Your iPhone browsers are like countertops: Over time, they collect clutter and become far less effective at the things they were meant to do. Sometimes, you just need to take some time out to clear things up. Regardless of whether you prefer Chrome or Safari or any other browser, it is a good idea to clear your cache from time to time. It will speed up your phone while you are browsing the web. You can also manage your iPhone's storage to help it run faster again.
Typically, visiting a website requires your phone to download information such as photos, banners, and other data. To help speed up that process, most Internet browsers will store some of that data in a cache so that it is easier to recover. You throw your keys on the kitchen counter because they're easy to pick up the next time you need them.
Things become less convenient when your browser's cache becomes out of date and the data being retrieved no longer matches the data being used on the website. Result? Slow load speed and crappy website formatting. It's the equivalent of tossing your keys and your mail, coats, reusable cups and whatever else you have on your counter. Suddenly, you don't have room to do anything.
So clearing your cache can help: it gives sites a fresh start in your browser and frees up some space on your storage. Note that clearing your cache will sign you out of sites you are currently logged in to. Still, it's worth that slight discomfort from time to time to keep things moving fast.
How to Clear Your iPhone Cache in Safari
Safari is the default browser on the iPhone, and you can clear your Safari cache in just a few steps. Starting with iOS 11, following this procedure will affect all devices signed in to your iCloud account. All your device's caches will be cleared as a result, and you'll have to sign in to everything the next time you use them. Here's what to do.
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Select Safari from the list of apps.
3. Go to Advanced > Website Data.
4. Scroll down and select Clear History and Website Data.
5. Select Remove Now in the pop-up box.
Then you are ready!
How to Clear Your iPhone Cache in Chrome
Chrome is another popular browser for iPhone users. The entire process of clearing your Chrome cache requires a few more steps, and you'll have to do it through the Chrome browser itself. This way.
1. Open the Chrome app.
2. Select the three dots at the bottom right to open more options.
3. Scroll down and select Settings.
4. Select Privacy in the next menu.
5. Then select Clear Browsing Data to open a final menu.
6. Select the desired time frame at the top of the menu (anywhere from last hour to all times).
7. Make sure that Cookies, Site data with Cached images and files is selected. Finally, hit Clear Browsing Data at the bottom of the screen.
How to Clear Your iPhone Cache in Firefox
If you're a fan of Firefox, don't worry. Clearing the cache on your iPhone is pretty straightforward. Simply follow these steps.
1. Click on the hamburger menu in the lower right corner to open the options.
2. Select Settings at the bottom of the menu.
3. Select Data Management in the Privacy section.
4. You can select Website data to clear data for individual sites, or select Clear personal data at the bottom of the screen to clear data from all selected fields.
What happens when you clear the cache?
Clearing your cache deletes website data stored locally by your phone to prevent downloading that data on each new visit. The data in your cache builds up over time and things can slow down if it gets too heavy. (My phone had about 150MB of data stored in Chrome when I checked.) Clearing that data gives sites a fresh start, which can fix some loading errors and speed up your browser. However, clearing your cache also locks you out of pages, so be prepared to sign in again for everything.
How often do I need to clear my cache?
Most people only need to clear their cache once every month or two. Usually this is the point when your browser will build up enough cache to start slowing things down. If you frequent a large number of sites, you should err on the side of clearing your cache more often.
