Tasks & Calendar

Clear OmniFocus Cache on Mac

Clearing the OmniFocus cache is worth doing only when the app misbehaves or you need disk space and have confirmed your tasks are synced or backed up. The folders involved also hold the task database and automatic backups, so do not treat them as disposable. Try the app's own options first.

Last updated: October 31, 20262 min read

Clear the OmniFocus cache without guessing

OmniFocus data usually takes 100 MB – 1 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: OmniFocus
Typical data size: 100 MB – 1 GB
Category: Tasks & Calendar
File Location: ~/Library/Containers/com.omnigroup.OmniFocus3

OmniFocus cache folders you can clear

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

What the OmniFocus cache holds and when clearing it helps

Specific to OmniFocus

The folders that the app uses on macOS mostly hold the task database, automatic backups and settings, which is your own data. The sandbox script folder created by macOS holds settings or app data. Clearing the cache is a reasonable step when the app is misbehaving and you have checked that your tasks are safe. The app's data typically takes 100 MB – 1 GB.

What happens to your tasks after you clear the OmniFocus cache

Your tasks and projects remain in the database, and clearing the cache does not remove them. If you sync through an Omni Sync Server account, a copy stays on the server. Without sync, the database exists only on this Mac, so unsynced tasks are lost if you delete it. Removing the app does not remove these folders, so deleting the app is not a way to clear them.

Open the app and confirm that sync has finished before changing anything.Check the app's settings for a cache option and use it first, if offered.Quit the app before removing any files from the folders it uses.Move anything you remove to the Trash rather than deleting it outright.

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Account and sync: OmniFocus can sync through an Omni Sync Server account; without sync the database exists only on this Mac.

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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.

Can I undo this if I remove something by mistake?

Yes, as long as the item is still in the Trash. Items there can be restored until the Trash is emptied.

Does OmniFocus 4 share its folders with OmniFocus 3?

No. OmniFocus 4 uses its own container, separate from OmniFocus 3, so clearing one does not change the other.