Tidy MacCargo keeps downloaded crates in ~/.cargo/registry: the compressed .crate files in cache and their unpacked sources in src. Both are safe to remove; Cargo downloads crates again on the next build. Keep ~/.cargo/bin, which holds your installed tools.
Location: ~/.cargo/registry
What’s inside
- registry/cache: downloaded .crate files
- registry/src: unpacked sources
- registry/index: the crates.io index
Remove it
Delete ~/.cargo/registry/cache and ~/.cargo/registry/src. Don’t touch ~/.cargo/bin.
Build output lives in each project’s target folder; cargo clean inside a project removes it.
Find every folder like this on your Mac
Tidy Mac’s Space Map shows every big folder at its real size, and Apps › Leftovers finds folders left by apps you already deleted.
Frequently asked questions
Can I delete .cargo/registry?
Safe: Your Mac or your apps recreate this automatically. Removing it won’t lose anything you made. Cargo keeps downloaded crates in ~/.cargo/registry: the compressed .crate files in cache and their unpacked sources in src. Both are safe to remove; Cargo downloads crates again on the next build. Keep ~/.cargo/bin, which holds your installed tools.
Where is .cargo/registry on my Mac?
~/.cargo/registry. In Finder choose Go › Go to Folder and paste the path.
How big does .cargo/registry get?
Usually 1 – 15 GB.