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Unity's Asset Store cache: every package you ever downloaded, kept outside your projects

Unity keeps a copy of every Asset Store package you download, separate from the projects that use them. Where it is on a Mac and how to clear or move it.

4 min read

When you download a package from the Asset Store, Unity keeps the downloaded file in a shared cache so it can import it into any project without downloading it again. On a Mac that cache is ~/Library/Unity/Asset Store-5.x, organised by publisher. High quality environment packs and texture sets are large, and the cache keeps every version you downloaded.

Measure it

du -sh ~/Library/Unity/Asset\ Store-5.x
du -sh ~/Library/Unity/Asset\ Store-5.x/*/ 2>/dev/null | sort -h | tail
du -sh ~/Library/Unity/cache 2>/dev/null

~/Library/Unity/cache is the Package Manager's own cache of registry packages, a second, separate pile.

Is it safe to clear?

Yes. Packages already imported into a project are copied into that project's Assets folder and do not depend on the cache. Removing a cached package means downloading it again from My Assets the next time you want to import it into a new project.

Moving it instead

Recent Unity versions let you change the Asset Store cache location in Preferences, Package Manager. Point it at an external drive to keep the downloads without the internal space. Older versions read the ASSETSTORE_CACHE_PATH environment variable instead.

The rest of a Unity setup

Common questions

Where is the Unity Asset Store cache on a Mac?

In ~/Library/Unity/Asset Store-5.x, organised by publisher. The Package Manager's own cache is separately in ~/Library/Unity/cache.

Can I delete the Unity Asset Store cache?

Yes. Imported packages are copied into each project, so projects are unaffected. You download a package again if you import it into a new project.

How do I move the Unity Asset Store cache?

In recent Unity versions, change the location in Preferences, Package Manager. Older versions use the ASSETSTORE_CACHE_PATH environment variable.

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