Skip to content 
How To Clear Cache On iPhone (The #1 Simplest Method)
Cache on your iPhone is important but left unchecked it can start negatively affecting performance. In this guide, we’ll show you how to clear cache on iPhone – both in Safari and app cache in Settings…
Most people have literally no idea what cache is – or what it does. But cache is important. It makes your phone faster and more efficient but, if it is left unchecked, it can start to slow things down. And to make matters worse, you have system cache to think about and browser cache.
Cache, in its simplest form, is essentially files – things like scripts, app logs, cookies, browser data, and API information – that builds up over time, taking up valuable storage on your phone and hampering its RAM efficiency.
What is Cache?
So why do our phones need cache then? Your phone uses cache like you and I use post it notes or reminders. Cache is basically a store of information that your phone thinks will come in handy in the future. And sometimes it does. But left unchecked, it gets too cluttered and starts slowing things down.
For instance, if you visit a particular blog often, like more than once or twice a day, your browser – let’s say, Safari, for instance – will store a cached version of the site in its logs. This means the site will load faster the next time to visit it, as the browser doesn’t have to reload all the scripts – they’re all saved from your first visit.
Apps on your iPhone do the same thing, and it is all done to make them function more efficiently. But again, left unchecked, the cache file gets too large and starts slowing down things. This is why it is important to regularly clear out your iPhone’s cache – both app cache and browser-based cache in Safari.
How To Clear Cache On iPhone
To being, you need to clear the browser cache on Safari. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open “Settings”.
- Swipe down and tap “Safari”.
- Swipe down and tap “Clear History and Website Data”.
- Tap to confirm.
Clearing App Caches on iPhone
Cached data on iPhones and iPads is also stored by individual applications. Unfortunately, there’s no standard solution here because each app will handle its caching in different ways.
- Some applications have a clear cache option under iOS Settings and then look at the app preferences for that app.
- Others, however, require you to actually into the app’s own setting menu to clear its cache data.
- If an app has no options whatsoever, your only real choice is to uninstall and then re-install the app.
What is Cache (And Why You Should Regularly Clear It…)
Pretty much all modern connected devices that use data – whether from the internet, or just moving the stuff round inside applications – utilise a cache system.
This means that temporary data is stored in the cache to make the process of using it as fast and smooth as possible, meaning you as the end user notice a quicker experience too.
However, data caches have an Achilles’ Heel in that the data they store can accumulate to such a degree that they actually end up running counter to their mission of speeding and smoothing operation; the clutter actually starts slowing things down and causing problems.
With any of your electronic devices, including the Apple iPhone (and, incidentally, the iPad, which operates in exactly the same way) – it’s a good idea to either regularly clear out the cache (a spot of Spring cleaning, if you will) or if you do find a drop in performance to have that as your go-to first option to try in order to fix it.