Where apps hide your files

Finding the Dropbox cache folder

Updated 2026-10-28 · 5 min read

Where Dropbox puts its cache depends on which sync mode your Mac uses. Older-style setups have a hidden .dropbox.cache inside the Dropbox folder, while File Provider setups keep it somewhere else entirely.

Where the cache is

There are two answers, and you need to know which mode your Mac uses. Both come from Dropbox's own help page on the cache folder.

Classic setup (the Dropbox folder sits in your home folder, such as ~/Dropbox):

~/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache

File Provider setup (Dropbox appears under Locations in Finder, and the real folder is managed by macOS):

~/Library/Group Containers/<ID>.com.getdropbox.dropbox.sync/root-mount

The <ID> part varies, so match it with a wildcard. This command lists the folder without opening anything:

ls -d ~/Library/Group\ Containers/*com.getdropbox.dropbox.sync

Dropbox's help article places .dropbox.cache only in non-File Provider setups and says File Provider keeps cache files outside the Dropbox folder, in a location managed by macOS. A Dropbox community moderator adds that some actions can still create one at ~/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache; if it is absent, there is nothing to clear.

Which mode am I using?

Look at the Finder sidebar. If Dropbox is listed under Locations and its folder lives in ~/Library/CloudStorage (usually ~/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox), you are on File Provider. Dropbox's help says the File Provider version moves your Dropbox folder there and needs macOS 12.5 or later. If you have a plain Dropbox folder in your home folder (or under Favorites), you are on the classic mode. Dropbox is not installed on the Mac used for this guide, so both layouts here come from Dropbox's help documentation, not from a local check.

If your account is a team or a personal-plus-work link, the folder name carries a suffix, such as ~/Organization Dropbox or ~/Dropbox (Personal). The cache is inside whichever one is your root.

Showing the hidden folder

.dropbox.cache starts with a dot, so Finder hides it. Open your Dropbox folder and press ⇧⌘. (Shift-Command-Period) to show hidden items. Press it again to hide them.

What the cache is for

Dropbox describes the cache as temporary files that improve performance and support uploads and downloads, kept "for efficiency and emergency purposes". It is not where your files live and not a backup you should rely on. Your real files are the ones in the Dropbox folder, or the online-only items that Dropbox streams on demand.

Dropbox states that the cache is cleared automatically every three days. You only need to clear it yourself if sensitive files should go now, or if you are short on space.

Clearing it safely

1. Quit the Dropbox desktop app completely, from its menu bar icon.
2. On File Provider setups, wait for the DropboxFileProviderExtension process to stop as well. Activity Monitor shows it.
3. Open the cache folder (hidden folder in classic mode, or root-mount in File Provider mode).
4. Select the contents and move them to the Trash in Finder.
5. Start Dropbox again.

Move the contents, not the folder itself. Do the cleanup in Finder, not with rm, so you can see exactly what is going.

What not to delete

Do not remove files from the Dropbox folder itself to free space: that deletes them from your account too, and they appear in Dropbox's deleted files for a limited period. If your aim is space, use Dropbox's online-only setting for the files, or choose what syncs, so the local copies are removed without deleting the originals. The exact menu names differ between Dropbox versions, so check Dropbox's own help for your build.

Checking the size first

Before clearing anything, see whether the cache is worth the effort. In classic mode:

du -sh ~/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache

On File Provider setups:

du -sh ~/Library/Group\ Containers/*com.getdropbox.dropbox.sync/root-mount

If the number is small, leave it: Dropbox empties it by itself within three days, and a small cache is normal while files sync.

If the Dropbox folder itself has moved

Some Macs keep the Dropbox folder on an external drive or under a custom name, and the switch to File Provider moves it to ~/Library/CloudStorage. Dropbox says File Provider users can no longer move the folder, except eligible users who can choose an external drive. To see where yours is, click the Dropbox icon in the menu bar, click your avatar, choose Preferences, then Sync; clicking the path shown copies it. In classic mode the cache sits inside that root folder, not in your home folder.

Hidden Dropbox folders and settings

Dropbox also keeps a hidden ~/.dropbox folder in your home directory for the app's own data. Dropbox documents one file in it, ~/.dropbox/info.json, which records where your Dropbox folder (or folders, for linked personal and work accounts) is. It is not the cache and holds none of your files; leave it alone unless Dropbox support asks.

Why a search will not show these

.dropbox.cache is a hidden dot-folder, and Group Containers sits in ~/Library, so Spotlight and Finder searches leave both out. And root-mount is a name you would never think to type without knowing the container it sits in.

Finding the cache again

Typing dropbox.cache into Everywhere lists the folder in classic mode, and typing com.getdropbox.dropbox.sync finds the File Provider container with its ID, so you do not need to guess it. The container lives under ~/Library/Group Containers, and a File Provider Dropbox folder under ~/Library/CloudStorage; Everywhere covers both once it has Full Disk Access. It searches file names only, so it will not tell you which cached file belongs to which document. ⌘↵ reveals a result in Finder.

Common questions

Where is the Dropbox cache folder on a Mac?

In classic mode it is the hidden .dropbox.cache folder inside your Dropbox folder. On File Provider setups Dropbox's help points to ~/Library/Group Containers/<ID>.com.getdropbox.dropbox.sync/root-mount.

Is it safe to delete the Dropbox cache?

Yes, per Dropbox: quit the desktop app first (on File Provider, wait for DropboxFileProviderExtension to stop), then move the cache contents to the Trash. Dropbox also clears it automatically every three days.

Why can I not see .dropbox.cache on my Mac?

It is hidden, so press Shift-Command-Period in Finder. If it still does not appear you are probably on File Provider, where the cache is stored outside the Dropbox folder.

How do I free up space Dropbox is using on my Mac?

Clear the cache first, then make large folders online-only in Dropbox. Do not delete files from the Dropbox folder, because that removes them from your account.