Is your Android device experiencing lag or slowing down? This might be because your cache hasn’t been cleared for a long time. These caches include data generated by apps and browsers. If left uncleared for too long, they can even cause pages not to load or crash.
Don’t worry—this article explains how to clear the cache on Android, along with its benefits and potential risks.
How to Clear App Cache on Android
When you scroll apps like Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, images, scripts, and videos will be cached for the next view. You can appropriately clear the app cache to optimize your user experience.
To clear the app cache on Android, go to the settings of the specific app or the Android device. Even though every Android device is not the same, you still can refer to the steps below to clear the cache on your Android phones and tablets.
Related: How to Clear Facebook Cache on Mobile and Computers？
General Steps for Clearing App Cache on Android Mobile Devices
Although the Android device manufacturer varies, the operating systems are similar. Thus, you can check the steps below to clean up the app cache.
Step 1. Go to Settings on the mobile device.
Step 2. Select options like “Apps”, “App Manager”, or “Applications”.
Step 3. Tap the app you want to clear the cache from.
Step 4. In the App settings, choose to clear the cache. There should be another option like “Clear data” which if you tap on, you will lose all the data on this app.
How to Clear the App Cache on Vivo
Aside from the general steps mentioned above, you can try a simpler way to clear the app cache on your Vivo.
Step 1. Go to Settings on your Vivo.
Step 2. Scroll down and tap “RAM & storage”
Step 3. Tap “Space cleanup”. Then, the device will start to detect all the app cache.
Step 4. Tap “Clean up all” to delete the app cache all at once. If you want to clear the cache on a specific app, scroll down to the “App cleanup” section and tap “App cleanup”. Then, tap the app you want to clear up and select the desired cache type to clear.
How to Clear the App Cache on Samsung Galaxy
Here’s how to clear the app cache on your Samsung Galaxy.
Step 1. Go to Settings on your Samsung Galaxy.
Step 2. Select Apps.
Step 3. Tap the menu (three lines) next to “Your apps”.
Step 4. Under “Your apps”, select the app you want to clear the cache from. You can also rank the app cache size by selecting “Size” and pressing “OK” on the top right.
Step 5. Select “Storage” on the App Info page.
Step 6. Tap “Clear Cache” on the bottom right. Now the app cache is cleared on your Samsung Galaxy.
How to Clear Browser Cache on Android
When you open a browser and search for something, the pictures, videos, and other content will load and cause the cache. Even though these cached files can speed up the loading of the web, too much cache might cause the website not to load. You can clear them regularly to improve the browsing experience. Here’s how.
How to Clear Cache on Google Chrome
It is very easy to clear the cache and cookies on Chrome. Check the steps below.
Step 1. Open the Chrome browser and tap the three dots in the upper right corner.
Step 2. From the expanding menu, tap “Delete browsing data”.
Step 3. Tap “More options”. You’ll see all the cache types on your Chrome.
Step 4. Select the time range and the cache type you want to delete. Then, tap “Delete data”. Remember that if you select the “Cookies and other site data” option, you’ll be logged out of most account-related sites.
How to Clean Up Firefox
Clearing the cache on Firefox for Android is also simple. After the deletion, your Firefox might run faster. Check the steps below.
Step 1. Open the Firefox browser and tap three dots in the upper right corner of the web page.
Step 2. Tap “Settings” from the pop-up menu.
Step 3. Select “Delete Browsing Data” on the settings page.
Step 4. Select the cache type you want to clear and tap “Delete browsing data”. Note that, however, if you select the “Cookies and site data” option, you’ll be logged out of most account-related sites.
How to Clear Cache on Microsoft Edge
Here’s how to clear the cache in the Edge browser on your Android device.
Step 1. Open the MS Edge app and tap on the menu (three dots) at the bottom of the screen.
Step 2. Tap “Settings” > “Privacy and security” > “Clear browsing data”.
Step 3. Select the time range and cache type you want to delete. If you want to delete all cache at once, select “All time”.
Step 4. Tap “Clear” to delete the cache on your Edge browser.
Why and When Should You Regularly Clear Cache on Android
Clear when your device is low on memory: When you use social media apps for a long time, cached images or videos can take up a large portion of your phone’s storage. Clear them to free up more space.
Clear when your device slows down: When your mobile device is running slowly or lagging, clearing the cache can help resolve the issue.
Clear when your apps or sites encounter issues: If you browse websites or social media apps for an extended period, the large amount of cache generated may cause the websites or apps to lag or even crash.
Clear cache after entering sensitive or important information: After entering sensitive information such as bank card passwords or important account passwords, you should immediately clear the cache to ensure the security of your accounts and assets.
Tip:
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Risks and Considerations When Clearing Android Cache
Although clearing the cache has many benefits, there are some considerations and risks you should be aware of.
First, while clearing the cache can free up memory, it essentially “closes the fast lane.” Cache helps you load pages, scripts, and other data more quickly. After clearing the cache, your phone will need to reload this information when you re-enter an app. Therefore, frequent cache clearing is not recommended, as it may increase your phone’s performance consumption.
Additionally, clearing the cache might have a temporary impact on your user experience. For example, after clearing the cache, your preference settings could also be erased.
Finally, if you accidentally delete cookies, including login information, and forget your login credentials, it could be troublesome.
In summary, it’s best not to clear your device cache frequently, and always ensure that important information is saved before performing a cache clean-up.
How to Clear Cache on Android – FAQs
Q: How do I clear all cache on Android?
The cache is generally stored in the app and browser on Android. You can go to the specific app or browser to clear the cache. Also, you can directly go to the settings of your Android device to clean it up. The steps are listed in the post.
Q: Is it good to clear the cache on Android?
Frequent cache clearing is not recommended; periodic cleaning is a better approach. If your phone becomes sluggish, clearing the cache can effectively resolve the issue. However, long-term frequent clearing may lead to excessive consumption of your phone’s resources.
Q: How do I clear my Instagram cache?
To clear the Instagram cache, you can go to the app, browser, or the settings of the device. The steps for deleting the Instagram cache on Android are listed in the post.
Q: How to clear the cache on Samsung?
Go to Settings and then Apps. Then, select the app you want to clear the cache from. Then, tap “Storage” and then “Clear cache”.
