Local AI · Claude Code history

Is it safe to delete ~/.claude/projects (Claude Code history)?

Review firstDoesn’t come backTypical size: 10 MB–5 GB
*.jsonl

Files ending in .jsonl, larger than 1 GB, anywhere in your home folder.

Updated October 17, 2026By the MoreRoom team, Yando Pte. Ltd.This page as Markdown

The short answer

Usually, after a check. Might hold something you care about. Look inside before removing it.

What is it?

Claude Code, Anthropic’s command-line coding agent, saves each session as a transcript file in ~/.claude/projects, in one folder per project directory, along with tool results and subagent transcripts. Long sessions can make these folders hundreds of MB.

Old session transcripts. Recent sessions and each project's memory files are never touched.

What happens if you delete it?

No. A deleted session cannot be resumed with claude --resume and its history is gone. Your code and your CLAUDE.md files are not stored here.

How to remove it properly

Claude Code already deletes transcripts older than 30 days by default; you can change that with the cleanupPeriodDays setting in ~/.claude/settings.json. To remove a project’s history by hand, quit Claude Code and move that project’s folder to the Trash.

Quit the app that uses it, then move it to the Trash. Empty the Trash when you’re sure.

  • MoreRoom only suggests items unused for 60 days or more.

Before you delete it

Project folders can also contain Claude’s auto memory for that project; check for a memory folder you want to keep.

How MoreRoom helps

MoreRoom recognises this item and labels it “Review first”: it shows what’s inside, its size and last use, so you can decide. Nothing is removed without your say, and everything goes to the Trash first, with Undo.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to delete ~/.claude/projects (Claude Code history)?

Usually, after a check. Might hold something you care about. Look inside before removing it. No. A deleted session cannot be resumed with claude --resume and its history is gone. Your code and your CLAUDE.md files are not stored here.

Will Claude Code history come back after I delete it?

No. No. A deleted session cannot be resumed with claude --resume and its history is gone. Your code and your CLAUDE.md files are not stored here.

How do I remove Claude Code history properly?

Claude Code already deletes transcripts older than 30 days by default; you can change that with the cleanupPeriodDays setting in ~/.claude/settings.json. To remove a project’s history by hand, quit Claude Code and move that project’s folder to the Trash.

Guides that mention it

Related folders