claudevm.bundle is large. Should you delete it?
claudevm.bundle holds the virtual machine that Claude Desktop runs local Cowork tasks in. You can delete it once no local task needs it: save your work, export the task history you want, check your backups and quit Claude completely first. A Claude version that still uses local Cowork may download it again, so the space may not stay free, and a fresh copy doesn’t bring back the earlier state. Cloud and local Cowork store data differently, so first check which you use.
TL;DR
- What it is. A virtual-machine bundle that local Claude Desktop Cowork tasks run in. On one developer Mac, the VM bundles came to 10.9 GB.
- Can you delete it? Not while local tasks depend on it. Size alone doesn’t make it disposable.
- Before you remove it. Check whether your tasks run locally or in the cloud, save your work, verify your backups and fully quit Claude.
Which Claude data is taking the space?
| What you found | What it means | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| vm_bundles / claudevm.bundle | A runtime for local Cowork work, not an ordinary disposable cache. | Check the local tasks and scheduled work you still need. |
| claude-code-sessions | Local session data, separate from the VM bundle. | Review individual sessions; do not clear the whole support folder. |
| A chat visible on the web | An account conversation, not proof that every older local task or file is backed up. | Export needed work and verify a usable copy before removal. |
First, check whether your tasks are local
Anthropic’s documentation covers both cloud sessions and existing local desktop sessions, and running code locally uses a virtual machine. A task that runs in the cloud doesn’t mean your older local tasks or files moved with it.
Checked October 14, 2026: Anthropic says new Pro and Max Cowork tasks run in the cloud from October 6, while earlier local tasks and existing local scheduled tasks remain on the computer. Use its task-data download or Cowork export options to keep needed work before considering local removal.
Find the bundle and measure without deleting
In Finder, choose Go → Go to Folder and enter ~/Library/Application Support/Claude. On the installation we looked at, claudevm.bundle was inside vm_bundles, and claude-code-sessions was a separate folder. Names and contents can change between versions.
Check the size in Get Info and compare it with this read-only Terminal command: du -sh "$HOME/Library/Application Support/Claude/vm_bundles". If the directory isn’t there, don’t create it, and don’t treat some other folder as the same thing.
In September 2026, our inventory found 10.9 GB of VM bundles on one developer Mac. That isn’t a typical size, and it isn’t what you’re guaranteed to get back. Sparse files and shared APFS blocks can make the size you see differ from the space the bundle takes on disk, so compare free space before and after any supported operation.
What to keep, and what to check before removal
- Keep the bundle if Claude or a local task is running, if you need to resume local work, or if you don’t know which files depend on it.
- Save your outputs in a folder you control. Export the task history you need with Claude’s own options, and check that your backups work. Being able to see a chat on the web doesn’t prove every local file is backed up.
- If you no longer need local Cowork, quit Claude completely. Then look at your version’s storage or reset options, or ask Anthropic support how to remove the bundle. Quitting doesn’t by itself show that deleting is harmless.
- Don’t clear the whole Claude support folder or claude-code-sessions instead. Settings, login state and local session data each have a different purpose.
Already deleted it, or the bundle came back?
Keep any copy in the Trash or a backup until you’ve checked your important tasks and files. Follow the recovery guidance for the version you have installed. The app opening doesn’t mean all your data is there.
A version that uses local Cowork may provision its runtime again, but a fresh runtime doesn’t bring back the earlier state. We haven’t verified recovery on every Claude version. If work is missing, stop cleaning up and contact support.
Need free space while keeping local Claude work?
Keep the VM bundle if the work still depends on it. In Mint, start with Optimizable elsewhere on the disk: eligible duplicate and idle files can use less storage while keeping their names, locations and contents. The VM bundle is a separate review decision, not a promise of optimization or automatic removal.
After the first scan, review one available action, check its completed result and reopen the files you need. Enable only the supported Auto Care routines you want maintained; do not use a large-folder total as permission to delete local tasks.
Use Mint to inspect storage first
Mint’s free Disk scan lists Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex and Cursor separately. In supported Direct and Setapp versions, a local Cowork bundle is a review item that starts unselected, and while Claude is running, Mint may not let you remove it. Read what your installed version says about the item before you act.
The scan can find a large folder. It can’t promise that a Claude task is disposable, or that deleted work can be recovered.
Frequently asked questions
What is claudevm.bundle?
It holds the virtual machine that local Claude Desktop Cowork tasks run in. On the installation we checked, it was inside ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/vm_bundles. Treat it as a runtime, not an ordinary cache, and find out which local tasks and files depend on it first.
Can I delete claudevm.bundle?
Only once no local task needs it. Save your outputs, export the task history you need, check your backups and quit Claude completely first. The space may not stay free: a version that still uses local Cowork can download the runtime again. How much you get back varies, and our 10.9 GB figure comes from one Mac.
Does deleting the bundle delete my chats?
Cloud chats, local Cowork tasks and Claude Code sessions are separate things. Don’t assume a copy on the web covers all your local work. Export and back up what you need.
Find what is taking space before removing it
Compare Claude, Codex, Cursor and other storage in a free local scan, then review each proposed action.