Notes & Writing
Clear Scrivener Cache on Mac
Clearing the Scrivener cache means trimming the zipped backups in its Backups folder, not wiping the app's data. Do it with the app closed, and keep the newest copies so you still have a fallback.
Clear the Scrivener cache without guessing
Scrivener data usually takes 500 MB – 10 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.
Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+
OptiClear is a Mac app. Copy this page's link and open it on your Mac.
Email me the link- Application
- Scrivener
- Typical data size
- 500 MB – 10 GB
- Category
- Notes & Writing
- File Location
~/Library/Application Support/Scrivener
Scrivener cache folders you can clear
Scrivener has no separate cache folder. Its folders hold settings and your own data, so there is nothing to clear safely by hand.
What the Scrivener cache holds and when clearing helps
Specific to Scrivener
Scrivener writes zipped backups of your projects into Application Support on every close by default. The folder grows over time and holds older versions of your work, so these backups are your own data rather than temporary files. Clearing helps when the Backups folder holds many zipped copies and keeps growing with each writing session. Your settings sit in the parent folder beside it, and typical data for this app runs 500 MB – 10 GB.
What happens after you clear Scrivener's backups
Moving backups to the Trash keeps them recoverable until you empty the Trash, so wait before emptying it. The app creates new backups on your next close, so the folder starts growing again. Your project files stay where you saved them, often Documents or Dropbox, and your settings in the parent folder are untouched. Deleting the Scrivener app itself would not remove these folders either.
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Try it without risk
- Download and scan for freeSee every Scrivener file and its size. No account needed.
- Clean free for 7 daysStart the 7-day free trial of the yearly plan inside the app.
- Keep it or cancelCancel in your App Store settings at least 24 hours before the trial ends and you won't be charged.
After the free trial, Pro costs $39.99 per year in your country's App Store; cancel any time.