# Can I delete Swift toolchains in ~/Library/Developer/Toolchains?

- URL: https://moreroom.app/folders/xcode-toolchains
- Item: Swift toolchains
- Location: `~/Library/Developer/Toolchains` (items inside)
- Verdict: Review first — Might hold something you care about. Look inside before removing it.
- Comes back on its own: yes
- Typical size: 1–3 GB each
- Source: MoreRoom rules catalogue (2026-10-17), by Yando Pte. Ltd.

## What is it?

This folder holds extra Swift compilers installed from swift.org (release, snapshot or development builds), each as an `.xctoolchain` bundle, and is also where the swiftly version manager places toolchains on macOS. The Swift compiler that comes with Xcode lives inside Xcode itself, not here. Each toolchain typically takes one to a few gigabytes.

## What happens if you delete it?

A removed toolchain can be downloaded again from swift.org (or with swiftly), but nothing reinstalls it automatically. Projects or scripts that select it, through Xcode › Toolchains or the `TOOLCHAINS` environment variable, fail until you reinstall it.

## How to remove it properly

If you installed it with swiftly, use `swiftly uninstall <version>` so swiftly’s records stay in sync. Otherwise quit Xcode and move the `.xctoolchain` bundles you no longer need to the Trash from `~/Library/Developer/Toolchains`; a toolchain installed for all users lives in `/Library/Developer/Toolchains` and needs an administrator password.

## Before you delete it

Check whether a project, CI script or Xcode’s Toolchains menu still points to a snapshot before removing it.