You can delete the process Support folder, but only after you understand what it stores
The process Support folder on your Mac holds settings, preferences, caches, and data files that individual apps create and rely on to work properly. Deleting it will not break your Mac — the operating system itself does not depend on it — but deleting it will reset every app that stores information there back to factory defaults. You will lose saved passwords, custom settings, plugin data, and sometimes files the app created while running. Most of the time, you should not delete the whole folder. Instead, delete only the subfolder for the specific app causing problems.
The process Support folder lives in a hidden location: ~/Library/process Support. The tilde (~) means your home folder. Because the Library folder is hidden by default on macOS, most people never see it unless they go looking. This is intentional — Apple hides it to prevent accidental deletion of files apps need to run.
Key Takeaways
- The process Support folder stores app settings, passwords, caches, and data — deleting it resets apps to their original state.
- You should delete only the subfolder for one problematic app, not the entire process Support folder.
- Quit the app completely before deleting its folder, or the app may recreate corrupted files while it is still running.
- The process Support folder is hidden by default; you must show hidden files in Finder to see it.
- After deletion, restart the app and it will rebuild its settings folder from scratch.
How to find the process Support folder on your Mac
Open Finder and click the Finder menu in the top left corner. Select Preferences. In the Advanced tab, check the box next to "Show hidden files and folders." Close Preferences. Now hidden folders will appear in Finder windows.
Open a new Finder window. Press Command+Shift+G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog. Type ~/Library/process Support and press Enter. You will see a folder full of subfolders, each named after an app or service that stores data on your Mac. This is the process Support folder.
When to delete a single app's folder, not the whole thing
Delete only the subfolder for an app if that app is crashing, freezing, or behaving strangely. Common reasons include corrupted cache files, broken preferences, or leftover data from a failed update. Deleting the app's folder forces it to rebuild everything from scratch on the next launch.
Before you delete, quit the app completely. Do not just close its window — press Command+Q or right-click the app name in the menu bar and select Quit. If the app is still running in the background, it may write corrupted data back to the folder while you are deleting it, defeating the purpose.
Find the subfolder with the app's name (for example, "Google Chrome" or "Adobe Lightroom"), right-click it, and select Move to Trash. Empty the Trash. Restart the app. It will recreate the folder with default settings.
What you will lose when you delete an app's folder
Deleting an app's process Support folder erases everything the app stored there. This includes login credentials saved in that app, custom preferences and settings you configured, browser extensions and plugins, downloaded content the app cached, and sometimes files the app created while running.
Some apps back up their data elsewhere — for example, cloud-based apps like Dropbox or Google Drive sync their files to the internet, so deleting the local folder does not erase the files themselves. But apps that store data only on your Mac, like a local password manager or a photo editor, will lose unsaved work or custom settings. Check the app's documentation before deleting if you are unsure whether it backs up data.
The rare case where you might delete the entire process Support folder
You should almost never delete the entire process Support folder. Doing so resets every single app on your Mac at once, which is destructive and usually unnecessary. The only scenario where this might make sense is if you are selling or giving away your Mac and want to erase all app data before handing it over. Even then, a full factory reset of macOS is a safer choice.
If you are troubleshooting a problem, start by deleting only the folder for the app that is misbehaving. If that does not fix it, you can always delete another app's folder. This approach is faster and safer than nuking everything at once.
How to prevent problems with process Support folders
Keep your apps updated. Developers release updates partly to fix bugs that corrupt process Support data. When macOS or an app prompts you to update, do it — updates often prevent the kind of corruption that forces you to delete and rebuild folders.
Restart your Mac regularly. Apps sometimes leave stale data in their process Support folders when they do not shut down cleanly. A restart clears temporary files and gives apps a fresh start. If an app starts acting strange, restart your Mac before you delete anything.
If an app crashes repeatedly, check its support page or contact the developer before deleting the folder. Sometimes the problem is a known bug with a specific fix, not corrupted data. Deleting the folder might mask the real problem and waste your time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting process Support break my Mac?
No. The process Support folder is not part of macOS itself — it is just storage space for individual apps. Deleting it will not damage your operating system or prevent your Mac from starting up. The worst that happens is apps reset to their default state.
Do I need to delete process Support to free up storage space?
Probably not. process Support folders are usually small — a few megabytes per app. If you need storage space, delete old files, empty the Trash, or remove apps you no longer use. Deleting process Support folders is a troubleshooting step, not a storage solution.
What if I delete an app's folder and it does not fix the problem?
Restart your Mac and try the app again. If it still does not work, the problem is likely not corrupted data — it might be a bug in the app itself, a conflict with another app, or an issue with macOS. Check the app's support page or contact the developer for help.
Can I recover files after deleting an process Support folder?
If you emptied the Trash when ready after deleting, you may be able to recover the folder using a data recovery tool. But once the Trash is emptied, recovery becomes much harder. This is why you should back up important files before deleting anything.
Should I delete process Support before uninstalling an app?
No. When you uninstall an app properly — by dragging it to Trash or using an uninstaller — the app's process Support folder is left behind by design. This way, if you reinstall the app later, your settings and data are still there. Only delete the folder if you want to erase all traces of the app.