders in Caches belong to developer tools: Homebrew, Yarn, pip, CocoaPods, Playwright, Gradle and others. They're safe to clear too. The tool downloads packages again the next time a project needs them, so the next install is slower and needs a network connection. Most also have their own clean command, such as brew cleanup or npm cache clean --force. For the caches outside this folder, see ~/.npm and ~/.cache.
Why it comes back
Caches grow back because apps keep using them, and that's fine. Clearing them is a one-off way to get space back when you need it, not something to do every week.
How Macaroom handles it
Macaroom lists each app's cache with its size, marks it Rebuildable, and won't clear a cache while its app is running. Folders that belong to macOS are marked Managed by macOS and can't be selected. Anything you clear goes to the Trash first, so you can put it back.
Related guidesWhat is System Data on Mac?Is it safe to delete Xcode DerivedData?

## How to delete old iPhone backups on Mac
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/delete-old-iphone-backups-mac/
Where they are
Finder keeps device backups in ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup, one folder per backup, with long random names. A backup can be as big as the data on the device, so a few old ones add up fast. They count towards System Data or iOS Files in Storage settings.
Is it safe to delete them?
Deleting a backup removes that restore point, and nothing else. Your devices aren't affected. The one to be careful with is a device's only backup: if you delete it and the device is lost or breaks, there's nothing to restore from. If the device also backs up to iCloud, check that the iCloud backup is recent before deleting the local one.
Backups of devices you no longer own, and older backups of a device that has a newer one, are usually safe to remove.
How to delete a backup
In Finder (best)
Connect the iPhone or iPad and select it in Finder's sidebar.
In the General tab, click Manage Backups….
Select the backup by device name and date, then click Delete Backup.
In Storage settings
Open System Settings › General › Storage. If iOS Files is listed, click the ⓘ button next to it to see and delete backups.
In the folder
Choose Go › Go to Folder… and enter ~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup. The folder names don't tell you which device each backup is from, so use the dates, or use one of the two ways above.
Empty the Trash afterwards. Until you do, the space isn't free.
iPhone and iPad update files
When Finder updates or restores a device, it can leave the software update file in ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates (or iPad Software Updates). These are safe to delete. Finder downloads the update again if you ever need to restore a device.
How Macaroom handles it
Macaroom lists each backup with its size and when it last changed, and marks backups as Personal data, because only you know whether you still need one. Old update files are marked Rebuildable. Anything you remove goes to the Trash first.
Related guidesWhat is System Data on Mac?Is it safe to delete ~/Library/Caches?

## Is it safe to delete iOS DeviceSupport?
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/ios-devicesupport/
What it is
When you connect an iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch for development, Xcode copies debug symbols for that exact software version to your Mac, so it can debug apps and read crash logs. They live in ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport, one folder per version, with siblings such as watchOS DeviceSupport for other devices. Each folder is often several gigabytes, and Xcode keeps every version you've ever connected.
What happens if you delete it
Nothing breaks. The next time you connect a device running a version you deleted, Xcode copies the symbols again. That can take several minutes, during which you can't debug on that device yet.
What to keep
Keep the folders for versions your test devices run right now.
Delete folders for old versions you no longer test on. Those are usually most of the space.
If you aren't sure, delete them all. The cost is a few minutes of copying the next time you plug in a device.
How to delete it
From Finder
Quit Xcode.
Choose Go › Go to Folder… and enter ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport.
The folder names include the version, such as 17.5. Move the old versions to the Trash.
From Terminal
rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS\ DeviceSupport/*
This deletes every version permanently, with no Trash. Double-check the path before pressing Return.
How Macaroom handles it
Macaroom groups DeviceSupport by software version, marks it Rebuildable, and moves only the versions you pick to the Trash. It also finds the rest of Xcode's leftovers, such as build data, archives and simulators, and explains each one.
Related guidesIs it safe to delete Xcode DerivedData?How to delete old Xcode simulators and runtimes

## How to delete old Xcode simulators and runtimes
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/xcode-simulators-mac/
What's taking the space
WhatWhereWhat it holds
Simulator devices~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/DevicesEach simulated iPhone or iPad, with the apps and data you put on it
Simulator runtimesManaged by XcodeThe iOS, watchOS, tvOS or visionOS system each simulator runs. Each one is several gigabytes
Simulator caches~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/CachesFiles the simulator rebuilds
What you lose
Deleting a simulator removes the apps and data inside it, such as test accounts or saved app state. Deleting a runtime means you can't run simulators of that version until you download it again from Xcode.
Remove simulators you can't use any more
When a runtime is gone, its simulators stay behind as "unavailable" and still take space. This removes only those:
xcrun simctl delete unavailable
To remove individual simulators, open Xcode › Window › Devices and Simulators, select one and press Delete.
Remove old runtimes
In Xcode: open Xcode › Settings and go to Components (called Platforms in older versions). Delete the versions you no longer test on.
In Terminal: list them with xcrun simctl runtime list, then remove one with xcrun simctl runtime delete followed by its identifier.
Keep the runtime for the iOS version you ship against. Removing a runtime you need means a multi-gigabyte download to get it back.
How Macaroom handles it
Macaroom shows how much space each simulator uses and marks simulators Manage in app, because deleting them in Xcode or with simctl keeps Xcode's records straight. It gives you the command to run instead of deleting the files itself. Simulator caches are marked Rebuildable and can be cleared.
Related guidesIs it safe to delete iOS DeviceSupport?Is it safe to delete Xcode DerivedData?

