OneDrive File Issues

How to Reduce a Large OfficeFileCache Folder Size in OneDrive

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is looking for a permanent solution to prevent the OfficeFileCache folder from consuming enormous amounts of local disk space when synchronizing large SharePoint sites.

Product: Microsoft Office / OneDrive
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Synchronizing two large SharePoint document libraries via OneDrive, which creates an excessively large local cache.
Observed behavior: The OfficeFileCache folder grows to 90GB or more. Deleting the cache, enabling Files On-Demand, or restarting only temporarily fixes the problem, as the folder rebuilds itself to its massive size.

Before you start

Before modifying cache settings or deleting files, ensure that all your open Microsoft Office documents are fully saved and closed to prevent data loss or sync conflicts.

Solution 1Recommended

Adjust OneDrive and SharePoint Sync Settings

Limit the amount of data being synchronized locally by stopping the sync for unnecessary SharePoint sites or specific large folders.

If you are synchronizing massive SharePoint sites, OneDrive and Office will attempt to cache heavily accessed files. Stopping the synchronization of libraries you don't frequently need offline is the most effective way to permanently reduce cache growth.

Access OneDrive Settings

Click the OneDrive cloud icon in your system tray or menu bar, click on the gear icon (Help & Settings), and select 'Settings'.

Manage Synced Locations

Navigate to the 'Account' tab to view a list of all currently synchronizing locations, including your personal OneDrive and any connected SharePoint sites.

Stop Syncing Unnecessary Sites

Locate the large SharePoint site that is consuming too much space and click 'Stop sync' next to it. Confirm your choice to stop downloading files from that library to your local machine.

Files On-Demand: While Files On-Demand helps save space for standard files, deeply integrated Office files might still be cached heavily. Un-syncing the entire library is often required for extreme cache sizes.

Solution 2

Enable Automatic Deletion of Cached Files

Configure Microsoft Office settings to clear out the document cache automatically whenever a file is closed.

Solution 3

Escalate to Microsoft 365 Support

Contact professional support if your workflow strictly requires full access to all synchronized content without compromises.

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If Microsoft Office's file cache is continuously consuming your local hard drive space and causing performance issues, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly efficient suite with reliable built-in cloud storage that doesn't hoard local disk space.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is the OfficeFileCache folder used for?

The OfficeFileCache folder is utilized by the Microsoft Office Upload Center and OneDrive. It stores temporary copies of files that are being synced to SharePoint or OneDrive, allowing you to open documents faster and continue working offline if your network connection drops.

Is it safe to manually delete the contents of the OfficeFileCache folder?

Yes, it is generally safe to delete the contents of the OfficeFileCache folder, provided that all your Office documents are closed and all recent changes have successfully synced to the cloud. However, if there are pending uploads, deleting this folder might cause you to lose unsynced changes.

Why does my cache grow so large when using SharePoint?

When you sync extensive SharePoint libraries locally using OneDrive, Office attempts to cache heavily accessed files to optimize performance and support co-authoring features. If the SharePoint libraries contain thousands of large files, the local cache will proportionally balloon in size to accommodate this data.

Document & File Issues