How to clear cache data on android phone

Table of Contents Show

Android running slowly? Clearing the cache should speed things up
What to Know
How to Wipe an App's Cache Data
How Clearing an App's Cache Can Help
Frequent Cache Culprits
On Pre-Oreo Android: Clearing the Entire Phone's Cache at Once
Is it safe to clear cache on Android phone?
What happens when you clear cached data?
How do I clear my app cache on Android?
How do I clear the cache on my Samsung Android?

Having trouble with unresponsive apps? It may be time to give them a good spring cleaning. Don't worry, you don't have to uninstall the app or reset your phone. Instead, clear the app's cache or data. When you do this, any problematic files or bugs in the app will be deleted. You can also use your phone's Device Care features to limit background apps and help your battery last longer.

Note: Steps may vary depending on the software version and the app selected.

Clearing the app cache is kind of like a cleanse for your apps. It will get rid of residual files that could be slowing down the app.

Open Settings, and then swipe to and tap Apps. Select or search for the app you want to clear. Tap Storage, and then tap Clear cache.

Note: The only way to clear the cache on every app at the same time would be to perform a factory reset on your phone.

Important: Clearing the data will reset the app to factory default settings. Any personal settings saved on the app will be removed.

Need a total do-over? Try emptying out all that app's data. But please be aware this will completely reset the app. Make sure you have any accounts or usernames written down so you can log back in after the app resets.

Open Settings, and then swipe to and tap Apps. Select or search for the app you want to clear. Tap Storage, tap Clear data, and then tap OK. This will completely wipe the app and reset it to the original settings.

If you need some extra help with your phone’s storage, memory, and app usage, you can use Device care. These features will keep your device from slowing down while improving its overall performance. Device care will scan your apps for crashes, close down background apps, and look for malware with the tap of a button!

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Android running slowly? Clearing the cache should speed things up

What to Know

Go to Settings > Apps. Tap and app, then tap Storage > Clear Cache.
Recent Android versions no longer offer the ability to clear the device's entire cache at once.
Pre-Oreo: Tap Settings > Storage > Devices (or similar) > Cached data > Clear cached data > OK.

This article explains how to wipe cached data for individual apps in Android versions 8 and later. Earlier versions offer the ability to wipe the phone's entire cache at once, instructions for which are also included.

How to Wipe an App's Cache Data

Here's how to clear data for an app you know (or suspect) is causing problems or using up data.

Open Settings > Apps.
Select the app whose cache you want to clear.
The amount of storage space each app uses displays below the name of the app.
Tap Storage.
Tap Clear Cache to clear the app cache. Tap Clear Data to erase the data associated with the app.

Clearing the cache deletes temporary files the app uses while it's running. Clearing data deletes settings, passwords, and other information you added and resets the app to its defaults.

How Clearing an App's Cache Can Help

The cache contains temporary files that are used to speed up the app. Sometimes, though, they're too much of a good thing. They might be duplicated and stored permanently elsewhere, be outdated, or be corrupted. All of this can cause the app to behave erratically or crash.

Clearing the cache can solve these problems, and it's generally a key step in troubleshooting problems with your device.

Frequent Cache Culprits

Often, you'll know which app is acting up simply by its behavior. If this isn't the case, start your cache-clearing with the browser, then move onto social media apps such as Facebook and Twitter. Turn next to other apps that access the internet, and then to those that take up the most overall space.

Clearing a cache is a temporary method to gain storage space. As you use an app, it will build up a new cache of temporary files.

On Pre-Oreo Android: Clearing the Entire Phone's Cache at Once

Before the release of Oreo (Android version 8), the easiest way to deal with the device cache was to delete it all at once. However, Google removed this feature in newer versions.

If you're still running an old version, here's how to delete the entire device cache:

Open Settings.
Tap Device > Storage.
Tap Cached data. Android calculates where the device storage is being used (apps, photos, or other places) and how much you will reclaim. When prompted, confirm your choice.
Clearing the cache data does not erase any personal information or important data.

FAQ

How do I clear my browsing history on Android?
To clear your Android browsing history in Chrome, tap the three dots > Settings > Privacy > Clear browsing data. In the Samsung Internet app, tap the three dots > Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data. Select Browsing history and tap Delete.
How do I free up space on my Android phone?
To free up space on your Android, go to Settings > Storage > Manage Storage and delete unwanted apps, photos, and videos to create more space. Consider adding a microSD card to expand your storage needs.
How do I clear the clipboard on my Android?
To clear your Android clipboard, download the Clipper Clipboard Manager app and tap the three dots > Delete. Alternatively, use the Gboard keyboard to enable the built-in clipboard manager.
What is a CACHE file?
A file with the CACHE file extension contains temporary information that a program sets aside to make software load data faster. Not all cache files have the .CACHE extension.

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Is it safe to clear cache on Android phone?

Clearing unused cache files on Android is a decent way to free up space temporarily and comes in handy when troubleshooting app issues. But it's not something you should do often, or through unreliable third-party apps. Use it only as a specific tool when needed for device performance.

What happens when you clear cached data?

After you clear cache and cookies: Some settings on sites get deleted. For example, if you were signed in, you'll need to sign in again. If you turn sync on in Chrome, you'll stay signed into the Google Account you're syncing to in order to delete your data across all your devices.

How do I clear my app cache on Android?

Follow these steps to Clear App Data:.

Step 1: Open the Settings application on your device..

Step 2: Head over to Apps Menu..

Step 3: Choose Installed Applications..

Step 4: Find the Application you want to Clear the App Data of..

Step 5: Select it, Move to the Storage Tab..

Step 6: Hit Clear Storage/Clear App Data..

How do I clear the cache on my Samsung Android?

Open Settings, and then swipe to and tap Apps. Select or search for the app you want to clear. Tap Storage, and then tap Clear cache. Note: The only way to clear the cache on every app at the same time would be to perform a factory reset on your phone.