## Docker.raw is huge on Mac: how to shrink it safely
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/docker-raw-mac/
What Docker.raw is
Docker Desktop runs containers inside a small virtual machine. That machine's disk is one file, ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms/0/data/Docker.raw, holding every image, container, volume and build cache.
Check its real size first
Docker.raw is a sparse file: Finder can show its maximum size (often 64 GB) even when far less is actually used. To see the real space it takes on your Mac, run:
du -h ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms/0/data/Docker.raw
To see what's using the space inside Docker, run docker system df.
Free space from inside Docker
CommandWhat it removesRisk
docker builder pruneBuild cacheLow. The next build is slower
docker system pruneStopped containers, unused networks, dangling images and build cacheLow
docker system prune -aAlso every image not used by a containerMedium. Images download again when needed
docker volume pruneVolumes not used by a containerHigh. Volumes often hold database data. Check first
According to Docker, space is freed when images are deleted, not when files are deleted inside running containers.
Cap how big it can get
In Docker Desktop, open Settings › Resources › Advanced and lower the disk image size. Docker won't let the virtual disk grow past it.
Why not just delete Docker.raw?
You can, but it removes every image, container and volume at once, including databases you may not have backed up. Docker creates a new, empty disk on its next start. Treat it like a reset, not a cleanup.
How Macaroom handles it
Macaroom shows the space Docker's disk actually uses on your Mac, marks it Manage in app, and points you to docker system prune instead of deleting the file. It never removes Docker's disk itself.
Related guidesIs it safe to delete Xcode DerivedData?Where Ollama and LM Studio keep models, and how to delete them

## Where Ollama and LM Studio keep models on Mac, and how to delete them
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/ollama-models-mac/
Where the models are
ToolFolderBest way to remove
Ollama~/.ollama/modelsollama rm followed by the model name
LM Studio~/.lmstudio/modelsDelete it from LM Studio's model list
Hugging Face~/.cache/huggingface/hubDelete the model's folder (named models--org--name)
Ollama: use ollama rm
Run ollama list to see your models and their sizes, then remove one with ollama rm and the model's name, for example ollama rm llama3.2.
Don't delete files in ~/.ollama/models/blobs by hand. Ollama stores models as shared pieces with separate lists of which pieces each model needs, so deleting pieces directly can break other models and leave Ollama thinking a model is still there.
If you want to keep models but not on your Mac's internal disk, Ollama can store them elsewhere: set the OLLAMA_MODELS environment variable to a folder on another drive.
What you lose
Nothing but the download. A deleted model has to be downloaded again before you can use it, often several gigabytes, so keep the ones you use regularly.
How Macaroom handles it
Macaroom finds models from Ollama, LM Studio and Hugging Face, plus loose model files elsewhere, and marks them Rebuildable. LM Studio and Hugging Face models are listed one at a time. Ollama's models show as one item, with the ollama rm command for removing a single model. It also names the hidden folders AI coding tools keep, such as Claude Code, Codex and Gemini CLI, and explains which to keep.
Related guidesDocker.raw is huge on Mac: how to shrink it safelyWhat is System Data on Mac?

