How to Clear Cache in Chrome on Mac (2026 Guide)

Google Chrome is highly popular on macOS, but it is notorious for consuming system memory and disk space. Chrome constantly writes data to your drive to load pages faster, but this cache can grow to tens of gigabytes over time. If you want to know how to clear cache in chrome on mac, here is how to do it efficiently.

The Fast Shortcut: Clear Browsing Data Menu

Chrome provides a direct shortcut to access the cleanup options. Open Chrome and press Cmd + Shift + Delete. This instantly opens the "Clear browsing data" settings tab. Select "All time" in the Time Range dropdown, check the box for "Cached images and files," and click Clear data. You can leave cookies unchecked if you do not want to be logged out of your accounts.

Manual Cache Directory Deletion

If Chrome is unresponsive or you want to free up space without opening the app, you can delete the cache folder from Finder:

1. Click Finder, select Go > Go to Folder in the menu bar.
2. Type ~/Library/Caches/Google/Chrome/ and press Enter.
3. Move the contents of this directory to the Trash, and empty it.

This completely deletes Chrome's cached system files, giving you a fresh start.

Disable Chrome Hardware Acceleration

If Chrome feels laggy even after clearing the cache, try disabling hardware acceleration in Chrome Settings > System. This can fix visual glitches and reduce battery drain on MacBook models.