You won’t find anything as useful as cache files for some processes that run on your Mac. But when the amount of cache files increase dramatically, this will turn into a problem for your Mac performance and boot speed. These temporary files are responsible for the smooth running of the basic and background processes initiated by software and OS. The problem is that despite their name they can vanish from your Mac hard drive only if you take appropriate actions.
Initially, cache files work as accelerators so that your Mac doesn’t need to download those files from the Internet again and again or store temporary data when you work with resource-consuming processes. But not all of them should be kept constantly on your Mac.
Cache types on your Mac
Temporary files are classified by their origins. There are three fundamental categories that also define their significance and indirectly stipulate their handling methods.
- User
The majority of tasks you run on your Mac tons of cache files and temporary data that should be deleted in few hours or days. Surfing the Internet, writing blogs, reading books playing games and other tasks – this is what creates such cache files.
- System
Visible or hidden files with specific extensions used by the crucial OS features and functions is another source of the cache files. They include various update data that is kept even after the update is successfully finished.
- Browser
Almost all actions you do in your browser generate temporary files. The number of preloaded audio and visual content, completed or interrupted downloads, surfing history, saved bookmarks and login data, etc. – that is what your Mac keeps in cache or in its temporary files.
Ways to clean a cache on Mac
Although you don’t usually notice these files, they can be easily accessed and removed. However, not all of them should be wiped and that is why it is not that easy to check if some specific file is essential for stable work of some specific software or not.
You can get rid of the redundant cache manually or install some cleaning application tailored for cleaning Mac from unnecessary files and data. You can combine these two methods for the best result. To learn how to complete the procedure efficiently and without any negative aftermaths read this article.
How to clean cache faster on your Mac?
If you’re an active Mac user, you end up with a significant amount of cache spread around the disk storage. On this occasion, any manual cleanup can turn up to be a complicated and tedious task. And not software can be an effective and secure way to solve the issue.
That’s why to simplify and speed up the process you should initially deal with the problem origins. Follow the tips below to get the job done promptly every time you feel like you need to clean your Mac to make it work faster.
Regularly clean browser data
While you surf the Web, your Mac stores gigabytes of temporary data in its browser’s cache. You can’t entirely control this process which makes your hard drive full of temporary files. Tracking of your visited pages can be used not only for enhancing your user experience.
Additionally, automatically saved multimedia files and other browser attributes can significantly affect your storage and browser speed. That’s why clearing the cache after each session can help you avoid many issues.
Limit the number of applications
Any default or custom software is an inexhaustible source of temporary data. Even if you uninstall some of them, usually you’ll still need to remove their cache manually.
If you reduce the list of available apps and pay attention to each installation, you will significantly decrease the amount of cache files and will never face the problem when you are running out of space on your hard drive.
Use the cleaning software
Such applications are great for gentle deleting of large cache files and big files you no longer use. They have a list of that files and know all possible locations of temporary data than an average user may have on his Mac.
When you perform manual cleaning of cache, you should keep the folders where it is stored. You have to open each folder and only then delete what you think is unnecessary. But that sound like a lot of work, isn’t it? The best part about that software is that it can do it in a blink of an eye without harming other apps’ data.
Your Mac requires regular cleanups of its filesystem to keep its cutting-edge performance. Don’t forget about that when you will keep it awake for a month or two and will notice a slower performance.
Last Updated on by kalidaspandian