Xcode is taking 50 GB on your Mac — here's what's safe to delete
Xcode itself is about 13 GB. So why is the Developer folder taking 30, 40, even 60 GB? Because Xcode hoards build artifacts, old simulator runtimes, device support files, and archives — and it never cleans up after itself.
The good news: most of it is safe to delete right now. Let's go folder by folder.
The big picture: where the space goes
| Folder | Typical size | Safe to delete? |
|---|---|---|
| DerivedData | 5–30 GB | Yes — entirely |
| iOS DeviceSupport | 3–15 GB | Old versions — yes |
| Simulator runtimes | 5–25 GB | Unused ones — yes |
| Archives | 2–20 GB | With caution |
| CoreSimulator caches | 1–5 GB | Yes |
DerivedData — the safest big win
Every time you build a project, Xcode dumps intermediate files into ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData. This folder grows with every project you've ever opened and is never pruned automatically.
You can delete the entire folder without any risk:
rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData
Xcode will recreate it on your next build. Your first build will be slower (a clean build instead of an incremental one), but nothing is lost — no source code, no settings, no signing certificates. Just cached build artifacts.
If you work on multiple projects, this alone can reclaim 10–20 GB.
iOS DeviceSupport — old phone versions pile up
Every time you connect an iPhone or iPad running a new iOS version, Xcode downloads debug symbols for that version into ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport. If you've been developing for a few years, you'll see folders for iOS 14, 15, 16, and every point release in between.
You only need the versions matching devices you actively debug on. If you're currently on iOS 18, the iOS 15.2 and 16.4 folders are dead weight — delete them. Each one is 2–5 GB.
Simulators — the hidden space monster
Simulator runtimes are the single biggest surprise. Each iOS or watchOS runtime is 5–7 GB, and Xcode keeps every version you've ever downloaded.
First, see what you have:
xcrun simctl list runtimes
To delete simulators for runtime versions you no longer need:
xcrun simctl delete unavailable
This removes simulators whose runtime is no longer installed — a safe first pass. To go further, open Xcode → Settings → Platforms and delete old runtimes you don't test against. Each one you remove frees 5+ GB.
Archives — be careful here
Archives live in ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/Archives, organized by date. Each archive is a snapshot of a built app — the binary, debug symbols (dSYMs), and metadata.
Safe to delete:
- Archives for apps you never shipped
- Archives for versions that are long superseded (no one is running your 2023 build anymore)
- Archives for personal/test projects
If in doubt, keep the archive for your current App Store version and maybe the previous one. Everything else can go.
Why doesn't Xcode clean up after itself?
It's a deliberate trade-off. Apple optimizes for build speed, not disk space: keeping DerivedData means faster incremental builds, keeping simulators means you can instantly test on any OS version, keeping archives means you can always re-symbolicate.
The problem is there's no built-in "clean old stuff" button. Xcode assumes you have plenty of disk space, which was reasonable for a 1 TB machine but painful on a 256 GB MacBook Air.
Other developer tools do the same — npm, Docker, and Gradle caches can also grow to tens of gigabytes without any warning.
Quick cleanup checklist
- Delete
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData(always safe) - Run
xcrun simctl delete unavailable - Remove old simulator runtimes in Xcode → Settings → Platforms
- Delete iOS DeviceSupport folders for versions you no longer test
- Review Archives — keep only what's needed for live App Store builds
Or let your Mac tell you what's safe
Gigatidy is a conversational AI cleaner that scans your Developer folder, explains what each cache does, and clears only what won't break your workflow — with a checklist you approve first.
Meet Gigatidy →FAQ
Can I delete the entire ~/Library/Developer folder?
You can, but it's overkill. It will force Xcode to re-download command-line tools and simulator runtimes on next launch. Target the specific subfolders listed above instead — same space savings, less waiting afterward.
Will deleting DerivedData break my Xcode projects?
No. DerivedData contains only build caches and index files. Your source code, project settings, and signing certificates live elsewhere. The only effect is a slower first build while Xcode rebuilds the cache.
How often should I clean Xcode caches?
There's no set schedule. A good rule of thumb: check when your disk is above 85% full, or whenever you notice Xcode-related folders growing past 20 GB. Developers who work on many projects may want to clean DerivedData monthly.