Saved Application State
macOS stores per-app window restoration data in ~/Library/Saved Application State so apps can reopen their previous windows, tabs, and document positions after quitting or restarting. These folders typically contain savedState plist metadata, data.data payload files, and resume records describing NSWindow frames, scroll positions, and document restoration state; Kudu removes stale saved application state files that no longer match the current app version or window layout. Cleaning this data resets only resume information, not the app itself, so accounts, documents, settings, passwords, and other personal data stay untouched.
Why clean Saved Application State?
- Corrupted savedState plist or data.data files can make an app reopen with invisible, off-screen, or zero-size windows, so deleting the stale resume data restores a normal launch
- Outdated window restoration records after an app update can cause repeated crashes or hangs during startup because macOS keeps trying to reopen an invalid previous session
- Bad scroll-position and tab restoration data can make a document or browser-like app reopen to the wrong place every time, even after you manually close and relaunch it
- Saved application state accumulates for apps you no longer use, leaving behind per-app resume folders that waste disk space without providing any benefit
- Mismatched multi-monitor coordinates from an old display setup can reopen windows on a disconnected monitor, which looks like the app launched but nothing appears on screen
- Stale restoration payloads can repeatedly resurrect unwanted windows or documents at login, so clearing them stops macOS from replaying an old session
- Some saved state folders include SQLite-backed restoration metadata that becomes page-fragmented over time; VACUUM rewrites the database into a compact file without deleting active rows, while removing stale state eliminates broken resume entries entirely
Cache paths Kudu targets
macOS
~/Library/Saved Application State |
Common questions about Saved Application State
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Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. No account required, no feature gates, no telemetry without consent. All cleaning targets are open source and community-auditable.