How to Free Up Space by Clearing the Cache on Android Devices

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What to Know

• Go toSettings >Apps . Tap an app, then go toStorage & cache >Clear cache .
• Some phones can clear all app caches at once:Device care >Storage orSettings >Storage >Cached data .
• Clearing the data cache can make apps run better and fix things like login issues and unresponsiveness.

This article explains how to clear the data cache on Android. Most of these directions apply to most versions of Android, but some of them are specific to Android 7 and older.

How to Clear an Android App’s Data Cache

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

1. OpenSettings >Apps .
2. Select the app whose cache you want to clear.
   
3. TapStorage & cache orStorage .

This same process is how you clear the cache on some Samsung phones .
4. TapClear cache to clear the app cache. TapClear data orClear storage 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.

Some Android phones include a bulk option for clearing cache. If your phone has aDevice care app, open theStorage section and check if there’s anApp cache option. From there, you can selectAll to clear cache for all your apps at once.

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. The data cache might be taking up too much space or it could be outdated or corrupted. These things can cause the app to behave erratically or crash.

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 on to social media apps. Turn next to other apps that access the internet, then to those that occupy the most overall space.

Clearing cache is a temporary space-saving method. As you use an app, it will build up a new cache of temporary files. Here are some other ways to recover storage space on your Android .

How to Clear 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, such as on your Samsung Galaxy S9 , here’s how to delete the entire device cache:

1. OpenSettings .
2. TapStorage .
3. TapCached 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.
   

Some phones let you wipe the system cache partition. Boot into Android Recovery Mode to see if this is an option for you.

How to Stop Sending Duplicate Text Messages on Android

FAQ

• How do I clear my browsing history on Android?
  To clear your Android browsing history in Chrome, tap thethree dots >Settings >Privacy >Clear browsing data . In the Samsung Internet app, tap thethree dots >Settings >Privacy and security >Delete browsing data . SelectBrowsing history and tapDelete data .
• How do I free up space on my Android phone?
  To free up space on your Android , go toSettings >Storage to 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 thethree 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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