The whole hunk
from line 1522, old and new numbered
/
lines
from line 1522
15221522| `projects/<project>/<session>/tool-results/` | Large tool outputs spilled to separate files |
15231523| `file-history/<session>/` | Pre-edit snapshots of files Claude changed, used for [checkpoint restore](/docs/en/checkpointing). Holds snapshots for the 100 most recent checkpoints; snapshot files that no retained checkpoint references are deleted, except each file's first snapshot |
15241524| `plans/` | Plan files written during [plan mode](/docs/en/permission-modes#analyze-before-you-edit-with-plan-mode) |
1525| `debug/` | Per-session debug logs, written only when you start with `--debug` or run `/debug` |
1525| `debug/` | Per-session debug logs, written while debug logging is on, such as when you start with [`--debug`](/docs/en/cli-reference#cli-flags) or run `/debug` |
15261526| `paste-cache/` | Contents of large pastes |
15271527| `image-cache/<session>/` | Attached images. On each sweep, Claude Code removes the directories of all other sessions, whatever their age. |
15281528| `uploads/<session>/` | Files you attach from the web or mobile app, and photos you attach from the mobile app, when messaging a [Remote Control](/docs/en/remote-control) session. An attachment to a [cloud session](/docs/en/claude-code-on-the-web) is saved in that session's own cloud environment instead, not on your machine. |
15291529| `session-env/` | Per-session environment metadata |
1530| `tasks/` | Per-session task lists written by the task tools |
1530| `tasks/` | Task lists written by the task tools, one directory per list |
15311531| `shell-snapshots/` | Aliases, functions, and shell options captured at startup and applied by the [Bash tool](/docs/en/tools-reference#bash-tool-behavior) to each command. Removed on clean exit. The sweep clears any left after a crash. |
15321532| `backups/` | Earlier versions of `~/.claude.json`, copied when Claude Code rewrites the file. Claude Code keeps the five newest, plus a copy of any version it couldn't parse. |
15331533| `feedback-bundles/` | Redacted transcript archives written by `/feedback` on third-party providers or when no Anthropic credentials are configured, for sending to your Anthropic account team |
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15381538Session files in `sessions/`, auto memory, and Claude Desktop and Cowork transcripts each follow their own retention rule:
15391539
15401540* **`sessions/`**: holds one small file per running session, used to detect concurrent sessions and crashes. It isn't part of the age-based sweep: Claude Code removes each file when its session exits and clears crash leftovers on the next launch.
1541* **Auto memory**: Claude Code excludes a project's [auto memory](/docs/en/memory#auto-memory) directory, `projects/<project>/memory/`, from this sweep, and removes the directory itself only after it has been empty for the whole retention period. Before v2.1.228, the sweep treated folders inside the memory directory as session data and could delete old files beneath it.
1541* **Auto memory**: the sweep doesn't delete the memory files in a project's [auto memory](/docs/en/memory#auto-memory) directory, `projects/<project>/memory/`. Claude Code removes that directory only if it has been empty for the whole retention period. Before v2.1.228, the sweep treated folders inside the memory directory as session data and could delete old files beneath it.
15421542* **Claude Desktop and Cowork transcripts**: Claude Code keeps the transcript of a session you started or most recently continued in Claude Desktop or Cowork at any age. To give these transcripts an age limit, set [`desktopSessionCleanupPeriodDays`](/docs/en/settings-reference#desktopsessioncleanupperioddays). When [managed settings](/docs/en/managed-settings) set `cleanupPeriodDays`, Claude Code deletes these transcripts after that period instead. Requires Claude Code v2.1.248 or later; earlier versions delete them after `cleanupPeriodDays`.
15431543
15441544Claude Code skips the sweep entirely in these cases:
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15481548
15491549### Kept until you delete them
15501550
1551The retention cleanup sweep doesn't cover the following paths. Claude Code keeps them until you delete them, apart from the two caches whose rows say that logging out deletes them.
1551The retention cleanup sweep doesn't remove the paths below. Claude Code keeps them until you delete them, apart from the two caches it deletes when you log out.
15521552
15531553| Path under `~/.claude/` | Contents |
15541554| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
1555| `history.jsonl` | Every prompt you've typed, with timestamp and project path. Used for up-arrow recall. |
1555| `history.jsonl` | Every prompt you've typed, with timestamp and project path. Used for up-arrow recall, `Ctrl+R` history search, and `!` shell-command completion. |
15561556| `stats-cache.json` | Aggregated token and cost counts shown by `/usage` |
15571557| `remote-settings.json` | Cached copy of [server-managed settings](/docs/en/server-managed-settings) for your organization, or `{}` when your organization has configured none. Only present when the session [fetches them](/docs/en/server-managed-settings#platform-availability). Claude Code checks for updates at startup and hourly during a session. Claude Code deletes it when you log out. |
15581558| `cache/changelog.md` | Cached copy of the Claude Code changelog, shown by `/release-notes`. Refreshed in the background. |
15591559| `policy-limits.json` | Cached feature policy settings for your organization. Only present for some account types. Refreshed automatically. Claude Code deletes it when you log out. |
15601560
1561Other small cache and lock files appear depending on which features you use and are safe to delete.
