# Is it safe to delete the .next folder in a Next.js project?

- URL: https://moreroom.app/folders/project-next-cache
- Item: Next.js build folders
- Location: `…/.next`
- Verdict: Safe to remove — Rebuilt or re-downloaded automatically when needed.
- Comes back on its own: yes
- Typical size: 100 MB–5 GB per project
- Source: MoreRoom rules catalogue (2026-10-17), by Yando Pte. Ltd.

## What is it?

Next.js writes its build output and caches to a `.next` folder at the project root, next to `package.json`: compiled pages, the development server’s cache and the build cache in `.next/cache`. Only folders in projects untouched for 14 days are considered. Typically a few hundred MB to a few GB.

## What happens if you delete it?

`next dev` or `next build` recreates the folder; the first build after deleting it is slower because nothing is cached. Source code is not affected.

## How to remove it properly

Stop the dev server, then move the `.next` folder to the Trash in Finder, or run `rm -rf .next` in the project (permanent).