Mobile — iOSClear Cache in Safari
Follow these 4 simple steps
1
Open the Settings App
Go to your home screen and open the Settings app (gear icon).
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Photos
Camera
Maps
Clock
Weather
Notes
News
Health
Settings
Search
2
Scroll Down to Safari
Scroll down the Settings list and tap "Safari".
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Settings
General
Accessibility
Wallpaper
Siri & Search
Safari
News
Translate
3
Tap Clear History and Website Data
Scroll down and tap "Clear History and Website Data".
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Settings
Safari
Search Engine
AutoFill
Frequently Visited Sites
Block Pop-ups
Clear History and Website Data
4
Confirm the Action
A popup will appear. Tap "Clear History and Data" to confirm. This clears cache, cookies, and browsing history.
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Safari
Clear History and Data
This will clear history, cookies, and other browsing data.
Clear History and Data
Cancel
All Done!
Your browser cache has been cleared. The page should now load fresh content.
Everything You Need to Know About Clearing Safari Cache
Having trouble with Safari on your iPhone? If websites are loading slowly, displaying outdated content, or not working properly, clearing the browser cache is often the fastest fix. Your iPhone's Safari browser stores temporary files — including images, scripts, and website data — to help pages load faster on future visits. While this usually improves your browsing experience, the cache can become outdated or bloated over time, causing pages to break or load incorrectly. Clearing your Safari cache on iPhone removes these stored files and forces the browser to fetch fresh content from the web. Follow the simple steps below to clear your Safari cache on your iPhone and get back to smooth, fast browsing.
Why Clear Cache in Safari?
Your iPhone's Safari browser caches files to improve browsing speed, but this can backfire. Outdated cached content can make websites look broken or display old information. A bloated cache can slow down Safari and use valuable iPhone storage space. Some app or website glitches are caused by corrupted cache data. Website logins and form submissions may not work correctly with stale cache. Clearing the Safari cache on your iPhone is completely safe and only takes a moment. It's one of the most common fixes for iPhone browsing issues.
When Should You Clear Safari Cache?
You should consider clearing your Safari cache when: websites look broken or display incorrectly; pages load very slowly despite having a good internet connection; you see an old version of a website after it was updated; you encounter error messages on websites that should work fine; web applications or online tools aren't functioning properly; you want to free up storage space on your device; you're troubleshooting login or authentication issues; a website asks you to clear your cache to fix a problem. As a general practice, clearing your cache every few weeks helps maintain optimal browser performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I clear the cache in Safari?
To clear Safari cache on your iPhone, open the app settings or browser settings, find the privacy or browsing data section, select cached files, and tap to clear. The exact steps vary slightly depending on the browser — follow our step-by-step guide above.
Will clearing Safari cache delete my saved passwords?
No, clearing the cache in Safari will not delete your saved passwords. The cache only contains temporary files like images, scripts, and website data. Passwords are stored separately in Safari's password manager. However, be careful not to check the 'Passwords' or 'Saved logins' option when clearing data — only select 'Cached images and files' if you want to keep your passwords safe.
How often should I clear my Safari cache?
There's no strict rule, but clearing your Safari cache every 2-4 weeks is a good practice for most users. If you browse heavily, you might want to clear it weekly. If you notice websites loading slowly, displaying incorrectly, or using too much storage, it's time to clear the cache. Some users prefer to clear the cache only when they encounter problems, which is also perfectly fine.
What is browser cache and why does Safari use it?
Safari, like all modern browsers, uses cache to store copies of web page resources — images, CSS stylesheets, JavaScript files, and other content — on your device. This means when you revisit a website, Safari can load these files from your local storage instead of downloading them again, making pages load much faster. The cache is essentially a performance optimization that saves bandwidth and reduces load times.
Will clearing cache in Safari log me out of websites?
Clearing only the cache (cached images and files) in Safari should NOT log you out of websites. However, if you also clear cookies and site data at the same time, you WILL be logged out of most websites. When clearing cache, make sure only 'Cached images and files' is checked, and leave 'Cookies and site data' unchecked if you want to stay logged in.
Can I clear Safari cache for a specific time range?
Yes, most versions of Safari allow you to choose a time range when clearing cache. Common options include: Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, and All time. Selecting 'All time' clears everything, while shorter periods only remove recently cached data. Choose the time range that suits your needs — if you're troubleshooting a specific issue, 'All time' is usually the most effective option.
What's the difference between cache and cookies in Safari?
In Safari, cache and cookies serve different purposes. Cache stores website files (images, scripts, stylesheets) to speed up page loading on future visits. Cookies store small pieces of data like login status, preferences, and shopping cart contents. Clearing cache won't affect your login sessions or preferences, but clearing cookies will log you out and reset site-specific settings. When troubleshooting, it's usually best to clear the cache first before touching cookies.
Does clearing Safari cache speed up my browser?
