Photo & Design

Clear Lightroom Classic Cache on Mac

Clear the Camera Raw cache from inside the app first: open Settings, go to Performance, and choose Purge Cache. This frees space held by rebuildable preview data for raw files, while your photos, edits and catalog stay untouched.

Last updated: October 31, 20262 min read

Clear the Lightroom Classic cache without guessing

Lightroom Classic data usually takes 5 GB – 200 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: Lightroom Classic
Typical data size: 5 GB – 200 GB
Category: Photo & Design
File Location: ~/Pictures/Lightroom

Clear it from inside Lightroom Classic first

The safest way is the option built into the app: Lightroom Classic > Settings > Performance > Purge Cache (Camera Raw cache only; it does not shrink the catalog previews)

Lightroom Classic cache folders you can clear

These folders are rebuilt automatically, so removing them does not touch your own files.

~/Library/Caches/Adobe Camera Raw Cache · Camera Raw cache Yes, rebuilt automatically

Locations are the standard macOS folders Lightroom Classic uses; some appear only after you use the matching feature.

What the Lightroom Classic cache holds and when clearing it helps

Specific to Lightroom Classic

The cache you can clear safely is the Camera Raw cache, which the app rebuilds automatically as you work with raw files. It is shared with other programs from the same company, but clearing it does not touch your catalog, original photos or presets. Clearing helps when the app feels sluggish or the space it uses keeps growing. A separate sign is the Previews.lrdata bundle growing to tens of gigabytes after you build 1:1 previews, and Purge Cache does not shrink those catalog previews. The catalog stores your edits and is never cache.

What happens after you clear the Lightroom Classic cache

The first start afterwards is slower, because the Camera Raw cache must be built again as you browse. Images may take a moment to appear while previews regenerate, then speed returns to normal. Your edits, catalog, presets and original photos stay where they are. You do not need to sign in again, since clearing the cache does not change your Adobe ID subscription. Disk space is freed straight away, and the cache grows again only as you work.

Keep a copy of your Lightroom Classic catalog before making any changes.Open Lightroom Classic and choose Settings > Performance > Purge Cache.Quit the app, then reopen it and let images load before judging speed.

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Account and sync: Lightroom Classic needs an Adobe ID subscription; photos stay local unless synced.

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Download and scan for freeSee every Lightroom Classic file and its size. No account needed.
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Frequently asked questions

Yes. Folders marked “Yes, rebuilt automatically” are rebuilt automatically; removing them only makes the next start slower.

Will the next start take longer?

Yes, the first start is slower while the Camera Raw cache rebuilds, then it returns to normal.

Do I have to sign in to Creative Cloud again?

No. Clearing the cache leaves your Adobe ID subscription and its activation untouched.