What clearing shader cache does

Shader cache is a folder your graphics card stores on your hard drive to speed up games. When you play a game, your graphics card compiles small programs called shaders that tell it how to draw textures, lighting, and effects on screen. Instead of recompiling them every time, your system saves these compiled shaders so the next time you play, it loads them when ready.

Clearing shader cache means deleting these saved files. Your graphics card will recompile the shaders the next time you launch the game, which takes a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the game. After that first launch, performance returns to normal — sometimes better if the old cache was corrupted or contained outdated code.

Most people clear shader cache when a game stutters during the first few minutes of play, when a graphics driver update causes visual glitches, or when a game update introduces new visual effects that the old cache doesn't recognize.

Key Takeaways

  • Shader cache is a folder of pre-compiled graphics instructions that games load to run faster; clearing it forces your graphics card to rebuild them on the next launch.
  • The first time you play after clearing cache, you may see a few seconds to a few minutes of stuttering while shaders recompile, then performance stabilizes.
  • Clearing cache fixes stuttering during the opening minutes of a game, visual glitches after a driver update, or problems after a game update adds new graphics features.
  • The location and method differ between NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel graphics cards, and between Windows and Mac.

How to clear shader cache on NVIDIA graphics cards

On Windows, NVIDIA stores shader cache in a hidden folder. Open File Explorer, click the View tab at the top, and check the box next to "Hidden items" so you can see hidden folders. Then navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\NVIDIA\GLCache (for games using OpenGL) or C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\NVIDIA\DXCache (for games using DirectX).

Select all files in that folder and delete them. If a file is locked because a game is running, close the game first and try again. You can also right-click the folder itself and delete it — Windows will recreate it automatically the next time a game runs.

On Mac with an NVIDIA graphics card, the cache lives in ~/Library/Caches/NVIDIA. Open Finder, press Command+Shift+G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog, paste that path, and delete the contents.

How to clear shader cache on AMD graphics cards

AMD stores shader cache in a different location. On Windows, navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\AMD\DxCache and delete the contents. Like NVIDIA, you may need to enable "Hidden items" in File Explorer's View tab to see the AppData folder.

Some AMD drivers also create a cache in C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\AMD. Check both locations and clear both if they exist. Close any games before deleting to avoid locked files.

On Mac, AMD cache is typically in ~/Library/Caches/AMD. Use the same Finder method as NVIDIA: press Command+Shift+G, paste the path, and delete the folder contents.

How to clear shader cache on Intel graphics

Intel integrated graphics (built into most laptop and budget desktop processors) store cache in C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Intel\GLCache on Windows. Navigate there, enable hidden files if needed, and delete the contents.

Intel also sometimes uses a DirectX cache at C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Intel\ShaderCache. Check both locations. On Mac, Intel cache is in ~/Library/Caches/Intel.

When clearing cache actually helps

Clearing shader cache works best when you see stuttering or frame rate drops during the first five to ten minutes of a game, then the game runs smoothly. That pattern means the cache is being built in real time. Clearing it and relaunching forces a fresh build, which sometimes fixes the problem if the old cache was incomplete or corrupted.

It also helps after a major graphics driver update. New driver versions sometimes change how shaders compile, and old cached shaders can conflict with the new driver. Clearing cache after updating your driver can eliminate visual glitches like missing textures, wrong colors, or flickering.

Clearing cache does not fix low frame rates during normal gameplay, crashes that happen after the first few minutes, or problems that happen in every game. Those point to different issues — overheating, a driver bug, or hardware limits — and clearing cache will not solve them.

What happens after you clear cache

The next time you launch a game, your graphics card will recompile all the shaders from scratch. You will see a loading screen or a few seconds of stuttering while this happens. The length depends on the game — a small indie game might take five seconds, while a large AAA game with many visual effects might take two to three minutes.

After that first launch, the new cache is built and the game runs at normal speed. You will not see any performance difference between a freshly cleared cache and an old one, except that the old one might have been corrupted or outdated.

If you clear cache and the problem persists, the issue is not shader-related. Try updating your graphics driver, checking your GPU temperature with a tool like GPU-Z, or reinstalling the game.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing shader cache delete my game saves?

No. Shader cache is only graphics instructions. Game saves are stored in a completely different location — usually in the game's own folder or in a cloud service like Steam Cloud. Clearing cache will not touch your saves.

How often should I clear shader cache?

Only clear it when you have a specific problem: stuttering at game start, visual glitches after a driver update, or issues after a game update. Clearing it regularly serves no purpose and just forces your graphics card to recompile shaders unnecessarily.

Can I clear shader cache while a game is running?

No. Windows will lock the cache files while the game uses them. Close the game first, clear the cache, then relaunch. If you get a "file is in use" error, make sure the game is fully closed, not just minimized.

Does clearing cache improve frame rates during normal gameplay?

No. Once the cache is built, it does not affect frame rates. If you have low frame rates throughout a game, the problem is your GPU, CPU, or driver — not the cache. Clearing cache only helps with stuttering during the first few minutes.

What if I can't find the cache folder?

Make sure you have enabled "Hidden items" in File Explorer (View tab, check the box). Also verify you are looking in the right location for your graphics card type. If the folder does not exist, your system has not created a cache yet, which means clearing is not necessary.