This article has been updated since it originally published on July 19, 2022.
Clearing the cache on your iPhone or computer may be one of those things you do out of habit without ever really understanding why you even do it. Conversely, maybe you’re the type of iPhone user who last cleared your cache — oh, never ago. There’s never a better time than now to start developing a better phone maintenance routine — and clearing your cache should be a part of that regimen. If you’ve ever asked yourself: should you clear your iPhone cache? The answer is: absolutely. Here’s what tech experts have to say.
Why Should You Clear Your Cache?
First, some basics.
“Clearing your phone cache is essential for maintaining the overall performance and speed of your device,” says Carl Borg, strategist and founder of CleverFixes.com. “The cache is a temporary storage area for files and data that the phone uses to speed up the loading of frequently accessed apps or websites. However, over time, the cache can accumulate unnecessary or outdated files, which can slow down your device and even cause some apps to malfunction.”
There are more than a few good reasons why you should stop what you’re doing and clear your iPhone cache, according to Borg:
** Improve performance: “Clearing the cache can help your device run more efficiently by freeing up storage space and removing any corrupted or outdated files,” he says.
** Fix app issues: If an app is not working correctly, clearing its cache can often resolve the issue
** Enhance privacy: Clearing your cache can help protect your privacy by removing temporary files that may contain sensitive information.
** Save storage: Clearing cache files can free up valuable storage space on your device.
How often you should clear your phone cache depends on your usage patterns. If you use your phone heavily and install or update many apps, you might want to clear the cache every few weeks. For less intensive users, clearing the cache every couple of months should suffice.
How Do You Clear Your Cache?
The good news is that it takes just a few minutes to make a major difference in how your phone operates.
Depending on the device or browser you’re using, there are a few different ways to clear cache, Borg says.
How to clear the cache on Android and iOS devices:
For Android:
Open the Settings app
Scroll down and tap on "Apps" or "Apps & notifications" depending on your device.
Find the app whose cache you want to clear and tap on it. If you want to clear the cache for all apps, you may have to tap on "See all apps" or "App info" first.
Tap on "Storage" or "Storage & cache."
Tap on the "Clear Cache" button.
Alternatively, you can clear the cache for all apps at once using the following steps (this may not be available on all Android devices):
Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap on "Device Care" or "Storage" (depending on your device).
Tap on "Advanced" if it's available, and then tap on "Cached data" or "Cache."
Confirm by tapping "OK" or "Clear Cache."
For iOS:
“iOS doesn't provide a direct way to clear the cache for individual apps or the entire system,” Borg says. “However, you can clear the cache for certain apps like Safari and some third-party apps that provide a cache-clearing option.”
To clear Safari cache:
Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap on "Safari."
Tap on "Clear History and Website Data."
Confirm by tapping "Clear History and Data."
“For third-party apps, you'll need to check the app settings to see if it offers a cache-clearing option,” Borg says. “If not, you may have to uninstall and reinstall the app to clear its cache.”
Clearing your cache is an important maintenance step -- and one that takes just minutes to do.
