How to Clear Microsoft Office Cache on Mac?

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Microsoft Office apps such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and OneDrive are widely used on macOS devices for both personal and professional tasks. These applications rely on cached files to speed up performance and store temporary data. However, over time, the cache can become bloated or corrupted, leading to application errors, sluggish performance, or syncing issues—especially with Outlook or OneDrive.

If you're facing strange behaviors in your Office apps, such as old files reappearing, syncing delays, or the app freezing, clearing Microsoft Office cache on Mac could solve the problem. This article provides a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to clear the cache for various Microsoft Office applications on macOS.

What Is Microsoft Office Cache on Mac?

The Microsoft Office cache consists of temporary files stored by the apps to reduce load times and improve performance. These files include:

• Recently opened documents
• Temporary editing data
• AutoRecovery files
• Outlook mail and attachment cache
• OneDrive synchronization cache

Office uses these cached files to enhance responsiveness. For example, Word caches AutoRecovery files to help recover unsaved work, and Outlook stores cached mail data to display messages faster.

However, when the cache grows too large or becomes corrupted, it can cause problems such as:

• Slow app launches
• Frequent crashes
• Outdated files appearing
• Login or sync errors in Outlook and OneDrive

Clearing the cache can restore functionality and improve performance.

When Should You Clear the Office Cache on Mac?

While cache files are designed to help, they may create more problems than they solve under certain conditions. Here are some signs that suggest it’s time to clear the cache:

• Microsoft Office apps are sluggish or unresponsive.
• Outlook messages are not updating, stuck in outbox, or show old emails.
• OneDrive fails to sync files or shows persistent syncing errors.
• You’re reinstalling Microsoft Office or switching user profiles.
• You encounter unexpected behavior after macOS or Office updates.
• Disk space is low, and Office cache is consuming large storage.

If you're experiencing any of the above issues, clearing the cache is a safe and effective troubleshooting method.

Backup and Caution Before Clearing Cache

Before you start deleting anything, follow these safety tips:

• Backup important data. Clearing cache won't delete your documents, but cached copies of unsaved or AutoRecovery versions could be lost.
• Close all Microsoft Office apps. Ensure Outlook, Word, OneDrive, and Teams are not running before proceeding.
• Sign in details and settings might reset. After clearing cache, you may need to sign in again or reconfigure sync settings.

Easily Clear Microsoft Office Cache on Mac with Cleanup Tool

For the Mac users who want automatically and safely delete cache of Microsoft Office on Mac, a third-party cleanup tool is the first choice. The software mostly can quickly search for and remove different kinds of junk files on Mac.

Donemax DMcleaner for for Mac is such a cleanup software for Mac. You can use the software to securely delete Microsoft Office cache and other junk data on your Mac.

How to Clear Microsoft Office Cache on Mac with DMcleaner:

1. Download and install Donemax DMcleaner for Mac. Run the software and change to Junk Cleaner feature.

2. Click Scan button to search for any system/app cache and junk data. Mostly, it will be quick to finish the search process.

3. You can click Detail of App Junk option to check and find the items for Microsoft Office. Click Clean to remove them.

How to Manually Clear Microsoft Office Cache on Mac?

If you don't want to use a third-party software, you can also try to manually delete cache of Microsoft Office on Mac. Note that you should be careful when manually do the job. Now let's explore how to manually clear cache data for the most common Microsoft Office apps on Mac.

A. Clear General Microsoft Office Cache

1. Open Finder.
2. Press Shift + Command + G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog.
3. Enter the following path and press Enter:

   ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/

4. Delete the contents inside this folder. This location contains general Office application data, including preferences and temporary files.
5. Also, clear this folder:

   ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/

6. Empty the Trash and restart your Mac to complete the process.

B. Clear Outlook Cache on Mac

Microsoft Outlook on Mac stores a significant amount of cached data to streamline operations like sending/receiving emails, accessing attachments, and syncing calendar events. While helpful, this cache can grow large or become corrupted, especially after updates or if multiple accounts are configured. This leads to errors such as missing messages, outdated inbox views, or frequent freezes.

