Exploring the Benefits of Clearing Cache on Your Favorite Apps

Clearing an app’s cache deletes temporary files the app stored, which can fix glitches and free space. It does not delete your account or data.

What it means

Cache is temporary data (images, files) an app stores to load faster.

Clearing

Removes these files. It doesn’t delete your account or personal data.

Why

Fixes glitches and frees storage.

How (Android)

Settings, Apps, choose the app, Storage, Clear cache.

iPhone

Offload or reinstall the app, or use app settings.

Cache vs data

Clearing data resets the app and logs you out.

What cache holds

Cache is temporary data an app stores to load faster, such as images, scripts and thumbnails. Clearing it deletes those files and frees storage, but it does not delete your account, messages or settings. Clearing “data” or “storage” does delete app data such as logins and downloaded content.

• On Android, go to Settings, Apps, choose the app, Storage, Clear cache.
• On iPhone, there is no per-app cache clear for most apps. Offload the app (Settings, General, iPhone Storage, Offload App) or reinstall it. Safari cache can be cleared in Settings, Safari.
• Cached files may grow to several hundred MB or more, for example in social and streaming apps.

Why do it

Clearing cache can fix crashes, stale content, login loops and storage shortages. The app rebuilds cache as you use it, so it may load slower at first. It does not speed up the phone permanently. Avoid clearing data for banking or authenticator apps without backup codes, because you may lose access.

What cache holds

Cache stores temporary files such as images, scripts and data so an app loads faster. Over time it can grow to hundreds of megabytes or gigabytes, or become corrupted.

Why do it

Clearing cache can fix glitches and free space. It does not delete personal data or logins in most apps, unlike clearing data. On Android go to Settings, Apps, Storage, Clear cache. On iPhone, offloading or reinstalling the app clears it.

What the cache stores

A cache is temporary data an app keeps so it can load faster: thumbnails, downloaded images, web page fragments, map tiles and audio snippets. Clearing it deletes those temporary files only. It does not delete your login, saved documents, messages or settings, which are stored separately as app data. The app rebuilds the cache as you use it, so the first launch afterward can be slower.

How to clear it and when it helps

On Android, open Settings, Apps, choose the app, then Storage, then Clear cache (Clear storage or Clear data is different and resets the app). iPhones have no per app cache button for most apps; options are Offload App, which keeps data, or reinstalling. Some apps such as Safari and Chrome offer clearing in their own settings. Clearing helps with glitches, outdated displayed content and freeing space, since caches can grow to hundreds of megabytes or several gigabytes for streaming and social apps. It rarely speeds a phone permanently.

Based on data from Google Support and Apple Support