Content types supported by content caching in macOS

Learn how content caching speeds up Apple software and iCloud downloads.

Content caching speeds up the Apple software downloads that are distributed over the internet. Content caching stores local copies of the software on your Mac, so the downloads are faster for connected clients.

Content types supported by the caching service

macOS includes built-in support for caching the following software.

macOS

• macOS updates and Internet Recovery images*

• System firmware and recovery updates

• macOS installers downloaded from the App Store or softwareupdate --fetch-full installer

• Apps and app updates from the App Store

• GarageBand downloadable content

• iCloud data caching (photos and documents)

• Apple Books content

• Xcode downloadable components such as simulators (Xcode 10.2 or later)

• Rosetta

• Aerial screen savers and wallpaper

iOS, iPadOS, tvOS and visionOS

• OS updates (over the air)

• Aerial screen savers on Apple TV

• Apps and app updates

• On-demand resources support

• iCloud data caching (photos and documents)

• Apple Books content

• Certain mobile assets, such as Siri high quality voices, language dictionaries and more

• Classwork content, including file attachments and multimedia files added to assignments

watchOS

• watchOS apps and app updates

• iCloud data caching

Country and region restrictions

• Not all content is cached in all regions.

• App downloads are not cached in Brazil, Mexico, China mainland or Portugal. Apple Books downloads are not cached in Canada.

• When macOS content caching is enabled, the IP address and region of a Mac computer are registered with Apple. To cache App Store content, the registered region of the macOS content cache must match the region of the client Apple Account.

Learn more

Find out more about content caching.