# Can I delete the Nix store (/nix/store) on Mac?

- URL: https://moreroom.app/folders/nix-store
- Item: Nix store
- Location: `/nix/store`
- Verdict: Review first — Might hold something you care about. Look inside before removing it.
- Comes back on its own: yes
- Official command: `nix-collect-garbage -d`
- Source: MoreRoom rules catalogue (2026-10-17), by Yando Pte. Ltd.

## What is it?

`/nix/store` holds every package the Nix package manager has built or downloaded, including the ones used by older generations of your profiles. On macOS it lives on its own APFS volume, usually named “Nix Store”, and is read-only. Without regular garbage collection it often grows to tens of gigabytes.

## What happens if you delete it?

Store paths removed by garbage collection are downloaded or rebuilt again when a profile, shell or build needs them. Paths used by your current profiles are never removed.

## How to remove it properly

Run `nix-collect-garbage -d` in Terminal: it deletes old generations of your profiles, then removes store paths nothing references any more, permanently. On multi-user or nix-darwin installs, run it with `sudo` too so system profiles are collected; `nix-collect-garbage --delete-older-than 30d` keeps recent generations.

## Before you delete it

Never delete files in `/nix/store` by hand. Deleting old generations also removes the ability to roll back to them.