## Hidden folders AI coding tools leave on your Mac
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/ai-coding-tool-folders-mac/
How to see them
In Finder, open your home folder and press ⌘⇧. (Command-Shift-Period) to show hidden folders. Or in Terminal:
du -sh ~/.claude ~/.codex ~/.gemini ~/.cursor ~/.vscode
The folders
FolderToolWhat growsOn our Mac
~/.claudeClaude CodeSession transcripts938 MB
~/.codexOpenAI CodexSession logs and databases2.7 GB
~/.geminiGemini CLI and Google's Antigravity editorMostly Antigravity's data3.6 GB
~/.vscodeVS CodeInstalled extensions2.7 GB
~/.cursorCursorInstalled extensions5 MB
~/.npm, ~/.cachenpm, uv, Hugging Face and other toolsDownload caches and models23 GB and 34 GB
Measured on our own Mac on 2 October 2026. Yours will be different, but the pattern is usually the same.
The rule of thumb
Session history and logs: safe to clear. You lose the ability to resume or look back at old sessions. Use the tool's own command or setting when there is one.
Settings, sign-in, plugins and extensions: keep. Deleting them signs you out or resets the tool.
Caches: safe. Tools download what they need again.
Quit the tool first. Several of these tools write to databases while they run.
Tool by tool
Claude Code: ~/.claude
Claude Code deletes transcripts older than 30 days by itself, and claude project purge clears one project. Keep settings.json, plugins/ and ~/.claude.json. Full guide to ~/.claude.
OpenAI Codex: ~/.codex
Codex keeps a log of every session, in folders by date, and they stay until you remove them. Keep config.toml and auth.json. Full guide to ~/.codex.
Gemini CLI and Antigravity: ~/.gemini
Gemini CLI keeps its settings, history and temporary files here. On our Mac, though, most of the space was in folders named antigravity, antigravity-ide and antigravity-backup, which belong to Google's Antigravity editor. Manage them from Antigravity. If you've stopped using Antigravity, those folders are leftovers.
VS Code and Cursor: ~/.vscode, ~/.cursor
These are mostly the extensions you installed. Remove the ones you don't use from the editor's Extensions view rather than deleting the folder, which would remove every extension at once. Their caches and window state live separately, in ~/Library/Application Support/Code and ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor.
The Claude desktop app
The Claude app keeps its own data in ~/Library/Application Support/Claude, including a Linux virtual machine for Cowork in a folder called vm_bundles: 11 GB on our Mac. It's app data, so leave it alone if you use Cowork.
Developer caches
~/.npm and ~/.cache are usually the biggest of all, and almost everything in them downloads again when needed. Is it safe to delete ~/.npm and ~/.cache?
How Macaroom handles it
Macaroom names these folders under Developer & AI tools and says what each one is. It marks them Manage in app and won't let you select them, because deleting the wrong part can sign you out or reset a tool. Caches such as ~/.npm, and models in ~/.cache/huggingface, are marked Rebuildable and can be cleared.
Related guidesWhat's in ~/.claude, and what's safe to delete?What's in ~/.codex, and what's safe to delete?Where Ollama and LM Studio keep models on Mac

## What's in ~/.claude, and what's safe to delete?
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/claude-folder-mac/
The short answer
Session data, such as transcripts, file snapshots and logs, is safe to delete. You lose the ability to resume or rewind those past sessions, and new sessions are unaffected. Don't delete ~/.claude.json, ~/.claude/settings.json or ~/.claude/plugins/: they hold your sign-in, your preferences and your installed plugins.
What's inside
PathWhat it isDelete it?
projects/Full transcripts of every session, plus each project's auto memorySafe, but you lose resume and rewind for past sessions, and auto memory. Usually the biggest part
file-history/Copies of files from before Claude edited them, for checkpoint restoreSafe. You lose checkpoint restore for past sessions
history.jsonlEvery prompt you've typedSafe. You lose up-arrow recall and Ctrl+R search. Never cleaned automatically
plans/, debug/, session-env/, shell-snapshots/, backups/Plans, debug logs and session leftoversSafe. Nothing you'd notice
todos/, statsig/, logs/Left over from older versionsSafe
settings.json, plugins/, skills/, agents/, CLAUDE.mdYour settings, plugins, skills, subagents and instructionsKeep
~/.claude.json (next to the folder)Your sign-in, MCP servers and per-project trustKeep
Based on Anthropic's documentation for the .claude directory. On our Mac, ~/.claude was 938 MB, and over half of that was projects/.
It mostly cleans itself
Claude Code deletes transcripts and other session data older than 30 days, in the background after a session starts. You can change the period with cleanupPeriodDays in ~/.claude/settings.json:
{ "cleanupPeriodDays": 14 }
The minimum is 1. The one thing it never cleans is history.jsonl, which keeps every prompt until you delete it. So if your ~/.claude is big, it's usually recent transcripts, a long retention setting, or a large prompt history.
Clear one project
Claude Code has a command for this. Preview it first:
claude project purge ~/path/to/project --dry-run
Run it without --dry-run to delete. It lists everything it will remove and asks before deleting: the project's transcripts and memory, its file snapshots and debug logs, its lines in history.jsonl, and its entry in ~/.claude.json. Use --all instead of a path to clear every project.
A privacy note
Transcripts are plain text. Anything a tool read during a session, including a .env file, can end up in them. A shorter cleanupPeriodDays means less of that sitting on your disk.
The desktop app keeps its own data
If you use Claude Code in the Claude desktop app, the app also keeps data in ~/Library/Application Support/Claude, including a virtual machine for Cowork. See hidden folders AI coding tools leave on your Mac.
How Macaroom handles it
Macaroom shows ~/.claude under Developer & AI tools as Claude Code data, marked Manage in app. It can't be selected, so Macaroom never removes your settings or sign-in by accident. Use cleanupPeriodDays or claude project purge to trim it.
Related guidesWhat's in ~/.codex, and what's safe to delete?Hidden folders AI coding tools leave on your Mac

