Developer IDEs

Clear Visual Studio Code Cache on Mac

To clear the Visual Studio Code cache, first check whether the app offers a clear option in its own settings. Otherwise, quit it and remove only the cache folders it rebuilds on its own, since your settings, keybindings, snippets and project state stay in place. Typical data use is 500 MB – 10 GB, so the space you recover depends on how much has built up.

Last updated: October 31, 20263 min read

Clear the Visual Studio Code cache without guessing

Visual Studio Code data usually takes 500 MB – 10 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

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Application: Visual Studio Code
Typical data size: 500 MB – 10 GB
Category: Developer IDEs
File Location: ~/Library/Application Support/Code

What the Visual Studio Code cache holds

Specific to Visual Studio Code

The cache consists of temporary folders inside the Code folder in Application Support, plus an app cache folder in Library Caches. They hold compiled JavaScript, GPU shader data, downloaded extension packages, web content and logs, and the app rebuilds all of them automatically. Clearing helps most when the editor slows down when opening projects, or when the Cache or CachedExtensionVSIXs folder has grown large. Many old folders in workspaceStorage are also a sign of buildup, but that folder holds per-project state, so leave it alone.

What happens after you clear the Visual Studio Code cache

The app rebuilds the cache the next time it runs, so the first start and the first opening of each project may be slower. Your settings, keybindings and snippets are unchanged, and extensions stay installed because they live in the extensions folder under your home folder. If you use Settings Sync, your settings and extension list remain in your GitHub or Microsoft account. Window positions from the last session are rebuilt automatically, so they may not match exactly.

Check whether Visual Studio Code offers a clear cache option in its own settings.Confirm Settings Sync is on before clearing, if you use it.Quit Visual Studio Code completely before removing any cache folders.Reopen the app and let it rebuild its cache before judging speed.

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Account and sync: Settings Sync can store settings, keybindings, snippets and the extension list in a GitHub or Microsoft account.

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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 clearing the cache remove my extensions?

No. Extensions are kept separately in the extensions folder under your home folder, so a cache clean leaves them in place.

Why is the app slower the first time after clearing?

The app has to rebuild its compiled code and shader caches, so the first launch and the first project you open take longer.