How to Clear the Cache on Your iPhone (Safari, Chrome and Apps)

To clear the cache on your iPhone, open Settings, tap Apps, tap Safari, then tap Clear History and Website Data. That clears the Safari cache. Chrome, Firefox and every other app keep their own cache, and iOS has no single button that clears them all.

Here is the part most guides skip. Your iPhone already cleans up after itself. Apple says the phone removes cached and temporary files on its own when it needs more space. So you clear a cache to fix a problem, not as a chore.

The Short Answer

Safari. Settings, then Apps, then Safari, then Clear History and Website Data.
Safari, but keep your history. Safari settings, then Advanced, then Website Data, then Remove All Website Data.
Chrome. In the Chrome app, tap the three dots, then Delete Browsing Data.
Firefox. In the Firefox app, open Settings, then Data Management.
Other apps. Look for a clear cache option in the app, or offload the app in iPhone Storage.
Passwords. Safari keeps your saved passwords. You will need to sign back in to websites.

When Clearing the Cache Actually Helps

A cache is a stash of files a browser or app saves so pages and feeds load faster next time. Most of the time that is a good thing. It goes wrong in a few clear ways.

A site looks broken or stuck on an old version. Clearing website data makes Safari download a fresh copy.
You are stuck in a sign in loop. Old cookies can trap a site. Clearing them gives you a clean start.
A site will not take a setting change. CNET calls clearing a useful fix when new settings are not being applied.
An app has grown huge. Apps that stream video, music or photos can save a lot of it to your phone. That is real storage you can get back.

What it will not do is turn an old phone into a fast one. CNET says as much in its own guide. If your whole phone is slow, a cache clear is a small step, not the fix.

What Clearing Safari Deletes

Apple's iPhone User Guide says clearing your browsing history and data removes the sites you visited and your recent searches. It also removes cookies and the permissions you gave sites to use your location or send you notifications.

It does not clear history that websites keep on their own servers. It does not touch history inside other apps. And Apple says it does not change your AutoFill information, so your saved passwords stay put.

How to Clear the Safari Cache

There are two ways, and both work in iOS 27. Pick the one that matches what you want to keep.

Clear Everything From Settings

This is the fastest route. Apple's support page lists these steps.

Open Settings.
Tap Apps, then tap Safari.
Scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data.
Choose a time frame. You can clear just the last hour or all history.
Tap Clear History.

If you use Safari profiles, Apple says you can clear one profile or pick All Profiles.

Clear Everything From Inside Safari

In iOS 27, Apple's user guide also shows a way to do it without leaving Safari. Open Safari and go to a start page. From there, Apple's guide walks you through a few icon taps to a Clear History button. Pick your time frame and tap Clear History again. The icons move between updates, so if you get lost, use the Settings route above.

Clear the Cache but Keep Your History

This is the better choice when a site is acting up but you want to keep your browsing history.

Open Settings, tap Apps, then tap Safari.
Tap Advanced, then tap Website Data.
Tap Remove All Website Data, then tap Remove Now.

Apple notes this also clears tracking data and the data sites use to keep you signed in.

If the Button Is Gray

Apple says a gray button means one of two things. There is nothing to clear, or Screen Time web content limits are on. Check Settings, then Screen Time, if you think there should be data.

How to Clear the Cache in Chrome and Firefox

Third party browsers keep their own cache. Clearing Safari does nothing for them.

Chrome on iPhone

These steps come from Google's own help page.

Open the Chrome app.
Tap the More button, the three dots.
Tap Delete Browsing Data.
Pick a Time Range. Google says the default is only 15 minutes, so change it to All Time if you want a full clean.
Tap Browsing Data to choose what goes. Leave passwords off unless you mean to delete them.
Tap Delete Browsing Data.

Google says you will be signed out of sites, and pages may load slower at first while images download again.

Firefox on iPhone

CNET and PCMag both point to the same menu. Open Firefox, tap the menu button, then Settings. Under Privacy, tap Data Management. You can clear all website data, or pick only the cache, cookies or history. PCMag says to make sure Cache is turned on and then tap Clear Private Data.

How to Clear App Caches on iPhone

This is where most people get stuck. iOS does not have one switch that empties every app cache. You have three real options.

