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Is Playwright Cache Safe to Delete?

Developer ToolsTypical size: 1-3GB
Yes, Safe to Delete

Yes, Playwright's browser binaries can be safely deleted and re-downloaded.

Side effects: Running Playwright tests will require re-downloading browser binaries.

What is ~/Library/Caches/ms-playwright?

Playwright downloads browser binaries (Chromium, Firefox, WebKit) for testing. These can be safely deleted - run 'npx playwright install' to re-download them.

Is it safe to delete?

Yes~/Library/Caches/ms-playwright is generally safe to delete. The data in this folder is temporary and will be recreated by the application when needed.

Before deleting, make sure:

  • You don't have any important unsaved work in the related application
  • You're not in the middle of a critical task that might need this cached data
  • You understand that initial load times may be slower after deletion

What happens after deletion?

Running Playwright tests will require re-downloading browser binaries. The folder will be recreated automatically by the application when needed. This process is typically seamless but may take some time depending on the amount of data that needs to be regenerated.

How to delete it

Recommended

Use MacMop

MacMop finds this folder automatically and lets you delete it safely with one click.

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Terminal

rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/ms-playwright

Warning: This command permanently deletes the folder. Double-check the path before running.

Finder

  1. Open Finder
  2. Press ⌘ + Shift + G (Go to Folder)
  3. Paste: ~/Library/Caches/ms-playwright
  4. Move the folder to Trash

MacMop scans all your hidden caches and tells you exactly what's safe to delete.

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