Many users are asking us how to clear the app cache on iPhone and free up the memory. It is not a new question after the latest iPhone, the new iPhone 14. However, the questions on how to clear the cache on iPhone were there from an early time.
So in this article, we will see how to clear cache on iPhone apps and how you can free up the storage on your iPhone. First, you should note that the storage and cache management on iPhone is entirely different from Android, which is why you can’t find any direct option to delete cache on iPhone. Instead, it results in the all-time big question the iPhone uses, How to clear cache on iPhone.
How to Clear Cache on iPhone Apps
On iPhone and iPad, i.e., the iOS and the iPadOS, the cache management differs from that we can see on Android devices. Apple uses an intelligent cache management technology that automatically optimizes the memory based on usage.
Suppose you head over to the app sections and the setting on your iPhone, you won’t find an option to clear the app cache like the one we see on Android phones. So, in this case, how do clear app cache on iPhone? Here is how it works.
Clear the iPhone App Cache Data Automatically By Reboot
As mentioned before, iOS uses intelligent technology to delete the cache data from your iPhone. It uses an automatic cache-clearing method to remove the unwanted cache data on each reboot.
So the unused cache data will automatically be deleted from your iPhone during the reboot. Power off your iPhone by pressing and holding the Power button and the Volume down key for a few seconds and Slide the Power off button on the top of the screen.
Your iPhone will shut down now, and later after a few seconds, you can power on the iPhone by pressing and holding the power button for a few seconds. By doing this, the unused cache on your iPhone will be automatically cleared.
Note: It is also to be noted that it doesn’t mean that restarting or switching off the iPhone can gain storage or clear the cache each time. iOS calibrate the cache and the available phone storage automatically, and it only clears the cache when needed.
For example, If your iPhone is running out of storage and your device contains more cache data. It will be cleared during the next reboot, and you will get more space. But on the other hand, your device has enough free memory; in that case, the system will not clear the cache data.
So, in short, we can say that if you are running out of storage and doing a reboot in a particular interval (once a day or 2) can gain some more space by clearing the cache on the iPhone.
Clear the App Cache on iPhone by Uninstalling the App
The next option that allows clearing the app data and the app cache is removing or deleting the app completely from your iPhone or temporarily offloading the app.
Offloading the Unused App and Free Up the Space
This is one efficient way to gain storage space on your iPhone. If you have some app that you rarely use and it takes the space on your phone, you can temporarily offload those apps that will give free space on your iPhone.
What is Offloading an iPhone App
Offloading is a unique feature used in iOS in which your iPhone or iPad can temporarily remove the app from your device. The app will be removed. You can free up the space counted towards the App size. However, all the data associated with the app remains on the phone. All previously stored data will remain available the next time you install and use the app.
Once you offload the app, the app will be removed from the phone. However, the app icon will remain on your home screen and in the App library. So next time you tap on the App icon to open it, your iPhone will start downloading the app from the app store, and you can use it as before.
So this option is so helpful as it removes all the unused or rarely used apps and offers you more space on your iPhone. On the other hand, you should remember that once you offload an app, you need an internet connection to download it from the App Store the next time you open it. So this can use more data.
To offload an app on your iPhone, follow the below steps.
Step 1: Go to the Settings section on your iPhone.
Step 2: From the settings, tap on General option.
Step 3: From the general settings options, Tap on iPhone Storage.
Step 4: in the storage section, you can see the used and free space on your iPhone.
Step 5: You can see all the installed apps on your mobile. Next, click on the app that you wish to offload.
Step 6: On the next screen, you can see all the details of that particular app, including the App Size and the Documents & Data associated with the app.
Step 7: You can find an option called Offload App on the page. Tap on that button.
Step 8: Finally you will get a confirmation window. Next, tap the Offload App option within the confirmation window.
Done, the app is now offloaded, and you will get free space on your iPhone. As mentioned, Offloading will delete the app from the phone, but the Documents and Data associated with the app will reside within your iPhone.
Next time you install the same application, you can see all the saved data and settings will still be there, and you can use the app as before.
Note: There is an option saying Offload Unused Apps on the iPhone storage section, and you can see an option to enable it. We recommend not enabling the option. It is a good option that automatically offloads unused apps. But if you are low on mobile data or an internet plan, it may result in more data usage, and your data gets exhausted quickly.
If you manually offload an app, you only need to do it for what you rarely use.
Clear the App Data and App Cache By Deleting the App
The next and the only option to entirely delete the app cache and data from an iPhone is to remove the app from your phone. Deleting the app will clear the app cache and the App data.
If you are sure that some app may not be useful and is taking the space on your iPhone, you can delete them completely. To delete an app from your iPhone, follow the below steps.
Step 1: Open the Settings on your iPhone.
Step 2: From the settings, click on General settings.
Step 3: From the general options, Tap on iPhone Storage.
Step 4: You can see all the installed apps on your mobile. Tap on that app that you wish to delete from your iPhone.
Step 5: On the next page, you will see all the details related to the app, as we saw in the Offload section, including App Size, Data, etc.
Step 6: Click on Delete App button.
Step 7: Now a confirmation will be asked. Again Tap on the Delete App, and the app will be deleted completely from your Phone.
All the App data, cache, etc., will be cleared now, and you need to manually install the app from the App Store if you need the same in the future.
How do i Clear Cache on my iPhone Using iPhone Cache Cleaning Apps
Since Apple is not officially providing any API to clear the cache on iPhone apps, no third-party apps can remove the cache by itslef. The only best way to clear the cahce on your iPhone is by deleting the app from your phone and reinstalling them.