Understanding Cache on Your Mac
Cache consists of temporary data that your Mac stores to enhance browsing speed and application performance. Safari saves images and scripts for faster page loading, Chrome maintains cached copies of website assets, and your frequently used apps store logs and workspace files.
As time passes, cache data can become outdated or corrupted, resulting in slower Mac performance. Clearing your cache removes these temporary files without affecting your bookmarks, messages, photos, documents, or passwords, potentially delivering a significant performance improvement.
Cache vs. Cookies: What’s the Difference?
These two terms are often confused, but they serve distinct purposes.
Cache data refers to locally saved files such as images, scripts, and thumbnails that accelerate webpage and app loading times. Meanwhile, cookies store small amounts of personal information, including your preferences and shopping cart contents. When you clear cache, you’re removing temporary files from your Mac. However, clearing cookies will log you out of websites, services, and apps, though your passwords and bookmarks remain accessible.
Recommended Cache Clearing Schedule
Establishing a regular maintenance routine helps keep your Mac running smoothly. Here’s a practical schedule:
- Browser cache: Clear monthly, or whenever pages become slow or display glitches
- App caches: Clean every few months, particularly for video editors, photo editing software, or resource-intensive applications
- System restart: Daily is ideal, but weekly at minimum
- Storage management: When storage runs low, navigate to System Settings > General > Storage to remove unnecessary apps and reduce clutter
Clearing Cache in Other Browsers and Applications
Different browsers and apps have their own cache clearing procedures:
Firefox
Navigate to Settings > Privacy and Security, then click Clear Data under Cookies and Site Data.
Microsoft Edge
Open the three-dot menu, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services, then select Choose what to clear under Clear browsing data.
Other applications may have varying methods. Look for a “clear cache” option in settings, or manually delete cache files in ~/Library/Caches. However, the manual approach isn’t recommended for inexperienced users. Avoid touching anything if you’re uncertain about what you’re doing.
Should You Use Third-Party Cleaner Apps?
The straightforward answer is no. You can effectively clear your cache using built-in methods without installing questionable third-party software that might accidentally delete important files. If you decide to use a cleaner app, ensure it’s reputable and transparent about its deletion processes.
How to Check Your Mac’s Storage
Monitoring your storage helps identify space-consuming items:
- Open System Settings
- Click General
- Select Storage
- Wait for the storage breakdown to appear
- Select Applications to view installed apps sorted by size
Understanding and Clearing DNS Cache
A DNS cache on your Mac is a local database of website lookups that your computer saves to accelerate page loading on subsequent visits. However, problems can arise when a site changes servers, network settings become corrupted, or incorrect redirects occur. These outdated DNS entries can cause pages to load slowly, display wrong content, or fail to load entirely.
Clearing your DNS cache provides a quick solution to these issues. With MacOS, the process is straightforward:
Steps to Clear DNS Cache
- Open the Terminal app
- Type the following command:
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache;sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Press Enter to execute the command.
The DNS cache will be cleared instantly, forcing your system to retrieve fresh, accurate information during your next browsing session. This simple maintenance task can resolve numerous connectivity and loading issues, ensuring optimal Mac performance.
