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How to Clear Cache on Android (App Cache and Chrome Browser Cache)
To clear cache on Android, you do it per app: open Settings > Apps > [the app] > Storage > Clear cache. To clear browser cache, open Chrome > three-dot menu > Delete browsing data > Cached images and files. Android no longer has a single button to wipe all cached data at once, so you clear it app by app.
That is the whole answer. The rest of this post covers when to do it, the difference between cache and data, and how to make a stale website show its latest version.
Key Takeaways
• App cache: Settings > Apps > [app] > Storage > Clear cache — safe, keeps your logins.
• Chrome cache: three dots > Delete browsing data > Cached images and files — fixes stale websites.
• Clear cache ≠ Clear data/storage. Cache is safe temp files. Data resets the app and logs you out.
• There is no system-wide “clear all cache” button on modern Android — clear per app.
• Always try Clear cache first; only clear data if the app is still broken.
What is cache on Android?
Cache is temporary files that apps and browsers save so they load faster next time — images, scripts, thumbnails, and partial downloads. It is meant to help. But cache can grow large or go stale, and then it causes the opposite: wasted storage, a misbehaving app, or a website stuck showing an old version.
Clearing cache deletes those temporary files. The app or website simply rebuilds them next time you open it. You do not lose accounts, settings, or saved data.
How do I clear an individual app’s cache on Android?
This is the most common and most useful clear. Use it when one specific app is slow, glitchy, or hogging storage.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps (or Apps & notifications).
- Tap the app you want — for example, Instagram, Maps, or a banking app.
- Tap Storage (sometimes Storage & cache).
- Tap Clear cache.
Done. The number resets to zero and the app keeps every login and setting. Menu wording varies slightly by phone brand (Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi, OnePlus), but the path is nearly identical on all of them.
Clear cache removes temp files only. The button next to it — Clear storage or Clear data — is far more drastic. It resets the app to a fresh-install state and logs you out. More on that below.
How do I clear the Chrome browser cache on Android?
Use this when a website shows a stale or old version — for example, you updated a page but your phone keeps loading the previous one, or a site looks broken until you reload.
- Open Chrome.
- Tap the three-dot menu (top right).
- Tap Delete browsing data (under History on some versions).
- Choose a time range — All time is most thorough.
- Check Cached images and files.
- Leave Passwords and Autofill unchecked if you want to stay logged in.
- Tap Delete data.
Checking only Cached images and files clears the cache without wiping your saved passwords or sign-ins. If you also want to clear cookies, that will log you out of websites.
Clearing browser cache is the device-side fix for stale pages. If you manage the website itself, there is often a second cache to clear — covered later in this post.
The old “clear all cached data” button is gone
Older Android versions had Settings > Storage > Cached data, a single tap that wiped every app’s cache at once. Modern Android removed it. There is no system-wide button anymore.
That is by design. Google found that mass-clearing cache forced every app to rebuild its files immediately, which slowed the phone down and drained battery — the opposite of what people wanted. Now you clear cache per app, targeting only the app that is actually misbehaving.
Clear cache vs Clear data: the difference that matters most
This is the single most important thing to understand, and most people get it wrong. On Android, “Clear cache” and “Clear data/storage” are not the same thing.
- Clear cache deletes safe temporary files only. No harm. You keep your logins, settings, drafts, and downloads. The app just rebuilds the temp files next time.
- Clear data / Clear storage resets the app to its factory state — like you just installed it. You are logged out, settings are wiped, and offline data may be gone.
So when an app is glitching or you want to free up space, always try Clear cache first. It fixes most problems with zero downside. Only reach for Clear data if the app is still broken after clearing cache — and be ready to log back in.
| Type of cache | Where to clear it | What it removes | Safe? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual app cache | Settings > Apps > [app] > Storage > Clear cache | Temp files for that one app | Yes — keeps logins and data |
| App data / storage | Settings > Apps > [app] > Storage > Clear storage/data | Everything — resets app to fresh install | No — logs you out, wipes settings |
| Chrome browser cache | Chrome > three dots > Delete browsing data > Cached images and files | Cached web images and files | Yes — leave passwords unchecked |
| Chrome cookies | Chrome > three dots > Delete browsing data > Cookies and site data | Site sessions and cookies | Logs you out of websites |
| System-wide cache | *Not available on modern Android* | — | Clear per app instead |
Why clear cache on Android?
A few clear reasons to do it:
- Free up storage. Cache quietly grows. Media-heavy apps can hold hundreds of megabytes of temp files.
- Fix a misbehaving app. Crashes, freezes, blank screens, and loading errors are often corrupted cache. Clearing it is the fastest fix.
- See an updated website. A stale browser cache makes a site load its old version. Clearing it forces a fresh download.
- Fix loading glitches. Images that won’t load, layouts that look broken, content that won’t refresh.
It is a safe, reversible first step — try it before reinstalling an app or restarting the phone.
When clearing cache helps a website show its latest version
If a website you visit looks out of date on your phone, your browser is probably serving a cached copy. Clearing Chrome’s cache (steps above) forces it to fetch the current version from the server.
But there is a catch worth knowing if you run a website yourself. A stale page can come from two different caches:
- Your device cache — fixed by clearing Chrome on your phone.
- The server cache — the website’s own caching layer, which serves saved copies to all visitors.
If you clear your phone’s cache and the page is *still* old, the stale copy is on the server, not your device. (The same logic applies to DNS, which is a separate device-side cache on other platforms — see the cross-links below for clearing DNS cache on iPhone, Windows, and macOS.)
Stale website after an update? Clear the server cache too
If a site you manage shows an old version after you publish an update, clearing your phone is only half the fix. The other half is the server-side cache, which serves the same saved copy to every visitor until it is purged.
DarazHost hosting includes LiteSpeed cache, so you can purge the server cache in a click and make sure visitors see your latest version — not a stale one. You get fast hosting and 24/7 support to back it up. When a device-side clear isn’t enough, a one-click server purge usually is.
Quick tips
- Clear cache, not data, unless the app is truly stuck.
- Restart the app after clearing — it rebuilds its cache fresh.
- No bulk-clear app needed. “Cache cleaner” apps offer little that Settings doesn’t, and some carry ads or trackers. The built-in path is enough.
- Repeat clears = a deeper problem. If one app fills its cache constantly, check for an app update or reinstall it.
FAQ
Does clearing cache on Android delete my photos or files? No. Clearing cache only removes temporary files. Your photos, downloads, accounts, and app settings are untouched.
Will clearing cache log me out of my apps? No — clearing cache keeps you logged in. Clearing data/storage is what logs you out and resets the app. They are different buttons; choose carefully.
Why is there no “clear all cache” button on my Android phone? Modern Android removed it. Mass-clearing slowed phones down and drained battery, so Google made you clear cache per app instead. Open each app’s Storage screen individually.
How often should I clear cache on Android? Only when you have a reason — low storage, a glitchy app, or a stale website. There is no benefit to clearing cache on a schedule; it just makes apps reload more slowly afterward.
I cleared Chrome’s cache but the website is still old. Why? The stale copy is likely on the server, not your phone. If it’s a site you manage, purge its server-side cache (for example, LiteSpeed cache on your hosting). If it’s someone else’s site, the fix is on their end.
