Over time your iOS device can slow down and feel sluggish due to the system cache filling up. Whether it’s because of Safari or third-party apps, it’s easy to clear the cache, history, and cookies on your iPhone and iPad.
Android has had settings to clear cache in its operating system and apps for years, but there’s never been a simple setting on Apple devices to do this. However, in recent years, more options have appeared, and now you can clear your cache on iPhone & iPad much easier than ever before.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to clear cache on your iPhone and iPad to declutter your device and speed up your daily tasks.
What is cache?
Cache is found on all operating systems and is an area of memory within your device where temporary files are kept. When working correctly, cache speeds up performance allowing you to do what you want, but quicker.
Websites on iOS and iPadOS are the most common cache creators due to the operating system storing images, videos, online settings, javascript settings, and more. Cache makes your iPhone load up frequently visited websites, like iMore, much more efficiently.
How to clear cache on iPhone & iPad in Safari
How to clear cache on iPhone & iPad in Safari
- Open Settings
- Tap Safari
- Swipe down and tap Clear History and Website Data
- Tap Clear History and Data
Note: This will log you out of all websites, so make sure you know all of your passwords before proceeding.
Clear cache from third-party apps on iPhone & iPad
Clearing cache from third-party apps varies from app to app because there isn’t a common setting to clear cache unless the developer has put the option in. To find the cache settings for a specific app, look in Settings, followed by the app’s name.
However, if the app doesn’t provide a straightforward way to clear cache, deleting and reinstalling it can have the same effect.
Why you should clear cache on your iPhone
Clearing cache on your iPhone or iPad semi-regularly will ensure your iOS device keeps running almost as smoothly as the day you bought it. However, when checking the storage on your device, you may have noticed that “other” takes up a large portion of that precious SSD space. If so, we have a thorough guide on removing “other” storage if clearing Safari and third-party apps cache doesn’t do the trick.
I regularly clear the Safari cache on my iPhone 14 Pro, especially when sites feel heavy to load and it’s taking ages to get the information I’m looking for. Luckily, it’s so easy to clear cache on iPhone that there’s no excuse not to implement this quick tip into your regular schedule.