Use the App's Own Clear Cache Button

Many big apps that store a lot of media have a clear cache option in their own settings. Look under Settings, Storage, Data or Privacy inside the app. This is the cleanest choice, because you keep the app and your sign in.

Offload the App

Open Settings, tap General, then tap iPhone Storage. Tap the app, then tap Offload App. Apple says offloading frees the storage the app uses but keeps its documents and data. PCMag notes the app icon stays on your Home Screen, and you tap it to download the app again.

One honest catch. Apple says cached and temporary data might not be counted in the number you see on that screen. So an app can hold more cache than the list shows, and less can come back than you expect.

Delete and Reinstall

Deleting the app removes the app and its data. Reinstall it from the App Store. This clears everything, so only do it for apps where your data lives in the cloud, and make sure you know the password first. If you are unsure what is saved where, our guide to back up photos and files is a good first stop.

The Storage You Cannot Clear

Open Settings, then General, then iPhone Storage, and you will see a gray bar of space you cannot tap into. Apple's storage page explains it.

Other holds things like Siri voices, fonts, dictionaries, logs, caches that cannot be removed and the Spotlight index.
System is the space the operating system uses. Apple says it varies by device and model.

Apple is blunt about this. It says the phone removes cached and temporary files itself to free space, so you do not have to. No cleaner app can reach those files either. Skip any app that promises to "clean your iPhone cache". It cannot do anything Apple does not already do.

Before You Clear, Check Your Passwords

Clearing website data signs you out of nearly everything in that browser. If you rely on your memory to sign back in, that can lock you out of an account.

Make sure your passwords are saved in the Passwords app or another password manager.
Have your phone nearby for two factor codes.
If you use passkeys, you can sign back in with Face ID.

Our guides to making a strong password and two factor authentication help if this step makes you nervous.

When It Is Not the Cache

If you cleared your caches and the phone is still slow, still full or still crashing, the cache was not the cause. Check Battery Health in Settings, install any iOS update, and look at which apps take the most space. If the phone is several years old, read when to replace your phone before you spend money on it.

The Bottom Line

Clear the Safari cache from Settings, then Apps, then Safari. Clear Chrome and Firefox inside each app. For other apps, use the app's own clear cache button or offload it. Your saved passwords stay, but you will be signed out of websites. And do it when something is broken, because your iPhone already clears its own cached files when it needs room.

Keep Reading

Apple changes these menus with almost every iOS update. Follow the latest in our devices news, or browse more plain tech advice.

Questions Readers Ask

How do I clear the cache on my iPhone?

For Safari, open Settings, tap Apps, tap Safari, then tap Clear History and Website Data and pick a time range. For Chrome, open Chrome, tap the three dots, then Delete Browsing Data. For other apps, use the app's own clear cache setting or offload the app in iPhone Storage.

Will clearing cache delete passwords?

Not in Safari. Apple says clearing history and website data does not change your AutoFill information. You will be signed out of websites, so you need your passwords handy. In Chrome, passwords are only removed if you pick them under Manage other Google data.

Does restarting an iPhone clear the cache?

Apple does not say a restart clears app or browser caches. A restart closes running apps and is a good first fix for a glitchy app. To actually clear a browser cache, use the steps in this guide.

How often should I clear my cache?

Only when you have a reason. A page that will not load right, a site stuck on an old version, or a browser that feels slow are good reasons. CNET suggests once every month or two for most people. Apple says the iPhone removes cached and temporary files on its own when it needs space.

Is it good to clear the cache on an iPhone?

It is safe, and it often fixes broken web pages and sign in loops. The cost is that you get signed out of sites and pages load a bit slower the first time. It will not make an old iPhone feel new.

How do I clear app cache on iPhone without deleting the app?

Offload it. Open Settings, tap General, tap iPhone Storage, pick the app, then tap Offload App. Apple says this frees the space the app uses but keeps its documents and data. Then reinstall it from the same screen. Some apps also have a clear cache button in their own settings.

Why is the Clear History and Website Data button gray?

Apple says a gray button means there is no data to clear, or Screen Time web content limits are turned on. Check Screen Time in Settings if you expect there to be data.