Review GitHub Copilot Cache on Mac

Copilot data is split across CLI home folders, host-editor data, and IDE globalStorage extension IDs (including legacy Chat/Nightly IDs). Measure folders on your own Mac — sizes vary by workload and host editor.

Consider only individually verified, disposable files. Keep settings, credentials, agents, skills, and session state. This guide does not describe a full reset.

Why Copilot cache grows

SDK and CLI caches — downloaded artifacts under ~/Library/Caches.
IDE extension caches — cache, logs, and tmp under github.copilot* globalStorage (not the whole extension root).
CLI logs — ~/.copilot/logs is an inspection candidate; verify its owner and retain logs needed for troubleshooting. No retention schedule is established here.

GitHub Copilot inspection candidates (macOS)

Evidence limitation: these candidates have not been tested for every CLI or host-editor version. GitHub Desktop is a separate product; its application data must not be included in a Copilot cleanup merely because it is GitHub-branded.

Path	Typical contents	Safe to clear?
`~/Library/Caches/copilot`	CLI / runtime cache	Verify owner, version and regenerable purpose first; otherwise keep
`~/Library/Caches/github-copilot-sdk`	SDK downloads	Verify owner, version and regenerable purpose first; otherwise keep
`~/.copilot/logs/`	CLI logs	Verify owner, version and regenerable purpose first; otherwise keep
`…/globalStorage/github.copilot*/cache\|logs\|tmp`	IDE extension regenerable data	Verify owner, version and regenerable purpose first; otherwise keep
`~/.copilot/settings.json` / `config.json`	Preferences	Keep
`~/.copilot/session-state/`, `session-store.db`	CLI sessions	Keep (confirm if removing)
`~/.copilot/mcp-*`, `agents/`, `skills/`	Auth / MCP / skills	Keep

Quit Copilot and host editors before deleting. Prefer Trash over permanent erase. Layouts can change between Copilot CLI and extension versions.

Step-by-step: manual Copilot cache cleanup

Quit Copilot and host IDEs — the specific editor hosting your Copilot extension. VS Code, JetBrains and Cursor data are not interchangeable.
Open Finder Go to Folder — paste ~/Library/Caches and review copilot / github-copilot-sdk.
Review ~/.copilot/logs — retain logs needed for diagnostics; only review individual closed files with confirmed ownership. Leave settings.json and MCP/session folders alone.
Relaunch the same client — verify sign-in, normal suggestions and existing sessions. If anything is missing, stop and restore the files you moved, preserving any newly created state before restoring.

Find Copilot logs in VS Code before changing files

In VS Code, use View → Output and choose GitHub Copilot. To locate extension logs on disk, open the Command Palette and run Developer: Open Extension Logs Folder. Use the installed editor’s location rather than assuming a CLI folder applies to VS Code.

GitHub’s official log-viewing instructions, reviewed September 23, 2026, describe diagnosis, not approval to delete logs or the surrounding folder. Retain useful diagnostics and inspect logs for sensitive information before sharing them.

FAQ

Is it safe to clear GitHub Copilot cache on Mac?

Only consider files whose regenerable purpose and owner are confirmed. Keep settings, MCP secrets, agents, skills, and session-state. A full reset is outside this guide.

Where is GitHub Copilot cache stored on macOS?

Start with ~/Library/Caches/copilot, github-copilot-sdk, ~/.copilot/logs, and version-specific IDE globalStorage/github.copilot* cache subfolders.

Will clearing Copilot cache delete my chat history?

Deleting the wrong local state can remove history. Keep session directories and databases, preserve a backup, and check every selected item in your installed app version. This guide does not establish that a particular cleanup selection preserves all chat history.

Automated cleanup with AI Agent Clean

As of v1.0.1, the AI Agent Cleaner module groups GitHub Copilot caches, logs, IDE extension caches, and sessions separately — regenerable items are selected by default; sessions need confirmation.

Open AI Agent Clean (or Smart Scan).
Expand the GitHub Copilot group and review sizes.
Leave sessions and protected paths unchecked.
Clean — selected items move to Trash by default.

Scanning stays free; cleanup requires an active plan. Trial eligibility and offers depend on current Mac App Store terms. See pricing.

Safety warnings

Do not wipe all of ~/.copilot as “cache”.
Keep authentication and secret-bearing folders; signing in again is not a substitute for preserving local configuration and state.
Prefer Trash so you can restore if login or CLI state looks wrong.

Related guides and features

Preview Copilot cache sizes locally — no cloud upload.

View on the Mac App Store

How to clear GitHub Copilot cache on Mac