How to Clear Cache on iPhone (2026)

Does your iPhone feel sluggish? Are the apps taking longer to load or websites opening slower than usual? The reason behind this could be all the buildup of cached data. It is something that we don't think about but can have an impact on your iPhone's performance and storage. The good news is you can easily get rid of it by learning how to clear the cache on your iPhone to get your device back to speed. 

Why Should You Clear Cache on Your iPhone?

Every iPhone, whether you have a 6-year-old iPhone 11 or the latest iPhone 17 Pro Max, constantly creates cache data in the storage. This comes from apps like Safari, Spotify, WhatsApp and more, and it piles up over time, taking unnecessary storage space or even causing software issues on the phone. 

Clearing the cache helps free up consumed space but also fixes issues like apps crashing, pages not loading properly, or outdated content showing up in browsers. So, if your iPhone is feeling slower than usual, it is a clear sign that you need to clear your iPhone cache. 

How to Clear Cache on Your iPhone 

Even in 2026, there is no official way to clear cache on an iPhone for individual apps. That is why I searched various blogs, Reddit threads, and Apple Forums to learn workarounds for this problem, and I have found a few. Based on my findings, here are the methods to clear the cache on Apple iPhones. 

Clear Cache for Individual Apps on iPhone 

I have already mentioned that there is no way to clear cache for every single app on iPhone, like there is on Android. But people have found that offloading apps delivers the same result, without loss of data. 

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to General > iPhone Storage.

2. Here, scroll down to the list of apps, select the app whose cache you want to clear and tap on Offload App.

3. Tap on Offload App again to confirm your decision.
4. Now, go back to your iPhone home screen and tap on the offloaded app icon to reinstall it.

The app will be reinstalled with all the user and login data intact. This is the safest method to clear the cache files without uninstalling the app itself. 

Delete Safari Cache

If you are having trouble with the Safari browser on your iPhone, with page loading or the browser showing outdated information, then you can try this method. It removes browsing history, cookies, and cached files, but it will get the browser back to speed again.

1. Open the Settings app and go to Apps > Safari.

2. Here, tap on Clear History and Website Data under "History and Website Data".
3. Select the desired duration under "Clear Timeframe" and then tap on Clear History to confirm your action.

Clear All Safari Website Data 

In case the above method didn't do the trick, then you can try deleting all website data instead on Safari. 

1. Open the Settings app and go to Apps > Safari.

2. Scroll down to the bottom and tap on Advanced.
3. Select Website Data at the top.

4. Here, select Remove All Website Data at the bottom.
5. Next, tap on Remove Now in the confirmation pop-up.

Clear Cache for Google Chrome on iPhone 

People who use Google Chrome instead of Safari on their iPhones can try this workaround to clear the cache from the browser. This is what I often find myself doing whenever I have an issue with Chrome on my iPhone 13. 

1. Open the Chrome app on your iPhone and tap on the 3-dots icon at the bottom right.
2. Here, tap on Delete browsing data.

3. Choose the Time range for which you want to delete Chrome's cache and then tap on Browsing data.
4. Here, select Cached images and files, Cookies, site data and Browsing history.
5. Go back and tap on Delete data.

This will clear up all the cached files, photos and details from the browser.

Delete Spotify Cache Data on iPhone 

Spotify listeners facing abrupt issues with the app, like frequent crashes or the offline downloads not playing properly, can clear the cache. Thankfully, I recently learned that there is a built-in option to do that. 

1. Launch the Spotify app on your iPhone and tap on your profile icon at the top left.
2. Here, select Settings and privacy from the left sidebar.

3. Tap on Data-saving and offline on the Settings screen.
4. Scroll down to the bottom and tap on Clear next to "Clear cache".
5. Select Clear in the confirmation pop-up.

Update Your iPhone 

Updating your iPhone also clears up any redundant or unnecessary system data sitting on your device. You will notice that your iPhone's storage will always be less than what it was after the update. So, if you haven't updated your device in a while, try to do so, and maybe it will help fix cache-related issues. 

1. To check for an update, open the Settings app and go to General > Software Update.
2. If there is any update available, tap on Update Now.

Updating your iPhone will restart it, which will eventually clear the system memory during the process. 

Restart Your iPhone to Clear System Cache 

Finally, you can try to restart your iPhone. This often helps clear the phone memory, which is also a sort of cache, and allows apps to start from scratch. 

1. Switch off your iPhone using the Volume Up + Side buttons.
2. Wait 10–15 seconds and then turn it back on.

Is It Safe to Clear Cache on an iPhone? 

Yes, it’s completely safe to clear the cache on your iPhone. It only removes temporary files. Your personal data, login details, photos, messages, contacts and other preferences remained untouched.

But you might face some minor inconvenience after clearing the cache, like getting logged out of websites, and some apps may take a little longer to load the first time. But there’s no risk of losing important information. However, if you don't have much confidence in doing so, then take your iPhone to an authorised Apple service centre. 

This brings us to the end of this guide. Clearing the cache shouldn't be a one-time thing when things get worse. In fact, it is recommended to do so every few months or so to make sure your iPhone runs in pristine condition without facing any cache-related issues in the long run.