How to Clear Cache on Android Mobile: A Simple Guide for Faster Performance

Is your phone also lagging more than ever and taking forever to load? Don’t worry, we’ve got a simple and effective solution to clear the cache on your Android device.

This guide will help you break down everything from what a cache is to how to clear it, followed by why to clear it.

What is Cache on Android?

Cache refers to the temporary data stored by apps or websites on your device to help them perform more efficiently. 

For instance, when you visit a website or an application on your device, a few elements like images, scripts, and videos are generally saved in the cache. So, you don’t have to download it over again when you see them next time.

It can appear like it is beneficial for you, but in the long run, lots of cached data can lead to:

• Consumption of a lot of space on your device, which can result in storage limitations.
• Potential risk of encountering outdated content
• Sensitive information like login credentials, browsing history, and more is being exposed.

Pro Tip – It is always advised to clear your data now and then to avoid these problems that arise.

How to Clear App Cache on Android?

Now that you know what cached data is, you must be wondering how to declutter it from your phone. So, here’s the step-by-step solution to do so:

1. Unlock your phone and navigate to the Settings app on your device. 

   

2. Scroll down and find ‘Apps’ or ‘App Notifications’ (depends on the device’s model). 

   

3. Select the app whose cache you want to clear. 

4. Find Storage or Storage & Cache (now the ultimate part will come).

   

5. You’ll see two options – Clear Cache or Clear Storage. 

   

6. Precisely tap on Clear Cache, and it’s done.

   

How to Clear Cache for All Apps at Once?

In earlier Android versions, you could clear all the cache in one go, but now with newer versions, most phone models don’t allow you to clear the cache of all apps at once.

However, there’s a workaround that one can use, and that is the ‘Device Maintenance or Storage Manager’ feature to optimize your phone. So, here’s the way to access this feature:

1. Navigate to the ‘Settings’ app and then to Battery and Device Care.
2. You’ll see an option ‘Optimize Now’.
3.  Tap on that, and it’ll clear all the unused cache and the background apps.

But what if your phone model doesn’t support this feature either? Then, you can use any third-party app (preferably CCleaner or Files by Google), and it’ll help you with the cache filtering.

What Happens When You Clear Cache?

Enough about how to clear; let’s read what happens after you clear the cache. Here’s a quick section that talks about it.

• Firstly, you will see a decrease in the loading time, but there is a chance that some apps might take a little longer to open after the first time you open them.
• Temporary files would be deleted, so no storage issues.
• Common problems like lagging, app crashing, or freezing would be solved.

When Should You Clear Cache?

Most individuals overlook this question and keep clearing their cache every day, but that’s not how it works. You need to clear it once in a while (in a month or so), otherwise your phone will encounter some of these.

• Your phone will feel sluggish.
• Specific apps will misbehave.
• Web pages won’t be updating properly.

Final Thoughts

Clearing the cache from your phone is a simple yet extremely powerful way to keep your device optimized and run it smoothly. It helps free up storage, improve performance, and resolve potential problems that can prove to be a hurdle shortly.