Is it safe to delete the whole DriveFS folder?

No. DriveFS holds the account database as well as the cache. Delete only the contents of the content_cache folder inside your account's numbered folder, with Drive quit and fully synced.

Will clearing the cache delete my files from Google Drive?

No. Nothing here deletes cloud files. It removes local copies; files set to Available offline simply download again next time you open them.

How do I free Drive space without touching the cache?

Right-click downloaded files or folders in Finder and choose Offline access › Online only. That evicts the local copy while keeping the file in Drive, and it is the route Google intends for reclaiming space.

Mac cache folders

How to clear the Google Drive cache on a Mac

By Vishva Variya · Updated November 12, 2026 · 3 min read

Short answer

Drive for desktop has no clear-cache button. First check the Drive menu says everything is up to date — files still waiting to upload live in the cache. Then quit Drive and empty the content_cache folder inside ~/Library/Application Support/Google/DriveFS (in the numbered folder for your account). Files you had available offline download again when you next open them.

Where is the Google Drive cache on a Mac?

~/Library/Application Support/Google/DriveFS

Check first. Temporary sync data stored by Google Drive. Your files are safe, but Drive will re-check your synced content afterwards and may re-download parts of it.

How do I delete the Google Drive cache by hand?

1Click the Drive icon in the menu bar and confirm it says everything is up to date — do not clear the cache with uploads pending
2Quit Drive from the same menu (gear icon › Quit)
3In Finder choose Go › Go to Folder and enter ~/Library/Application Support/Google/DriveFS
4Open the numbered folder for your account and move the contents of content_cache to the Trash — leave the database files and the DriveFS folder itself alone
5Relaunch Drive; it re-checks your files and re-downloads anything you open

What happens when you clear it?

The content cache holds local copies of streamed files and anything marked Available offline, plus files waiting to upload. Clearing it after sync has finished loses nothing from the cloud: your files stay in Drive, and local copies download again on demand. Clearing it while uploads are pending can lose those uploads for good, and deleting the whole DriveFS folder removes the account database and forces a full re-scan that can take hours. Peekaboo marks Google Drive Check First for exactly this reason.

Clearing it with Peekaboo

Peekaboo’s App Caches page lists “Google Drive” with its size and the note above, alongside every other cache it finds. It won’t offer a folder the app is still running from, and the cleanup goes to the Trash, so ⌥⌘Z puts it back.

1Open App Caches.⇧⌘E
2Find Google Drive, check its size, and move it to the Trash.

Questions

Is it safe to delete the whole DriveFS folder?: No. DriveFS holds the account database as well as the cache. Delete only the contents of the content_cache folder inside your account's numbered folder, with Drive quit and fully synced.
Will clearing the cache delete my files from Google Drive?: No. Nothing here deletes cloud files. It removes local copies; files set to Available offline simply download again next time you open them.
How do I free Drive space without touching the cache?: Right-click downloaded files or folders in Finder and choose Offline access › Online only. That evicts the local copy while keeping the file in Drive, and it is the route Google intends for reclaiming space.