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Where Does Spotify Store Its Cache on macOS? (Exact Folder Path)

7 min readUpdated Jun 10, 2026

Spotify quietly accumulates gigabytes of cached audio data on your Mac without any obvious indication in System Settings. If your disk is tighter than you expected, knowing the exact Spotify cache location on Mac lets you reclaim that space in under a minute, without uninstalling the app or losing your playlists.

The Exact Spotify Cache Folder Path on macOS

On macOS Sonoma, Sequoia, and Tahoe, the Spotify app cache lives here:

~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/PersistentCache/Storage

The tilde (~) expands to your home folder, so the full path on a Mac with the username alex would be:

/Users/alex/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/PersistentCache/Storage

The PersistentCache folder is where Spotify stores recently streamed song data so it can replay tracks quickly without re-downloading them. The Storage subfolder contains the actual cached audio blobs. On an active Mac, this folder commonly reaches 2 to 5 GB, and on machines where Spotify has been running for years without a clean-up it can exceed 10 GB.

There is also a broader parent folder worth knowing about:

~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/

This parent holds additional metadata, image thumbnails, and other ephemeral files beyond the audio cache itself.

How to Open the Spotify Cache Folder Directly

The ~/Library folder is hidden from Finder by default. Use one of these three methods to reach it.

Option 1: Go To Folder in Finder

  1. Open Finder.
  2. From the menu bar choose Go > Go to Folder (or press Shift + Command + G).
  3. Paste this path and press Return:
    ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/PersistentCache/Storage
  4. The folder opens. Select all contents (Command + A) and move them to the Trash.

Option 2: Terminal one-liner

Open Terminal (found in Applications > Utilities) and run:

open ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/PersistentCache/Storage

This opens the folder in Finder. Alternatively, delete the contents directly from Terminal:

rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/PersistentCache/Storage/*

The trailing /* removes everything inside the folder while keeping the folder itself, which prevents Spotify from complaining on next launch.

Option 3: Spotify's Built-In Cache Setting

Spotify has a setting that clears the cache without you needing to touch the file system:

  1. Open Spotify and go to Spotify > Settings in the menu bar (on the Mac app).
  2. Scroll to Storage.
  3. Click Clear cache.

This is the safest route if you prefer not to use Finder or Terminal. The app will repopulate the cache as you stream.

Spotify Cache vs. Offline Downloads: Delete the Right Thing

This is where most guides get it wrong. Spotify stores two different kinds of data locally, and they live in different places.

The Cache (safe to delete)

Location: ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/PersistentCache/Storage

This is temporary audio data that Spotify wrote automatically to speed up streaming. You never explicitly asked for it. Deleting it is safe and Spotify will rebuild it gradually as you use the app.

Offline Downloads (not cache, do not confuse these)

If you use Spotify Premium and have toggled Download on any playlist, album, or podcast, those files are stored separately. On macOS they land inside the app's sandboxed container:

~/Library/Application Support/Spotify/PersistentStorage

Deleting files from this location removes your offline downloads. Those tracks will no longer play without an internet connection until you re-download them. Unless you specifically need to free up space from offline downloads, leave this folder alone and focus on PersistentCache.

A quick way to tell which is which: open Terminal and check sizes side by side:

du -sh ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/PersistentCache/Storage
du -sh ~/Library/Application\ Support/Spotify/PersistentStorage

The output will show each folder's disk footprint so you know exactly what you are working with before deleting anything.

Where Is Spotify Cache Stored on Mac: Full Location Map

For reference, here is the complete set of Spotify-related folders on a typical macOS installation:

  • ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/: all cache data including audio blobs and image thumbnails
  • ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/PersistentCache/Storage: the largest sub-folder, streamed audio blobs
  • ~/Library/Application Support/Spotify/: app preferences, login credentials, offline download index
  • ~/Library/Application Support/Spotify/PersistentStorage: actual offline download files
  • ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.spotify.client.savedState/: window state, small
  • ~/Library/Preferences/com.spotify.client.plist: user preferences file

If you are doing a full uninstall, you would remove all of the above. For a routine cache clear, only touch PersistentCache/Storage.

How Much Space Does Spotify Cache Use?

Spotify does not enforce a hard cap by default on macOS. The app manages the cache size loosely based on available disk space, which means on a large drive it can balloon without you noticing. On machines with limited storage (256 GB or 512 GB SSDs), this behaviour is a real problem.

You can set a manual ceiling inside Spotify's settings under Storage > Cache size. Setting it to 1 GB or 2 GB is usually enough to keep streaming performance snappy while preventing runaway growth.

Seeing the Spotify Cache Folder in a Disk Map

If you want to visualise exactly how Spotify fits into your overall disk usage before deciding what to delete, Crumb's Visualize view maps your entire drive by folder size. The com.spotify.client path appears directly in the tree, so you can see its real footprint alongside other apps competing for space and make an informed decision. Crumb runs entirely on your Mac with no account required.

Once you have confirmed the size, use the Terminal commands or Spotify's built-in setting above to clear the cache. If you want Crumb to handle it through a reviewable plan that shows you exactly what will be removed before anything is deleted, the app surfaces that folder in its cleanup flow as well.

After You Clear the Cache

A few things to expect after clearing Spotify's cache on Mac:

  • The first few tracks you stream will load slightly slower than usual while Spotify rebuilds the cache.
  • Album artwork may take a moment to reload in the app.
  • Your playlists, liked songs, and account data are stored server-side and are completely unaffected.
  • Offline downloads are unaffected as long as you only cleared PersistentCache/Storage.

Spotify's cache will start growing again immediately after you use the app. Checking it every few months (or setting a storage cap inside Spotify's settings) is the easiest way to keep it under control.

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Frequently asked questions

Where is the Spotify cache stored on a Mac?
Spotify stores its audio cache at ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/PersistentCache/Storage. This folder holds streamed audio data that Spotify writes automatically to speed up playback. You can open it via Finder's Go to Folder dialog or navigate to it in Terminal.
Is it safe to delete the Spotify cache on macOS?
Yes. The PersistentCache/Storage folder contains temporary data that Spotify rebuilds on its own as you stream music. Deleting it does not affect your playlists, account, or offline downloads. The only side effect is slightly slower initial track loading until the cache repopulates.
What is the difference between Spotify cache and offline downloads on Mac?
Cache files (in ~/Library/Caches/com.spotify.client/PersistentCache/Storage) are created automatically during normal streaming and are safe to delete. Offline downloads (in ~/Library/Application Support/Spotify/PersistentStorage) are files you explicitly saved for offline playback. Deleting the downloads folder means those tracks will not play without an internet connection until you re-download them.
How do I stop Spotify from using so much disk space on my Mac?
Open Spotify, go to Settings, and scroll to the Storage section. You can set a maximum cache size there, for example 1 GB or 2 GB, which prevents the cache from growing unchecked. Clearing the cache periodically via the same settings panel or via Finder also helps keep the footprint manageable.
Will clearing the Spotify cache on Mac delete my playlists or liked songs?
No. Playlists, liked songs, followers, and account preferences are stored on Spotify's servers, not locally. Clearing the local cache only removes temporary audio data from your Mac. Everything in your Spotify account remains intact.

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