## What's in ~/.codex, and what's safe to delete?
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/codex-folder-mac/
The short answer
Old session logs are safe to delete once Codex is closed. You won't be able to resume those sessions afterwards. Keep config.toml and auth.json: they're your settings and your sign-in.
What's inside
PathWhat it isDelete it?
config.tomlYour Codex settingsKeep
auth.jsonYour sign-in, when Codex stores it in a fileKeep. Deleting it signs you out
sessions/A log of each session, in folders by year, month and dayOld ones are safe to remove. You can't resume them afterwards
archived_sessions/Archived session logsSafe if you won't need them again
history.jsonlSession transcriptsSafe. You can cap its size instead (below)
.sqlite filesDatabases Codex uses for logs, history and resumable workLeave them. Never touch them while Codex is running
plugins/, cache/Installed plugins and cached filesManage plugins from Codex. The cache is safe to clear
On our Mac, ~/.codex was 2.7 GB: 977 MB of session logs going back eight months, a 386 MB log database, 403 MB of plugins and 275 MB of archived sessions.
Before you delete anything
Quit Codex completely, including the command-line tool and the app if you use both. Codex writes to its databases while it runs, and deleting files mid-write can corrupt them.
Clear old sessions
Quit Codex.
See how much each year takes: du -sh ~/.codex/sessions/*
Open ~/.codex/sessions in Finder (Go › Go to Folder…) and move the oldest months to the Trash.
Stop history.jsonl growing
Codex has two settings for its history file. In ~/.codex/config.toml:
[history]max_bytes = 104857600
That caps history.jsonl at 100 MB by dropping the oldest entries. Setting persistence = "none" instead stops Codex saving transcripts to history.jsonl at all. These settings only cover history.jsonl; the session logs in sessions/ stay until you remove them.
Keep it somewhere else
Codex keeps everything in the folder named by the CODEX_HOME environment variable, which is ~/.codex unless you set it. Point it at another drive if your Mac's own disk is tight.
How Macaroom handles it
Macaroom shows ~/.codex under Developer & AI tools as Codex data, marked Manage in app. It can't be selected, so your settings and sign-in are never removed by accident.
Related guidesWhat's in ~/.claude, and what's safe to delete?Hidden folders AI coding tools leave on your Mac

## Is it safe to delete ~/.npm and ~/.cache on Mac?
URL: https://getmacaroom.com/guides/npm-cache-mac/
The short answer
Yes, for caches. Tools download what they need again, so the cost is a slower next install and a network connection. Use each tool's own clean command when it has one. The one thing to think twice about is large AI models in ~/.cache, which can take a long time to download again.
Neither folder holds your projects' node_modules. Clearing them doesn't touch any project.
~/.npm
FolderWhat it isHow to clear
~/.npm/_cacachenpm's download cache (20 GB on our Mac)npm cache clean --force
~/.npm/_npxPackages npx downloaded to run a command (2.8 GB)Delete the folder. npx downloads again when needed
~/.npm/_logsnpm's logsSafe to delete
~/.cache
Each tool gets its own folder here, so look before you delete:
du -sh ~/.cache/* | sort -h
FolderWhat it isHow to clear
huggingfaceAI models and datasets from Hugging Face (22 GB on our Mac)Delete the models you don't use. More on AI models
uvuv, the Python package manager (7 GB)uv cache clean, or uv cache prune to keep what's in use
puppeteerBrowsers downloaded by Puppeteer (551 MB)Delete. It's downloaded again when a project installs Puppeteer
Other package caches on a Mac
ToolWhereHow to clear
Yarn~/Library/Caches/Yarnyarn cache clean
pnpm~/Library/pnpm/storepnpm store prune
pip~/Library/Caches/pippip cache purge
Homebrew~/Library/Caches/Homebrewbrew cleanup
Bun~/.bun/install/cachebun pm cache rm
CocoaPods~/Library/Caches/CocoaPodspod cache clean --all
Gradle~/.gradle/cachesStop Gradle, then delete the folder
Maven~/.m2/repositoryDelete. Packages download again
Cargo~/.cargo/registryDelete. Crates download again
How Macaroom handles it
Macaroom lists these under Developer caches, marked Rebuildable: ~/.npm as one item, and each tool in ~/.cache on its own. Hugging Face models appear under AI models, one model at a time. Anything you clear goes to the Trash first, so you can put it back.
Related guidesHidden folders AI coding tools leave on your MacIs it safe to delete ~/Library/Caches?Is it safe to delete Xcode DerivedData?