Developer IDEs

Clear Sublime Text Cache on Mac

Clearing the Sublime Text cache empties its syntax and index data, which the app rebuilds on its own. It helps when lookups feel slow or the cache has grown large, and your settings and unsaved work are not affected.

Last updated: October 31, 20262 min read

Clear the Sublime Text cache without guessing

Sublime Text data usually takes 200 MB – 2 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: Sublime Text
Typical data size: 200 MB – 2 GB
Category: Developer IDEs
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Sublime Text

Sublime Text cache folders you can clear

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

~/Library/Caches/com.sublimetext.4 Cache · syntax and index cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Saved Application State/com.sublimetext.4.savedState Window state · window positions from the last session Yes, rebuilt automatically

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

What the Sublime Text cache holds

Specific to Sublime Text

The cache holds syntax and index data only, so it is one of the safest places to free space. Your settings, snippets, and unsaved files kept by hot exit are stored in the app's support folder instead. Clearing the cache helps when Goto Anything or indexing feels slow, or when the cache has grown after you opened very large projects. Typical data for the app runs 200 MB – 2 GB.

What happens after you clear the Sublime Text cache

The app rebuilds the cache automatically the next time it needs it, so there is nothing to reinstall or restore. Expect the first launch and first searches in large projects to be slower while indexing runs again. Your license, installed packages, and settings stay in place, so you should not need to sign in again. If it stays slow over several sessions, the cache was probably not the cause.

If Sublime Text offers a cache-clearing option, use it first.Save open files before quitting Sublime Text.Quit Sublime Text, then open Library in Finder using Go to Folder.Move only the com.sublimetext.4 folder in Caches to the Trash.

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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 Sublime Text ask me to sign in again?

No, not because of the cache. Your license is kept in the support folder, which clearing the cache does not touch.

Why is the first launch slower afterward?

The app is rebuilding its syntax and index data from scratch, which takes a little time on large projects. Normal speed returns once that finishes.