How to clear cache on iPhone and instantly free up space
Wondering how to clear the cache on an iPhone? As we run several apps and navigate browsers like Safari and Chrome, we collect a lot of useless clutter along the way that fills up our phone's cache.
What, exactly, is a cache? For the uninitiated, it's a reserve for your iPhone that saves temporary data. On the plus side, it helps websites load more rapidly. However, it does have its downsides. For example, it can take up a lot of storage that can be used for more pertinent files.
Itching to free up more space, or simply trying to clear away cookies and other browsing data? Here's a step-by-step guide on how to clear the cache on your iPhone. Please note that we've included screenshots from a phone running iOS 26 and Liquid Glass, but the steps should be similar even if you're on an older OS.
How to clear cache on iPhone: Clear Safari cache
If you're experiencing any issues with performance or unexpected behavior on a website, clearing your Safari cache may solve the problem. Below, we've got instructions on how to do just that.
1. Open Safari and tap the three dots in the corner
2. Tap Bookmarks
3. Tap the clock icon, then the three dots, then tap Clear
4. Set how far back you want to clear your data and then hit the big red button
How to clear cache on iPhone: Clear app cache
If you want to look into clearing your app cache instead, here's how to do it.
1. Open 'Settings'
2. Tap on 'General'
3. Tap on 'iPhone Storage'
Look through any apps that you feel can use a cache cleaning.
4. Tap on desired app and hit 'Offload App'
With these cache-cleaning tips, you should free up some space on your iPhone and benefit from better performance, whether you're surfing the web or navigating iOS.
UPDATE: Sep. 27, 2025, 11:08 a.m. EDT This article has been updated with new screenshots and advice.
Alex Perry is a tech reporter at Mashable who primarily covers video games and consumer tech. Alex has spent most of the last decade reviewing games, smartphones, headphones, and laptops, and he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. He is also a Pisces, a cat lover, and a Kansas City sports fan. Alex can be found on Bluesky at yelix.bsky.social.
Kimberly Gedeon, at Mashable since 2023, is a tech explorer who enjoys doing deep dives into the most popular gadgets, from the latest iPhones to the most immersive VR headsets. She's drawn to strange, avant-garde, bizarre tech, whether it's a 3D laptop, a gaming rig that can transform into a briefcase, or smart glasses that can capture video. Her journalism career kicked off about a decade ago at MadameNoire where she covered tech and business before landing as a tech editor at Laptop Mag in 2020.