1561<span id="state-files-to-keep" />
15621562
1563Other files appear depending on which features you use. Caches and lock files are safe to delete. Keep these state files:
1564
1565* `.credentials.json`: your [login credentials](/docs/en/authentication#credential-management)
1566* `agent-memory/`: [subagent memory](/docs/en/sub-agents#enable-persistent-memory)
1567* `jobs/` and `daemon/`: [background session](/docs/en/agent-view#where-state-is-stored) state
1568
15631569### Plaintext storage
15641570
15651571Transcripts and history are not encrypted at rest. OS file permissions are the only protection. If a tool reads a `.env` file or a command prints a credential, that value is written to `projects/<project>/<session>.jsonl`. To reduce exposure:
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16251631
16261632The command leaves `shell-snapshots/` and `backups/` alone because those are not project-scoped, and warns about them in the plan output.
16271633
1628You can also delete any of the application-data paths above by hand. New sessions are unaffected. The table below shows what you lose for past sessions.
1634You can also delete any of the application-data paths above by hand, apart from the [state files to keep](#state-files-to-keep). New sessions are unaffected. The table below shows what you lose for past sessions.
16291635
1630| Delete | You lose |
1631| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
1632| `~/.claude/projects/` | Resume, continue, and rewind for past sessions, and auto memory for every project |
1633| `~/.claude/history.jsonl` | Up-arrow prompt recall |
1634| `~/.claude/paste-cache/` | Pasted text in recalled prompts; see [paste large content](/docs/en/terminal-config#paste-large-content) |
1635| `~/.claude/uploads/` | Attachments that past [Remote Control](/docs/en/remote-control) sessions refer to by path |
1636| `~/.claude/file-history/` | Checkpoint restore for past sessions |
1637| `~/.claude/stats-cache.json` | Historical totals shown by `/usage` |
1638| `~/.claude/usage-data/` | Past [`/insights`](/docs/en/costs#analyze-your-usage-patterns) reports and the cached analysis data used to build them |
1639| `~/.claude/feedback-bundles/` | Feedback and bug-report archives you haven't yet sent to your Anthropic account team |
1640| `~/.claude/feedback/drafts/` | [Claude-drafted feedback](/docs/en/tools-reference#sendfeedback-tool-behavior) you haven't sent |
1641| `~/.claude/remote-settings.json` | Nothing. Re-fetched on next launch. |
1642| `~/.claude/cache/changelog.md` | Nothing. Refreshed in the background. |
1643| `~/.claude/policy-limits.json` | Nothing. Refreshed automatically. |
1644| `~/.claude/debug/`, `~/.claude/plans/`, `~/.claude/image-cache/`, `~/.claude/session-env/`, `~/.claude/tasks/`, `~/.claude/shell-snapshots/`, `~/.claude/backups/` | Nothing user-facing |
1645| `~/.claude/todos/`, `~/.claude/statsig/`, `~/.claude/logs/` | Nothing. Legacy directories not written by current versions. |
1636| Delete | You lose |
1637| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
1638| `~/.claude/projects/` | Resume, continue, and rewind for past sessions, and auto memory for every project |
1639| `~/.claude/history.jsonl` | Up-arrow prompt recall, `Ctrl+R` history search, and `!` shell-command completion |
1640| `~/.claude/paste-cache/` | Pasted text in recalled prompts; see [paste large content](/docs/en/terminal-config#paste-large-content) |
1641| `~/.claude/uploads/` | Attachments that past [Remote Control](/docs/en/remote-control) sessions refer to by path |
1642| `~/.claude/file-history/` | Checkpoint restore for past sessions |
1643| `~/.claude/stats-cache.json` | Historical totals shown by `/usage` |
1644| `~/.claude/usage-data/` | Past [`/insights`](/docs/en/costs#analyze-your-usage-patterns) reports and the cached analysis data used to build them |
1645| `~/.claude/feedback-bundles/` | Feedback and bug-report archives you haven't yet sent to your Anthropic account team |
1646| `~/.claude/feedback/drafts/` | [Claude-drafted feedback](/docs/en/tools-reference#sendfeedback-tool-behavior) you haven't sent |
1647| `~/.claude/remote-settings.json` | Nothing. Re-fetched on next launch. |
1648| `~/.claude/cache/changelog.md` | Nothing. Refreshed in the background. |
1649| `~/.claude/policy-limits.json` | Nothing. Refreshed automatically. |
1650| `~/.claude/tasks/` | Task lists that a resumed session would pick up |
1651| `~/.claude/debug/`, `~/.claude/plans/`, `~/.claude/image-cache/`, `~/.claude/session-env/`, `~/.claude/shell-snapshots/`, `~/.claude/backups/` | Nothing user-facing |
1652| `~/.claude/todos/`, `~/.claude/statsig/`, `~/.claude/logs/` | Nothing. Legacy directories not written by current versions. |
16461653
16471654Don't delete `~/.claude.json`, `~/.claude/settings.json`, or `~/.claude/plugins/`: those hold your auth, preferences, and installed plugins.
16481655