“Clear cache? What’s a cache?”
I’ve yelled this at a computer before, so if you’re wondering what cached data is you certainly aren’t alone. It might be a foreign word, but cached data is ubiquitous across all online browsing - and its safe.
There are times however that you will need to clear it in order to better your device, or app’s performance. Here’s what you need to know about cached data.
What is cached data?
Cached data is information stored on your device once you go to a website, it’s used to speed up the site-load time the next time you visit the page.
After you’ve been to a website once, some of the data will remain on your computer or phone, which means there is less that has to load again. Hence faster loading times.
Files, images, and scripts are amongst the data automatically stored on your device in your cache. Over time, the amount of data you accumulate through these means will build up, and it can take up valuable space.
But more than that, when you’re browsing on your handheld device, apps as well as web pages will save cached data. In some cases, this accumulation of data can become corrupt and negatively affect load times, and even crash applications. Hence why sometimes if an app isn’t working properly, you may just need to clear the cache to get it operating well again.
It also can take up a significant amount of space on your mobile device. So if you're rocking an iPhone with smaller internal storage, if is best to be very aware of your cached data. When you’ve got a collection of apps constantly stockpiling images and files, it is going to take a toll on your phone's performance.
Should I clear my cache?
There is nothing to fear from clearing your cache. While load times may temporarily become slower, your device will quickly collect the data that you need again and you’ll be back to zippier loading. It might even start working faster again.
In some specific circumstances, clearing your cache can ultimately reboot a struggling app. We see this a lot with streaming services, and in some cases when you’re troubleshooting Binge or Stan for example, clearing your cache is the first step to getting streaming again.
How to clear cache on iPhone
Unfortunately you can’t clear your entire cache on an iPhone, instead you’ll need to go through app by app. To clear the cache on your iPhone apps follow these steps.
- Go to Settings and scroll down until you hit the Apps section
- Select the app that you want to clear the cache for (note that not all apps are collected cached data)
- Once selected, you will see a Troubleshooting menu towards the bottom of the screen
- Toggle Reset cache on next launch to On
- If you have the app running in the background, close it
- Once you open it again, the cache will be reset
How to clear cache on Samsung or Android device
Just like the iPhone, you won’t be able to blanket clear your cache on your Samsung or other Android device. Instead you’ll need to go in to your apps individually, here is how to clear cache on your Samsung or Android device.
- Open Settings
- >Go to App Management and App List
- Here you will find a list of all your apps. Select the one you wish to clear.
- Once you’ve tapped your selected app, tap Storage Usage and Clear Cache
Anula Wiwatowska
Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram
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