A step-by-step guide to locating and clearing the cache on your Android device to free up storage space and improve performance.
What are Cache Files?
Cache files are temporary files stored on your Android device to allow apps to load content faster. The cache stores images, videos, ads and other data that apps display so they don’t need to download the content every time you open the app.
Over time, these cached files can build up and take up a significant amount of storage space on your device. Clearing the cache can free up storage and also help improve performance of apps that have a bloated cache.
Locating Cache Files
There are a couple ways to view and clear cache files on Android:
Via Settings
You can view and clear cache files for specific apps in your device Settings:
- Open Settings and go to Apps or Application Manager.
- Select the app you want to clear the cache for.
- Tap Storage or Storage & Cache.
- You will see the Cache amount for the app. Tap Clear Cache to delete it.
Using a File Manager App
You can also use a file manager or file explorer app to view and delete cache files:
- Download a file manager app like ES File Explorer or Astro File Manager.
- Open the app and navigate to the Cache folder, usually located at Android/data/ or Internal Storage/Android/data/
- Browse the folders for each app and delete cache files you want to remove.
Clearing All Cache on Android
If you want to clear the cache for all apps at once, you can do so from your device Settings:
- Go to Settings > Storage.
- Tap Cached data.
- Tap OK to confirm clearing cached data for all apps.
This will clear the cache for all apps at once and may help free up a significant amount of storage space.
Pros of Clearing Cache
- Frees up storage space on your device.
- Can speed up performance of apps with bloated caches.
- May fix some app freezing or crashing issues.
Cons of Clearing Cache
- Apps will need to re-download cache data, which uses data.
- You may temporarily see lower performance until cache rebuilds.
- You will lose temporary app data which may affect usability until refreshed.
FAQs
Should I clear cache on my Android regularly?
It’s generally a good idea to periodically clear your Android device’s cache every few months or so to free up storage space. But you don’t need to clear it too frequently as the cache serves an important purpose. Only clear app caches if you are experiencing performance issues with that particular app.
Will clearing cache delete any important data?
Clearing the cache will only delete temporary cached files and data stored by apps. It will not delete any of your personal content, media, downloaded files, or anything important like that.
Can clearing cache improve battery life?
Possibly. Very large, bloated app caches can negatively impact system performance and drain battery. Clearing excess cached data may help restore battery life in some cases.