How to clear GitHub Copilot cache on Mac

By AI Agent Clean Team · Published 2026-08-09 · Last updated 2026-08-09 · macOS 14+

GitHub Copilot CLI, the native app, and IDE extensions leave regenerable caches under ~/Library and ~/.copilot. This guide lists safe paths on macOS 14+ and how AI Agent Clean groups Copilot data so you preview sizes before Trash.

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

Clear regenerable caches and logs only. Settings, MCP secrets, agents, skills, and session state should stay unless you are intentionally resetting Copilot.

Why Copilot cache grows

  • SDK and CLI caches — downloaded artifacts under ~/Library/Caches.
  • Native app Electron caches — asset and code caches for the GitHub Copilot desktop shell.
  • IDE extension caches — cache, logs, and tmp under github.copilot* globalStorage (not the whole extension root).
  • CLI logs — ~/.copilot/logs that rarely prune themselves.

GitHub Copilot path table (macOS)

PathTypical contentsSafe to clear?
~/Library/Caches/copilotCLI / runtime cacheYes
~/Library/Caches/github-copilot-sdkSDK downloadsYes
~/.copilot/logs/CLI logsYes
~/Library/Application Support/com.github.githubapp/ Electron cachesNative app cacheYes
…/globalStorage/github.copilot*/cache|logs|tmpIDE extension regenerable dataYes
~/.copilot/settings.json / config.jsonPreferencesKeep
~/.copilot/session-state/, session-store.dbCLI sessionsKeep (confirm if removing)
~/.copilot/mcp-*, agents/, skills/Auth / MCP / skillsKeep

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

  1. Quit Copilot and host IDEs — VS Code, Cursor, JetBrains hosts, and the GitHub Copilot app.
  2. Open Finder Go to Folder — paste ~/Library/Caches and review copilot / github-copilot-sdk.
  3. Review ~/.copilot/logs — move log trees to Trash; leave settings.json and MCP/session folders alone.
  4. Optional: native App Support caches — under com.github.githubapp, remove Electron-style Cache / Code Cache folders only.
  5. Relaunch Copilot — expect a short warm-up while caches rebuild.

FAQ

Is it safe to clear GitHub Copilot cache on Mac?

Yes for regenerable caches and logs. Keep settings, MCP secrets, agents, skills, and session-state unless you intend a full reset.

Where is GitHub Copilot cache stored on macOS?

Start with ~/Library/Caches/copilot, github-copilot-sdk, ~/.copilot/logs, native App Support caches, and IDE globalStorage/github.copilot* cache subfolders.

Will clearing Copilot cache delete my chat history?

Not if you only remove regenerable caches. CLI sessions under session-state stay protected by default in AI Agent Clean.

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.

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

Scanning stays free; cleanup after the 7-day trial needs a subscription. See pricing.

Safety warnings
  • Do not wipe all of ~/.copilot as “cache”.
  • Do not delete MCP oauth/secrets folders unless you plan to re-auth.
  • Prefer Trash so you can restore if login or CLI state looks wrong.

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