What Is ~/Library/Containers on Mac?
Your user folderUpdated
- Full path
~/Library/Containers
- Scope
- Your user folderInside your home folder — one copy per user account.
- Freshist & this folder
- Freshist checks this folder when uninstalling an app. When you uninstall an app, Freshist looks here for items that belong to it. Matches on the app's bundle ID can be pre-selected; name-only guesses are labeled “not sure” and never pre-selected. Removed items go to the Trash, so you can undo.
From Freshist's own cleaning rules — the same catalog the app uses.
A home folder per app
Apple describes ~/Library/Containers as holding "the home directories for any sandboxed apps." When an app runs inside the App Sandbox, macOS gives it a folder named after its bundle ID, for example com.example.Editor, with a Data folder inside that looks like a miniature home: its own Library/Preferences, Library/Caches, Library/Application Support and so on.
The app reads and writes there as if it were your real Library. That's why a Mac App Store app's settings aren't in ~/Library/Preferences, and why its caches don't show up in ~/Library/Caches.
What each container can hold
Inside Data/… | What it usually is | Lost if deleted? |
|---|---|---|
Library/Preferences | The app's settings | Yes, app returns to defaults |
Library/Caches | Rebuildable cache | No, it refills |
Library/Application Support | Databases, downloads, sometimes your work | Possibly |
Documents | Files the app saved for you | Yes, unless synced elsewhere |
Some apps sync everything to a server; others keep your only copy here. You can't tell from the folder name.
Why it gets big and stays big
Containers collect every kind of data a sandboxed app produces, including caches. One everyday Mac we checked had 764 of them, using about 36 GB. And because dragging an app to the Trash leaves its container behind, removed apps keep their data indefinitely. Reinstall the app later and it picks up right where it left off.
Looking inside safely
Finder can browse containers. Terminal may need Full Disk Access first; without it, listing a protected container returns "Operation not permitted." Read-only commands:
ls ~/Library/Containers | head -30
du -sh ~/Library/Containers/* 2>/dev/null | sort -h | tail -10
The second command lists the largest containers you have access to measure.
Removing a leftover container
- Make sure the app is uninstalled, and that you don't need anything it stored locally.
- In Finder, choose Go → Go to Folder… and enter
~/Library/Containers. - Find the folder matching the app's bundle ID. Finder may show the app's name instead of the bundle ID.
- Move it to the Trash, and keep the Trash until you're sure.
What not to touch
Leave containers for com.apple.* apps alone; macOS may refuse to remove them, and they hold data for apps such as Mail extensions, Safari and system services. Don't delete the container of an app you still use to "fix" it unless you've backed up or synced its data first. Many apps also keep data in Group Containers, shared between an app and its extensions; check there too when uninstalling. For the full list of places an app leaves files, see how to uninstall apps on Mac completely.
Sources
- macOS Library Directory Details, Apple File System Programming Guide
- Accessing files from the macOS App Sandbox, Apple Developer Documentation
- What's new in privacy (WWDC23), Apple Developer
- Protecting user data with App Sandbox, Apple Developer Documentation
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open some folders in ~/Library/Containers?
Since macOS Sonoma, app containers are privacy-protected. Finder shows them, but Terminal and other apps get 'Operation not permitted' unless you grant them Full Disk Access or approve an access prompt.
Does reinstalling an app bring back its data?
Yes, if the container is still there. A reinstalled app with the same bundle ID reuses its existing container, which is why deleted apps can come back with old settings.
Why is ~/Library/Containers so large?
Sandboxed apps keep their caches and downloads inside their own container instead of ~/Library/Caches. Media, chat and creative apps can store gigabytes there, so measure individual containers to find the big ones.