In order to avoid always having to load documents and programmes from scratch, macOS stores icons for documents and apps in an icon cache. It not only helps you save time, but it also significantly increases your Mac productivity. The majority of the time, this clever play performs as anticipated and displays pertinent icons in the Finder or Dock. However, occasionally you could notice generic or pointless icons in these locations. The issue can then be resolved by clearing the Mac’s icon cache. Let me demonstrate how to reset and clear the macOS icon cache.
Clear and Reset Icon Cache on macOS (2022)
Keep in mind that to clear the Mac’s icon cache, you will need to utilise the Terminal and rm commands. As a result, before continuing, I advise you to use Time Machine or another preferred technique to backup your Mac. In the event that something goes wrong (for example, if you type a command incorrectly), you will always have your most recent backup of all your data available. So, be sure to type the commands exactly as they are listed below.
Note:Ishmael Smyrnow on GitHub provided the commands we’re utilising here (visit).
Clear and Reset Icon Cache on Intel and M1 Mac
1. To begin, launch the Terminal application on your Mac. Use the shortcut Command+Space to open the Spotlight search. Launch Terminal after finding it by searching.
2. Type the command listed below and hit return. Make sure to enter your administrator password when required in order to continue.
sudo rm -rfv /Library/Caches/com.apple.iconservices.store
3. After that, paste the next command and press return.
sudo find /private/var/folders/ ( -name com.apple.dock.iconcache -or -name com.apple.iconservices ) -exec rm -rfv {} \; ; sleep 3;sudo touch /Applications/* ; killall Dock; killall Finder
Boot into Safe Mode to Clear Other Cache on Mac
Boot into Safe Mode on M1 Mac
1. First, restart your Mac in Safe Mode to clear out any other cache and force a refresh of the icon cache. Choose Shut Down by clicking the Apple menu symbol in the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Press and hold the Power button for roughly 10 seconds or until the Optionsscreen appears.
3. To start your M-series Mac in Safe Mode, press and hold the Shift key while choosing Continue in Safe Mode.
4. Wait for around five minutes after your Mac enters Safe Mode. Then select Restart from the Apple menu by clicking it.
Boot into Safe Mode on Intel Mac
1. Restart your Intel Mac while holding down the Shift key until the login window displays to start it in Safe Mode.
2. The next step is to log into your Mac. It will show up in the menu bar on either the first or second login window.
3. Hold off for a while after your macOS device enters Safe Mode. Refresh the icon caches and other caches by selecting Restart from the Apple menu after that.
Reset Icon Cache on Mac With Ease
That’s essentially finished! You should have successfully cleared the icon cache on your macOS device. While some users may be able to erase the icon cache with just these commands, I had to restart the Mac in order to reset the cache. Therefore, be sure to reset your device if the commands are unsuccessful. Anyway, do share your thoughts and let me know if these Terminal instructions were successful for you. Additionally, if you want to remedy even more of these typical annoyances, read our in-depth guide to discover the top 10 problems with macOS Monterey.