Yes, clearing the Safari cache can speed up your browsing, especially if the cache has grown very large or contains corrupted data. A bloated cache can actually slow down Safari because the browser spends time searching through old files. After clearing the cache, the first visit to each website may take slightly longer since files need to be re-downloaded, but subsequent browsing is typically faster and more responsive.
How much storage space does Safari cache use?
Safari's cache size varies depending on your browsing habits, but it can range from a few hundred megabytes to several gigabytes. Heavy web users who visit many image-rich sites may accumulate larger caches. On mobile devices, this can be significant since storage is more limited. You can usually check the cache size in Safari's settings under storage or site data. Clearing the cache regularly helps keep storage usage in check.
Does incognito/private mode in Safari use cache?
When you browse in Safari's incognito or private mode, the browser does create a temporary cache during your session, but it is automatically deleted when you close the private window or tab. This means private browsing doesn't contribute to your long-term cache buildup. However, your regular browsing cache still exists and may need to be cleared separately. Incognito mode is useful for one-time browsing without leaving cache data behind.
Can I set Safari to automatically clear cache?
Yes, many versions of Safari offer settings to automatically clear cache data. On desktop Safari, you can often find this in Privacy & Security settings where you can set the browser to clear cache on exit. Some mobile versions may also offer this option. Additionally, browser extensions or add-ons can provide more granular automatic cache clearing on schedules. Check Safari's settings for 'Clear on exit' or similar options.
Can I clear cache for all browsers at once?
There's no built-in way to clear cache for all browsers at once. Each browser — Safari included — manages its own cache independently. You need to clear the cache in each browser separately. On some devices, you can clear app cache through system settings (like Android's App settings), but for the most thorough clean, it's best to clear cache within each browser individually.
Can I clear Safari cache for just one specific website?
Yes, Safari offers ways to clear cache for specific websites. On desktop, you can usually right-click on a page, open Developer Tools (F12), then right-click the refresh button and select 'Empty Cache and Hard Reload'. Alternatively, you can go to Safari's site settings to remove data for individual sites. This is useful when a specific site is acting up but you don't want to clear your entire cache.
What happens to my browsing after I clear Safari cache?
After clearing the Safari cache, the first time you visit each website it will take slightly longer to load because the browser needs to download all resources fresh. This is normal and temporary. After that initial visit, Safari will rebuild its cache naturally as you browse, and pages will load quickly again. Your bookmarks, saved passwords, browsing history (unless you cleared that too), and browser settings remain unchanged.
What's the difference between clearing cache and clearing history in Safari?
Clearing cache in Safari removes stored website files (images, scripts, stylesheets) that speed up page loading. Clearing history removes the record of websites you've visited, including URLs in the address bar suggestions and the history page. These are separate operations — you can clear one without the other. Clearing cache fixes display issues, while clearing history is more about privacy. Some browsers combine these options, so read the checkboxes carefully.
Does clearing Safari cache affect my mobile data usage?
Yes, temporarily. After clearing Safari's cache on a mobile device, websites need to re-download all their resources (images, scripts, etc.) on your next visit, which uses data. If you're on a limited mobile data plan, consider clearing cache while connected to Wi-Fi, then visiting your most-used sites to rebuild the cache. After the cache rebuilds, your data usage returns to normal levels.
Will clearing Safari cache delete my bookmarks?
No, clearing the cache in Safari will never delete your bookmarks. Bookmarks are stored separately from cached data and are not affected by clearing the cache, cookies, or even browsing history. Your bookmarks will remain exactly as they are after you clear the cache. If you're syncing bookmarks with a Safari account, they're also backed up in the cloud.
Are Safari extensions or add-ons affected by clearing cache?
Clearing Safari's cache generally does not affect your installed extensions or add-ons. Extensions remain installed and functional. However, some extensions store their own temporary data that may be cleared. Extension settings and configurations are typically preserved. If an extension uses cached data for offline functionality, that data may need to be re-downloaded. In rare cases, clearing all site data (not just cache) might reset some extension permissions.
How large can the Safari cache get?
Safari doesn't have a fixed maximum cache size — it dynamically manages cache based on available disk space. On desktop, the cache can grow to several gigabytes if left unchecked. On mobile devices, the cache is typically smaller due to limited storage. Factors that increase cache size include: visiting many different websites, browsing image-heavy or video-heavy sites, and using web applications. If you notice Safari using a lot of storage, clearing the cache is the fastest way to reclaim space.
Is clearing cache in Safari safe?
Yes, clearing the cache in Safari is completely safe. It does not delete personal data like passwords, bookmarks, or downloads. The only effect is that websites will need to re-download their resources on your next visit, which may cause a brief delay. Clearing cache is a routine maintenance task recommended by browser developers and IT professionals. There's no risk of data loss or browser damage — Safari will simply rebuild its cache as you continue browsing.