Utilities

Clear The Unarchiver Cache on Mac

Clearing The Unarchiver cache removes its sandboxed settings and temporary extraction data, and the app rebuilds that folder on its own. It is worth doing when the app misbehaves or you need space, which the folder typically takes up 10 MB – 100 MB. Your extracted files are not affected.

Last updated: October 31, 20262 min read

Clear the The Unarchiver cache without guessing

The Unarchiver data usually takes 10 MB – 100 MB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

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Application: The Unarchiver
Typical data size: 10 MB – 100 MB
Category: Utilities
File Location: ~/Library/Containers/com.macpaw.site.theunarchiver

The Unarchiver cache folders you can clear

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

~/Library/Containers/com.macpaw.site.theunarchiver Sandbox container · sandboxed settings and temporary extraction data Yes, rebuilt automatically

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

When clearing The Unarchiver cache helps

Specific to The Unarchiver

The cache lives in a sandboxed container in your hidden Library folder, and it holds only the app's settings and temporary data from extractions. Clearing it helps when The Unarchiver stalls or fails while opening or extracting, when its settings seem stuck, or when you need the space back. If the app itself offers a way to clear its temporary data, use that first, because it removes only what the app expects to remove. Only remove the folder by hand if the in-app option is missing or does not fix the problem.

What happens after you clear The Unarchiver cache

The folder is rebuilt automatically the next time you open the app, so you do not need to recreate anything yourself. Expect the first launch after clearing to be a little slower while that happens. Settings you changed may return to their defaults, so check your preferences once the app is running. Extracted files stay in the folders you chose, because they were never stored in the cache.

Check whether The Unarchiver offers a clear option inside before removing anything.Quit The Unarchiver completely before removing any of its folders.Show the hidden Library folder through Finder's Go to Folder menu.Open The Unarchiver once more and expect a slightly slower first start.

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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 cache come back on its own?

Yes. The app rebuilds the folder automatically the next time you open it, so there is nothing to restore.

Can I clear the cache while the app is open?

It is safer to quit the app first, so it is not writing to the folder while you remove it.