Help · Is it safe to delete?
What are Containers and Group Containers on a Mac?
Each sandboxed app (including most App Store apps) gets its own Container in your Library: a private mini home folder for its data. Group Containers hold data shared between apps from the same developer.
Safe to delete? Usually not. A Container holds the app's own data. Delete one only for an app you've already removed, and only if you're sure you don't need its data. Take extra care with Group Containers, which other apps may still use.
Why they get big
Apps keep their documents, caches and downloads inside their Container. Uninstalling an app by dragging it to the Trash doesn't remove its Container, which is why old ones pile up.
What to do
- To clear a working app's data, use the app's own settings, or see resetting an app.
- For apps you've already removed, see leftovers from deleted apps.
Eclectic Light Company's advice sums it up: if in doubt, leave Containers well alone.
Sources: Eclectic Light Company, “What are all those containers?” (5 Aug 2024). Checked October 2026.
Find leftovers safely.
Pangalin Space Manager shows which folders in your Library belong to apps you no longer have, so you only remove what's truly left behind. The scan is free, and so is your first 5 GB freed.
Free to scan · first 5 GB freed free · Notarised by Apple · Apple silicon, macOS 13 or later