- Open Settings and select Storage.
- In the resulting list, tap the Apps entry (Other Apps on Android 11 and earlier). This will take you to a list of all the apps installed on your phone.
- Choose the app whose cache you want to clear. To see which apps are taking the most space, tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and choose Sort by size. We’ll use Chrome as an example.
- On the app’s info page, tap the Clear Cache option.
On an Android phone, that is all it takes to remove the cache files for any app. Remember that if you choose Clear Storage, the app’s data will be deleted. In essence, this starts it again from scratch, as if you had just downloaded the program from the Play Store. If the app is acting really improperly, only do this.
You could erase all cached files at once in older versions of Android by navigating to Settings > Storage > Cached Data. When you get the choice to erase all cache files, just touch OK. Unfortunately, you have to repeat the preceding steps to clear the cache for numerous apps on recent versions of Android because there is no built-in feature to do so.
What Happens After Clearing Android Cache?
You’ll gain back some storage space after clearing cached files, and the app will function normally. However, some components (like those stated above) will load more slowly the next time you use the app because you deleted the data needed for optimal performance.
If you clean your cache, you could find that it finally returns. This is typical; based on your usage, apps will gradually reassemble cached data. Cache is useful, thus you shouldn’t be concerned if an app accumulates cached files.
It shouldn’t log you out of apps or result in any other significant changes when you clear cache. Data such as game progress, browser bookmarks, and the like won’t be lost. See our comprehensive guide on erasing cache and data on Android if you’d like to follow a more thorough removal procedure.
Benefits of Clearing Cache on Android
Although cache files are crucial, you usually shouldn’t interfere with them. However, there are situations when manually deleting cache files from your Android phone is beneficial.
The following are some uses for emptying the cache on Android:
- You can temporarily reduce the amount of storage on your phone by deleting the cache. However, this is only a temporary solution since as you use apps, fresh cache files are constantly being produced. It’s probably time to switch to a new phone with enough storage for your needs if you frequently need to clear the cache on your device because it is so short on space.
- Sometimes, old cache files can become corrupted. When this happens, apps may run into performance problems. Deleting faulty cache files can solve these issues.
- In theory, old cache files can pose security and privacy threats. Web pages cached in your browser may contain sensitive information. If an unauthorized person accessed these files, they might be able to use them to obtain private details.
- If a browser or other app refuses to fetch the latest version of a page, clearing the cache can force it to update.
Clearing Cache on Android Quickly and Easily
When debugging app issues, clearing unnecessary cache files on Android is a good approach to temporarily free up space. However, you shouldn’t do so frequently or with shady third-party programs. When a certain tool is required to ensure device performance, only use it.
Further, it’s beneficial to be aware of the symptoms and methods for diagnosing poor Android performance.