How to clear cache on iPhone

What is a cache?

Devices and apps, including your iPhone, store data about what you do online in what’s called a “cache.” The word comes from the French term meaning a “hiding place for storing goods” like dried food. In a lot of cases, this is highly useful for people: every time you load the same website, for example, things like user name or preferences will be remembered. This can speed up the loading time of sites and make for an easier experience online.

Over time, however, your caches build up, slowing down performance and consuming valuable storage space. Clearing the cache of outdated data can help boost speed and improve responsiveness on your iPhone. But like regularly clearing your browsing history, it can also enhance privacy.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to clear cache on iPhone in Safari, Chrome, apps, and system storage. Be sure to read on for both the downsides and privacy benefits of doing so.

Clearing browser cache on iPhone

Web browsers store cached data to load pages faster, but this can lead to slow performance and outdated content. Here’s how to clear your Safari or Chrome cache.