The short answer
Yes. Rebuilt or re-downloaded automatically when needed.
What is it?
Cargo’s registry folder holds the crates.io index, every downloaded crate archive (cache) and their unpacked sources (src), shared by all your Rust projects. Recent Cargo versions clean long-unused downloads on their own, but it can still grow to several gigabytes.
What happens if you delete it?
Cargo downloads the index and the crates each project needs on its next build, which takes time and bandwidth. Projects build normally afterwards; builds with --offline fail until the crates are fetched again.
How to remove it properly
Make sure no cargo command or rust-analyzer is running, then move ~/.cargo/registry to the Trash with Finder’s Go › Go to Folder…. Do not remove ~/.cargo/bin, which holds rustup, cargo and the tools you installed.
Quit the app that uses it, then move it to the Trash. Empty the Trash when you’re sure.
How MoreRoom helps
MoreRoom recognises this item, shows its real size and when it was last used, and labels it “Safe to remove”. In the free version you can move it to the Trash in one click, with Undo; Pro collects every safe item at once.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to delete ~/.cargo/registry?
Yes. Rebuilt or re-downloaded automatically when needed. Cargo downloads the index and the crates each project needs on its next build, which takes time and bandwidth. Projects build normally afterwards; builds with --offline fail until the crates are fetched again.
Will Cargo registry cache come back after I delete it?
Yes. Cargo downloads the index and the crates each project needs on its next build, which takes time and bandwidth. Projects build normally afterwards; builds with --offline fail until the crates are fetched again.
How do I remove Cargo registry cache properly?
Make sure no cargo command or rust-analyzer is running, then move ~/.cargo/registry to the Trash with Finder’s Go › Go to Folder…. Do not remove ~/.cargo/bin, which holds rustup, cargo and the tools you installed.