Here’s how you can manually clear Outlook’s cache to refresh its behavior:

Step-by-Step: Delete Outlook Cache Files

1. 1. Completely close Outlook
   • Make sure Microsoft Outlook is not running. You can do this by right-clicking the Outlook icon in the Dock and selecting Quit, or using Command + Q.
2. Access the Outlook Cache Directory
   • Open Finder.
   • Press Shift + Command + G to bring up the "Go to Folder" window.
   • Type the following path and hit Enter:

     ~/Library/Caches/com.microsoft.Outlook

3. Delete Cache Contents
   • Inside this folder, you’ll see several subfolders such as Data, SyncServices, and other internal caches.
   • Select all files and folders and move them to the Trash.
   • Don’t worry—these files are temporary and will be recreated as Outlook runs.
4. Clear Outlook's Data Cache in Group Containers
   • Use "Go to Folder" again, and navigate to:

     ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook

   • This folder contains profile-related caches, stored emails, and sync info.
   • Delete the contents of any folders labeled Cache, Data, or Temp.

Optional: Reset Outlook Profile (If Cache Deletion Fails)

If you’re still having issues after clearing the cache, your Outlook profile might be corrupted. In this case, you can create a new profile:

1. Move to the Group Containers directory again:

   ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/Outlook

2. Rename the existing folder (for backup), such as:
   • Rename Outlook to Outlook-Old.
3. Launch Outlook
   • When Outlook starts, it will generate a new profile and ask you to log in again.
   • Your emails and settings will resync if you’re using an Exchange or IMAP account.

💡 Tip: If you use POP3, be cautious—messages might not redownload, so back up important data.

Why This Helps

Clearing Outlook's cache resolves:

• Stuck emails in outbox or drafts
• Incorrect inbox counts or messages not displaying
• Persistent connection or sync errors with Exchange or Microsoft 365
• Outlook crashing when opening attachments or folders

C. Clear OneDrive Cache on Mac

OneDrive cache can get corrupted, especially after updates or file sync issues.

1. Quit OneDrive:
   • Click the OneDrive icon in the menu bar > Help & Settings > Quit OneDrive
2. Open Finder > "Go to Folder" and enter:

   ~/Library/Group Containers/

3. Look for a folder starting with:

   UBF8T346G9.OneDriveStandaloneSuite

4. Open this folder and navigate to the OneDrive/Cache directory (if it exists).
5. Delete all files in the Cache folder.
6. Restart OneDrive from Applications or via Spotlight.

If OneDrive still misbehaves, consider fully resetting it:

/Applications/OneDrive.app/Contents/Resources/ResetOneDriveApp.command

This will clear all configurations and start fresh.

D. Clear AutoRecovery Files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

AutoRecovery files are saved drafts created by Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

1. Open Finder > "Go to Folder":

   ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery/

2. Delete any files you no longer need.
3. Repeat the process for:
   • Excel: com.microsoft.Excel
   • PowerPoint: com.microsoft.Powerpoint

Deleting these won't affect saved documents but will remove recovery drafts.

Optional: Use Terminal to Clear Office Cache (Advanced Users)

For those comfortable with the Terminal, you can use commands to delete cache folders quickly:

1. Open Terminal from Utilities via Applications
2. Run the following command to remove general Office cache:

   rm -rf ~/Library/Group\ Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/*

3. To remove Outlook cache:

   rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.microsoft.Outlook/*

4. Clear AutoRecovery files for Word:

   rm -rf ~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Word/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery/*

Always double-check folder paths before executing deletion commands.

What Happens After Clearing the Cache?

Once the cache is cleared:

• Microsoft Office apps may take longer to launch initially as new cache files are created.
• Outlook may re-download emails from the server.
• OneDrive will re-index your files and resync them with the cloud.
• Your AutoRecovery files will be gone, so ensure important work is saved before clearing.

The result is typically improved app responsiveness and fewer sync or display issues.

FAQs about Clearing Microsoft Office Cache on Mac

Conclusion

Clearing the Microsoft Office cache on your Mac can significantly improve app performance and fix stubborn issues, especially with Outlook and OneDrive. Whether you're troubleshooting sync problems, resolving app errors, or performing routine maintenance, cache clearing is a quick and effective solution.

Always remember to close all Office apps before proceeding and consider backing up essential settings. With this guide, you now have the knowledge to clear cache files for Word, Excel, Outlook, OneDrive, and more—manually or via Terminal.

For persistent issues, consult Microsoft’s official support documentation or consider reinstalling Office as a last resort. Keeping your Office environment clean and optimized ensures a smoother, faster experience on your Mac.