I'm experiencing a major issue with the Google Drive Desktop app on macOS. It's currently consuming around 800 GB of local disk space just for cache! Is this typical behavior for syncing applications like Google Drive? How can I clear this cache and get that space back? Additionally, what can I do to prevent this excessive use of space in the future? For context, I've enabled the 'Stream files' setting but have not mirrored any files locally, and the offline files are taking up 0 bytes. All this space usage is due to cache. Any insights would be appreciated!
2 Answers
You should definitely keep 'Stream files' turned on like you have. It helps reduce the local space needed, but sometimes caching can still get out of hand. Make it a habit to periodically check your cache settings or even clear the app's cache manually every so often to keep the space in check.
Yes, many syncing tools can end up using substantial cache space, especially if they aren't set up to keep files online-only. To clear cache, try going into the Google Drive settings and checking if there's a way to delete temporary files or cache. Unfortunately, not all versions have a straightforward option for this.
I think you could also try reinstalling the app. Sometimes that resets cache issues without losing any data!