How to clear cache on iPhone and iPad

Wash away all your storage-guzzling cookies and data

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Knowing how to clear cache on iPhone and iPad is a nifty little skill that’ll come in handy when your storage space is dwindling and your device has slowed down.

While there could certainly be a problem with the device itself if you’re experiencing either of those problems, more often than not, clearing your cache, history, cookies, or other temporary data from your apps will be enough to get you back up and running again.

We all find ourselves wonderinghow to free up iPhone storage spaceat one time or another. Browser apps tend to be huge hoarders that gobble up all sorts of bits and pieces from the various sites you visit and, because they’re always hungry, they accumulate more and more over time.

While these cached files can certainly speed things up when you visit a site, they can also cause issues when the site in question has been updated. They also make the app grow well beyond its initial download size. So, it’s well worth spring cleaning your iPhone or iPad regularly to keep it functioning optimally.

Regardless of whether it’sSafari, Chrome, Firefox, or third-party apps, below, we show you how to clear cache on iPhone and iPad. Once you’ve followed our steps, you may find our guide toiPhone ‘Other’ storage: what is it, and how you can delete ithelpful if you’re looking to create even more valuable space on your device.

Tools and Requirements

Quick steps for how to clear cache on iPhone

Step by step guide

When it comes to time to clear cache on iPhone and iPad, it’s worth starting with your browser. Depending on which app is your daily browser of choice, you’ll have to use different methods to clean up the leftovers of your recent web surfing.

How to clear cache in Safari

Safari users shouldopen the Settings app and scroll down to Safari settings(which are hidden under the Apps tab in iOS 18). Once there, scroll down to find’Clear History and Website Data'. Confirm this option, and Safari will remove everything.

While you’re here, you can alsoselect ‘Advanced Settings’ then ‘Block All Cookies’to prevent your cache from filling back up with junk you don’t need.

Another option is tonavigate to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Safari > Website Data. This will show which websites currently have files downloaded into your cache, including how much individual space they take. You canswipe left to delete individual sitesor tap ‘Remove All Website Data’ to wipe them all out.

How to clear cache in Chrome

For Chrome and Firefox users, you’ll need to go into those apps to find the necessary settings to clear cache on iPhone and iPad.

In Chrome,scroll up to make the bottom navigation tab appear,tap the ‘…’ symbol, andselect ‘Delete browsing data’. Chrome will allow you to delete any or all of the following: browsing history, cookies, site data, cached images and files, saved passwords, or autofill data (like addresses).Toggle your choicesandchoose ‘Delete browsing data’ againto finish.

How to clear cache in Mozilla Firefox

In Firefox,tap the three parallel linesin the bottom tab andchoose Settings. Go toPrivacy > Data Management; there, you canclear Website Data, orclear any of the following Private Data: browsing history, cache, cookies, offline website data, tracking protection, or downloaded files.

How to clear cache in third-party apps

Certain third-party apps have their own built-in browser that can cache data. We can’t possibly run through the method for every third-party iPhone app, but some of them do have a useful tool in the iPhone Settings app.

From the main Settings menu,scroll down to the long alphabetical list of third-party apps(or, if in iOS 18,select the Apps tab) andselect the app in question. At the bottom of the app’s settings, you may see an option to’Reset Cache on Next Launch’. This option will temporarily wash away the junk you don’t need.

If you don’t see this option in the app settings – and most don’t have it – you’ll need to find its own in-app settings menu.

Troubleshooting

If you try to clear cache on iPhone and iPad and find you have no joy, your final resort for a bloated app with no clear way of removing its cache would be todelete and then reinstall the app in question.

Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.

Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.

To do this, navigate toSettings > General > iPhone Storageandclick on any app. You’ll see how much of its storage space is Documents & Data, versus the app itself.

Normally, we recommend offloading older apps, which removes the app but keeps your saved data for later. In this case, the saved data is the problem, and fully deleting the app is your best bet.

Hit’Delete App' twice,go to the App Store to search for it, thenredownload it. The Documents & Data should be reset to only a few MB – at least until you start browsing or importing user data again.

All that said, it’s not just your iPhone apps that have a cache. Phones sometimes use your local storage to keep information that helps them complete basic tasks more quickly. This stored shortcut data can accumulate over time.

If your phone seems to be running slowly, then the instructions in our guide tohow to reset an iPhoneare well worth trying. Not a total reset that wipes out your saved data, mind, but rather turning it off and on again.

On newer phones, that meansholding the power buttonandeither of the volume buttons togetheruntil the ‘Slide to Power Off’ option appears; on older models, you justpress and hold your power button. Shut it down, then feel free toimmediately turn it back on. The iOS cache should be cleared.

Also consider

Michael Hicks began his freelance writing career with TechRadar in 2016, covering emerging tech like VR and self-driving cars. Nowadays, he works as a staff editor for Android Central, but still writes occasional TR reviews, how-tos and explainers on phones, tablets, smart home devices, and other tech.

A newly reported iPhone phenomenon could be bad news for both cops and robbers

The iPhone 18 series could include a variable aperture, ‘significantly enhancing’ the camera

Arcane season 2 confirms the hit series isn’t just one of the best Netflix shows ever made – it’s an animated legend that’ll stand the test of time