How to Remove Xcode Cache on Mac

Before You Clean

Xcode builds, simulators, archives, and device support consume storage for different reasons. Build products can be recreated; source projects, signing material, and release archives may be irreplaceable.

Review and Clean Manually

1. Back up source projects and release archives. Finish running builds, tests, and simulator sessions.

2. Inspect Xcode’s storage and Locations settings to identify DerivedData for the project.

3. Remove only the build data you intend to regenerate after quitting Xcode. Do not delete all of ~/Library/Developer.

4. Use Xcode’s platform and device management for unwanted simulator runtimes. Preserve devices or archives needed for testing and releases.

5. Reopen the project and let Xcode rebuild. Confirm signing, tests, and required simulators still work.

Where Kudu Helps

Kudu scans supported Xcode cache and build-data targets. Review DerivedData, device-support, and other selections separately; this is not an automatic project, archive, or simulator remover.

Open Clean up > System Cleaner and run Scan. Review the relevant category and expand its results to inspect the paths. Set exclusions for anything you need to keep, then check the full selected total before Clean. Results search filters the view; it does not erase selections elsewhere.

After cleaning, check the summary and Activity > Cleanup receipts for removed, skipped, or failed items. A receipt is an outcome record, not a backup. Recovery Centre restores supported settings, not deleted files. Compare actual disk free space and test the original symptom; cache removal alone is not a promise of better performance.

Download Kudu Free → · Cleaning reference

References

• Official maintenance documentation
• Kudu cleaner rules