Mac storage guides

Plain-English answers about what's filling your Mac and what's safe to remove.

• What is System Data on Mac?
  System Data on a Mac is caches, logs, app data, backups and more. Here's what's inside, what's safe to remove, and what to leave alone.
• Is it safe to delete Xcode DerivedData?
  Yes. DerivedData holds build files and indexes that Xcode rebuilds. Where it is, how to delete it, and what else in ~/Library/Developer is safe to clear.
• DaisyDisk alternative: Macaroom vs DaisyDisk
  An honest comparison of Macaroom and DaisyDisk. DaisyDisk shows where your space went. Macaroom tells you what it is and whether it's safe to delete.
• Is it safe to delete ~/Library/Caches on Mac?
  Mostly yes. ~/Library/Caches holds files apps rebuild. Here's what's inside, which folders to leave alone, and how to clear caches without breaking anything.
• How to delete old iPhone backups on Mac
  Old iPhone and iPad backups can take tens of gigabytes. Here's where they live on your Mac, how to delete them safely, and the backup you should keep.
• Is it safe to delete iOS DeviceSupport?
  Yes, for iOS versions you no longer test on. DeviceSupport holds debug symbols Xcode copies again when needed. What to keep and how to clear it.
• How to delete old Xcode simulators and runtimes
  Simulators and simulator runtimes can take tens of gigabytes. Here's how to remove unused ones safely with Xcode or simctl, and what you lose.
• Docker.raw is huge on Mac: how to shrink it safely
  Docker.raw is Docker Desktop's virtual disk. Don't delete it in Finder. Here's how to check its real size and free space with docker system prune.
• Where Ollama and LM Studio keep models on Mac, and how to delete them
  Local AI models take gigabytes each. Where Ollama, LM Studio and Hugging Face store them on a Mac, and how to remove the ones you don't use safely.
• Hidden folders AI coding tools leave on your Mac
  Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, Cursor and VS Code keep hidden folders in your home folder. What's in each, how big they get, and what's safe to clear.
• What's in ~/.claude, and what's safe to delete?
  Claude Code keeps transcripts, prompt history and settings in ~/.claude. What each part is, what clears itself after 30 days, and what never to delete.
• What's in ~/.codex, and what's safe to delete?
  OpenAI's Codex keeps settings, your sign-in and a log of every session in ~/.codex. What grows, what's safe to remove, and how to cap it.
• Is it safe to delete ~/.npm and ~/.cache on Mac?
  Mostly yes. ~/.npm and ~/.cache hold download caches for npm, npx, uv, Hugging Face and other tools. What each is, the right clean command, and what to keep.