Photo & Design

Clear Adobe Photoshop Cache on Mac

Clearing the Adobe Photoshop cache helps when you see scratch disk warnings or leftover temp files after a crash. The app typically uses 2 GB – 100 GB of data, but only specific temporary files should be removed.

Last updated: November 1, 20262 min read

Clear the Adobe Photoshop cache without guessing

Adobe Photoshop data usually takes 2 GB – 100 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

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Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+

Application: Adobe Photoshop
Typical data size: 2 GB – 100 GB
Category: Photo & Design
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop

Clear it from inside Adobe Photoshop first

The safest way is the option built into the app: Edit > Purge > All (frees memory and scratch used by undo, clipboard and history; it does not delete files on disk)

Adobe Photoshop cache folders you can clear

Adobe Photoshop has no separate cache folder. Its folders hold settings and your own data, so there is nothing to clear safely by hand.

What Adobe Photoshop cache holds and when to clear

Specific to Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop stores temporary data for undo history, clipboard, and history states in memory and on your scratch disk. You should clear this cache if you encounter scratch disk full warnings or notice leftover Photoshop Temp files following a crash. Use the in-app option Edit > Purge > All to free this space without deleting files on disk.

What happens after you clear Adobe Photoshop cache

Purging frees memory and scratch space used by undo, clipboard, and history; it does not delete any files on disk. Your presets, actions, workspaces, and preferences remain intact, so you do not need to sign in again. Camera Raw settings shared with Lightroom are also preserved, ensuring your editing workflow continues without interruption.

Quit all open Photoshop documents to ensure the purge completes correctly.Open Photoshop and select Edit > Purge > All from the menu.Wait for the memory to free up before resuming your editing session.Restart the app if you want to clear any residual scratch disk files.

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Account and sync: Photoshop runs on an Adobe ID subscription; cloud documents live in Creative Cloud storage.

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After the free trial, Pro costs $39.99 per year in your country's App Store; cancel any time.

Frequently asked questions

Yes.

Will clearing the cache delete my custom actions or workspaces?

No, the purge function only clears temporary undo, clipboard, and history data. Your custom actions, workspaces, and preferences stored in the settings folder remain completely untouched.

Do I need to sign in to Creative Cloud after clearing the cache?

No, clearing the cache does not affect your Adobe ID or licensing data. You stay signed in, and your cloud documents remain accessible without re-authentication.