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How to clear Xcode's DerivedData
Where it lives, three ways to clear it, and what to try when that is not enough.
What DerivedData is
Xcode keeps the build products, indexes and logs for every project in one folder: ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData. Each project gets a subfolder named after it, with a random suffix.
Deleting it is safe. Xcode builds it again, and the next build takes longer because nothing is cached.
Clear it for one project
List the folder, then remove the one that belongs to your project.
ls ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/MyApp-*
Clear it for every project
rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData
Clean without deleting the folder
In Xcode, choose Product, then Clean Build Folder, or press Shift-Command-K. From Terminal, the clean action removes build products and intermediate files.
xcodebuild -scheme MyApp clean
When that is not enough
Stale Swift packages cause the same symptoms, and they live elsewhere. SwiftPM keeps a global cache in ~/Library/Caches/org.swift.swiftpm, apart from DerivedData.
The order Pitlane tries things in
Pitlane has a reset ladder. Each rung throws away more than the one before, so you start with the cheapest fix.
- Resolve packages
- Clean the build folder
- Clear this project's DerivedData
- Reset the package caches
- Clear the global SwiftPM cache
- Kill stuck processes
It tells you what it cleared.
Questions
Where is Xcode's DerivedData folder?
In your home folder, at ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData. Each project has its own subfolder, named after the project with a random suffix.
Is it safe to delete DerivedData?
Yes. It holds build products, indexes and logs, and Xcode builds them again. The next build takes longer because nothing is cached.
How do I clear DerivedData without opening Xcode?
Delete the folder from Terminal with rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData, or delete only your project's subfolder. Pitlane does it from a menu, for one project at a time.
More guides
- Build and run an iOS app from the command lineSix commands from a scheme name to a running app on the simulator.
- How to nominate your app for App Store featuringWho can do it, the steps in App Store Connect and how early Apple wants it.
- When App Store Connect numbers updateWhen daily, weekly, monthly and yearly reports arrive, in Apple's own words.
- Liquid Glass on older iOS versionsWhat Xcode 27 changed, and how to give iOS 13 to 25 the same look.
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Guides: How to clear Xcode's DerivedData Build and run an iOS app from the command line All guides
Pitlane compared: Xcode alternatives Pitlane vs XcodeBuildMCP Pitlane vs SweetPad All comparisons