What Photoshop cache is and why you might want to clear it

Cache is temporary data that Photoshop stores on your hard drive to speed up the program. When you open an image, explore filters, or undo edits, Photoshop saves copies of those steps so it can retrieve them faster next time. Over weeks or months, this cache folder grows large — sometimes several gigabytes — and can slow down your computer or cause Photoshop to run less smoothly.

Clearing the cache is safe. You are only deleting temporary files that Photoshop can rebuild. You will not lose any of your actual work, saved images, or settings. The program will straightforward take a moment to rebuild the cache the next time you use it.

Most people clear cache when Photoshop starts running slowly, when they are running low on disk space, or when they notice the cache folder has grown very large. Some people do it monthly as routine maintenance.

Key Takeaways

  • Photoshop cache is temporary data stored on your hard drive that helps the program run faster, and clearing it will not delete your work or settings.
  • On Windows, cache is usually in C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Common\Media Cache Files, and on Mac it is in ~/Library/Caches/Adobe/Common/Media Cache Files.
  • The safest way to clear cache is through Photoshop itself using Edit > Purge, which closes the program properly and removes the files without risk.
  • If Photoshop is frozen or will not open, you can delete the cache folder manually, but only when Photoshop is completely closed.

Clearing cache through Photoshop (the safest method)

Open Photoshop and go to the top menu. Click Edit, then scroll down to Purge. You will see four options: Undo, Clipboard, Histories, and All. Click All to clear everything at once, or click individual options if you only want to clear specific types of cache.

Photoshop will delete the cache when ready. The program will not close or restart — you can keep working. The next time you undo a step or explore a filter, Photoshop will rebuild the cache as needed. This method is the fastest and safest because Photoshop handles the deletion itself without any risk of removing the wrong files.

If you only want to clear the media cache (which is usually the largest), you can also go to Edit > Preferences > Media Cache (on Windows) or Photoshop > Settings > Media Cache (on Mac), then click Clean Cache. This targets only the cache files related to video and image previews.

Clearing cache manually on Windows

If Photoshop is frozen, will not open, or you want to delete the cache folder directly, you can do it through Windows File Explorer. First, close Photoshop completely — check the taskbar at the bottom of your screen to make sure no Photoshop window is still running.

Open File Explorer and paste this path into the address bar at the top: C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Common\Media Cache Files. Replace [Your Username] with your actual Windows username. If you do not know your username, right-click the Start button, click System, and look for "User name" in the settings.

You will see a folder called Media Cache Files or several files with names like MediaCache or MediaCacheDB. Select all of them (Ctrl+A), then press Delete. They will move to your Recycle Bin. Empty the Recycle Bin to permanently remove them. The next time you open Photoshop, it will rebuild these files automatically.

Clearing cache manually on Mac

Close Photoshop completely. Open Finder and click Go in the top menu, then click Go to Folder. Paste this path: ~/Library/Caches/Adobe/Common/Media Cache Files. Press Enter.

You will see the cache folder. Select all files inside it (Command+A), then press Command+Delete to move them to Trash. Empty the Trash to permanently delete them. Photoshop will rebuild the cache the next time you launch it.

If the folder appears empty or does not exist, the cache may already be cleared or stored in a different location. This is normal and nothing to worry about.

How much disk space you will free up

The amount of space varies depending on how long you have been using Photoshop and what kind of files you work with. Users who edit large video files or work with many high-resolution images often see cache folders of 2 to 5 gigabytes or larger. Users who work mostly with small images might see only a few hundred megabytes.

If you are running low on disk space, clearing the cache can help, but it is usually not the only solution. Photos, videos, and old project files take up far more space than cache. If you need to free up significant space, look for old downloads, duplicate files, or large video files you no longer need.

When to clear cache and how often

There is no harm in clearing cache regularly. Some people do it weekly or monthly as part of routine maintenance. Others only clear it when they notice Photoshop running slowly or when they are running low on disk space. Neither approach is wrong — it depends on your workflow and how much disk space you have.

If you work with very large files or explore many filters and edits in a single session, clearing cache once a month can help keep Photoshop responsive. If you have plenty of disk space and Photoshop runs smoothly, you may never need to clear it.

What happens if something goes wrong

Clearing cache is a low-risk operation. The worst that can happen is that Photoshop takes a few seconds longer to open the next time you launch it, because it has to rebuild the cache from scratch. Your work, settings, and preferences are stored separately and will not be affected.

If you accidentally delete something other than cache, or if Photoshop behaves strangely after clearing cache, straightforward restart the program. Photoshop will rebuild what it needs automatically. If problems persist, you can reinstall Photoshop, which will restore all default settings and cache.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache delete my saved Photoshop files?

No. Cache is temporary data only. Your saved images, project files, and all your work are stored separately and will not be affected. Clearing cache only removes the temporary copies Photoshop uses to speed up the program.

Can I clear cache while Photoshop is running?

Yes, if you use the Edit > Purge menu inside Photoshop. This is the safest way. If you want to delete the cache folder manually through File Explorer or Finder, you must close Photoshop completely first, or you may delete the wrong files or cause the program to crash.

How do I know if my cache is too large?

Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and navigate to the cache folder path listed above. Right-click the Media Cache Files folder and select Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac) to see the total size. If it is more than 2 to 3 gigabytes and you are running low on disk space, clearing it may help.

Does clearing cache make Photoshop faster?

It can. A very large cache folder sometimes slows down Photoshop's startup or performance. Clearing it may make the program feel snappier, especially on older computers or those with limited disk space. However, the effect is usually noticeable only if the cache has grown to several gigabytes.

What is the difference between cache and temporary files?

Cache is data Photoshop stores to speed up specific tasks like undoing edits or previewing filters. Temporary files are scratch files Photoshop creates while you are actively working on an image. Both are safe to delete, but cache is the larger folder and the one most people clear.