Ever wondered how to clear cache on Android phone? You’re not alone. Many Android users like you don’t realize that over time cached data can slow down your phone and use up valuable storage space.
Cache is a collection of temporary files that apps and websites store to help them load faster. While that’s good for speed, too much cache can slow you down.
Clearing cache is one of the simplest and most effective ways to speed up your phone and free up space. In this article we’ll cover everything you need to know about how to clear cache on Android phone and the ways to do it.
Clearing cache on Android phone is especially handy when apps start acting up or your phone feels slow.
By clearing cached files your apps will run smoother and your phone will gain back some storage space. Keep reading to learn how to clear cache on Android phone in 3 easy steps.
How to Clear Cache on Android

Cache is temporary data stored by apps and websites to help them load faster. But too much cached data can slow down your phone and use more storage than needed. Good thing clearing cache is easy and can fix many phone problems.
In this section we’ll cover the ways to clear cache on your Android phone, whether for a single app or all apps.
What Is Cached Data on Android?
Before we get to how to clear cache on Android phone, let’s first understand what cached data is. Cached data are temporary files that apps and websites store on your phone to help them load faster.
For example when you open a website, your phone saves some elements like images and files so that the page will load faster next time you visit.
That’s good for you but too much cached data can slow down your phone and make it feel slow or unresponsive. That’s why clearing cache is a good habit.
Why Clear Cache on Your Android Phone?
Clearing cache on your Android phone helps in many ways:
- Faster Performance: Cached data slows down your phone over time. Clearing cache makes your apps and websites run smoother and faster.
- Free Up Space: As cache files grows, it takes up space. If your phone is running low on storage, clearing cache gives you space for more important things like photos and apps.
- Fix App Issues: If an app is misbehaving like crashing or loading incorrectly, clearing its cache might fix the issue and make the app work again.
Knowing how to clear cache on an Android phone helps you fix performance issues and have a smooth experience.
Clear Cache for Individual Apps on Android
Sometimes an app is the culprit and clearing cache for that app alone is the simplest solution. Here’s how you can clear cache for individual apps on your Android phone:
- Open Settings: Open the Settings app on your phone by tapping the gear icon or swiping down from the top.
- Go to Storage: Scroll down and tap on Storage. If you can’t find it, it might be under Device Care or Apps.
- Find Your Apps: Tap Apps or Manage Apps to see all installed apps.
- Select the App: Scroll or use the search bar to find the app you want to clear cache for.
- Clear Cache: Tap on the app, then tap Storage. You’ll see two options: Clear Cache and Clear Data. Choose Clear Cache to remove the temporary files for that app. Don’t tap Clear Data as it will erase the app’s data (login details and settings).
- Repeat for Other Apps: If you want to clear cache for more apps, repeat the process for each.
By doing this, you can clear cache for individual apps without affecting the rest of your phone.
Clear Cache for All Apps on Android
If you want to clear cache for all apps at once, you can do it in one step. Here’s how:
- Open Settings: Open the Settings app.
- Tap on Storage: Scroll down and tap on Storage.
- Clear Cached Data: Look for Cached Data in the storage settings. Tap it and a pop up will appear asking if you want to clear cache for all apps.
- Confirm: Tap OK to clear all cache. This will remove temporary files for all apps but won’t touch your personal data like messages or photos.
Clearing all cache is a quick way to speed up your phone and free up space. But do note that apps might load slower the next time you open them as they will rebuild their cache.
Clear Cache for Chrome on Android
If you use Chrome on your Android phone, clearing cache can help. Here’s how:
- Open Chrome: Open the app.
- Go to Settings: Tap the 3 dots in the top right and select Settings.
- Select Privacy: Scroll down and select Privacy.
- Clear Browsing Data: Tap Clear browsing data.
- Choose What to Clear: Select Cached images and files. You can also select cookies and site data if you want to log out of websites.
- Select Time Range: Choose the time range you want to clear cache. You can clear data from the past hour, day, week or all time.
- Clear Data: Tap Clear Data.
Clearing the cache for Chrome will free up space and make browsing faster.
How Often to Clear Cache on Android?
You don’t need to clear the cache every day. But do it every few months or when your phone is slow or apps aren’t working.
If your phone is slow or you’re running out of space, clear the cache. Otherwise, no need to clear too often.
Other Ways to Boost Your Android Phone
Clearing cache is one of the easiest ways to boost your phone but there are other ways to keep your device running smoothly:
- Delete Old Files: Delete old photos, videos and files you no longer need. This will free up space and boost performance.
- Update Apps: Keep your apps updated. Updates often have bug fixes and performance improvements.
- Use Lite Apps: Some apps have “lite” versions that use less storage and data. Try using these if your phone has limited space.
- Restart Your Phone: Restarting your phone will refresh it and clear temporary files. Do this every now and then to keep your phone running smoothly.
- Remove Unused Apps: Uninstall apps you no longer use. These apps take up space and slow down your phone.
Conclusion
Clearing cache on Android phone is a quick fix to speed up your device, free up storage and fix app issues.
Whether you’re clearing cache for individual apps or all apps at once, it’s a simple thing that can make a big difference to your phone.
Follow this guide and your Android phone will be running smoothly.
Clearing cache isn’t something you need to do daily but it’s good to get into the habit if your phone is slowing down or you’re running low on space.
So next time your Android phone feels slow, remember clearing cache is the quick fix!
I’m Edidiong Ekpo, an experienced SEO content writer who writes well-researched articles to educate the public on various niches across the web.