# How to Clear Outlook Cache on Mac Without Deleting Mail

> Outlook taking too much space on your Mac? Check the app cache before deleting anything. See what MangoDisk can clean, how to do it in Finder, and why resetting your account is different.

Outlook seems to be taking more and more space on your Mac. Search for a fix and you'll find advice to delete folders, clear caches, or reset your account. Those are very different things. If you only want disk space back, check how large the app cache actually is first. A tiny cache isn't worth clearing, and it certainly isn't a reason to touch your mail data.

MangoDisk can find Outlook's app cache on macOS and show you its size and location before you choose anything. Its [published rule](https://github.com/harry0703/MangoDisk/blob/main/src-tauri/crates/mangodisk-core/rules/filesystem/macos/application/app.outlook-cache.toml) targets only `~/Library/Caches/com.microsoft.Outlook`, not mail databases, attachments, or account settings. You don't have to guess from the name of a folder what is safe to remove.

## Check the cache size first

Run a scan in MangoDisk's [Deep Cleanup](/docs/features/deep-clean), then expand the Outlook item to see its path and size. Scanning doesn't delete anything. If the cache is small, leave it alone. If it's using a meaningful amount of space, quit Outlook completely and review the selection before cleaning.

![MangoDisk Deep Cleanup on Mac, showing items and paths to review before cleaning](https://assets.mangodisk.app/images/screenshots/en/light-01-deep-cleanup.jpg)

This rule clears a specific cache folder; it doesn't empty every large folder with “Outlook” in its name. The cache may grow again as you use the app. How much space you recover depends on what is actually there on your Mac.

## Prefer Finder? Here's the folder to check

You can do this yourself without a cleanup app:

1. Quit Outlook completely.
2. In Finder, press `Command + Shift + G` and enter `~/Library/Caches/com.microsoft.Outlook`.
3. Check the folder's size. If the path is correct and clearing it is worthwhile, move its contents to the Trash.
4. Open Outlook again and check that it works as expected.

If that path doesn't exist, stop there. Don't switch to a different Outlook folder just because its name looks similar. **Application Support, your mail profile, and Outlook's entire data folder are not the cache described here.**

## Why not use “Reset Account”?

You may come across Microsoft's [Outlook for Mac cache instructions](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/clear-the-cache-in-outlook-for-mac-1). They describe resetting an account to fix a sync problem, after which Outlook fetches data from the server again. Microsoft warns that **information not yet synced to the server can be lost**.

If your only problem is low disk space, don't use account reset as a cleanup shortcut. Keep it for a genuine sync issue and follow Microsoft's guidance then.

## Still short on space?

If Outlook's app cache is only a few megabytes, clearing it won't make much difference. MangoDisk's [Disk Space Analysis](/docs/features/disk-analysis) shows where the rest of the space went. Start with the largest folders rather than repeatedly clearing the same small cache.

![MangoDisk Disk Space Analysis on Mac, showing where large folders are located](https://assets.mangodisk.app/images/screenshots/en/light-05-disk-space-analysis.jpg)

For a broader look, see [why Mac System Data gets so large](/blog/mac-system-data-too-large) or [how to find large files on Mac](/blog/find-large-files-on-mac). Check personal downloads, documents, and attachments before deleting them; they aren't disposable cache files.

Not sure Outlook's cache is worth the trouble? [Scan with MangoDisk](/) and see its size first. It's free, open source, and needs no account. What gets cleaned is still your call.