How to clear your iPhone cache (and why it's critical for faster performance)

## Summary
Also: I found an iPhone and Mac browser that's faster, safer, and easier than Safari Tip: For even more granular control, go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data, then tap Remove All Website Data. Clear Chrome browsing data on iPhone Including cached images and files, cookies, and more If you use Chrome on your iPhone instead, you can clear the cache just like in Safari. Offload or delete unused apps on iPhone Try it on social media, gaming, and streaming apps Most apps don't include a dedicated "clear cache" button to remove temporary files and free up space, but iOS 26 lets you offload or delete apps, which effectively clears built-up cache and helps manage your storage. How to find out Unfortunately, you can't clear a third-party app's cache directly in Settings, but this view gives you a clear breakdown of your storage and lets you delete or offload apps.

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How to clear your iPhone cache (and why it's critical for faster performance)
If your iPhone is running slow, consider this quick routine to boost its speed and free up space.
Written by
Elyse Betters Picaro,
Senior Contributing Editor
Senior Contributing Editor
March 20, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. PT
Kerry Wan/ZDNET
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ZDNET's key takeaways
Clear your iPhone cache regularly to boost speed and free up space.
Safari, Chrome, and apps all store cache that can slow performance.
Restarting your iPhone helps clear hidden files and improve stability.
I'm guessing your
iPhone
has dozens of apps running and maybe a couple of browsers, each with way too many tabs open at all times. I know mine does. The thing is, all that activity causes cached data to build up over time.
Every time you use apps or browsers on your phone, they locally store bits of information such as images, scripts, and logins to make your iPhone perform faster. Websites load quicker, and apps feel snappier. At least that's how it's supposed to work in theory.
Also:
How to clear your iPad cache (and fix slow performance for good)
But like a junk drawer that starts out as a handy place to keep odds and ends -- like a screwdriver, sticky notes, or a spare battery -- so you can grab them and get things done fast, cached data eventually overflows and makes it impossible to work quickly.
Clearing your cache is like cleaning out that drawer. Suddenly everything works the way it should. Your phone feels lighter and runs smoother. So let's walk through every way to clear the cache on an iPhone running
iOS 26
, and why you should make it a habit.
How to clear iPhone cache
What you'll need:
An iPhone running iOS 26 and your Apple ID password or device passcode handy in case you're prompted for it.
1. Clear Safari history and website data on iPhone
Or just remove all website data
If Safari is your main browser, you should know that every time you use it, each site you visit saves temporary files to your device to help pages load faster the next time you browse. Over time, though, those files can pile up, causing Safari to slow down or struggle with simple tasks.
Here's how to fix that by clearing the cache.
Open Settings > Apps.
Scroll down to Safari and tap it.
Find and tap Clear History and Website Data.
Choose a time frame (I suggest All History).
Tap Clear History to erase your history, cookies, and cache.
You can clear Safari's history and website data directly in the app, but you'll find more options in Settings. Doing this regularly can fix glitches or speed up browsing without deleting your bookmarks or saved passwords.
Also:
I found an iPhone and Mac browser that's faster, safer, and easier than Safari
Tip: For even more granular control, go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data, then tap Remove All Website Data. This clears only cookies and tracking data, not your browsing history. Safari will simply behave as if you haven't visited any sites before, so you'll need to log back into your favorite services.
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Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
2. Clear Chrome browsing data on iPhone
Including cached images and files, cookies, and more
If you use Chrome on your iPhone instead, you can clear the cache just like in Safari. Chrome also saves temporary data to improve speed, but again, thos

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- Offloading or deleting them can free up significant space.

### Areas for Consideration
N/A

### Implications
- When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
- When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions.
- This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay.
- If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers iphone, cache, clear topics. Notable strengths include discussion of iphone. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1973.