What cache and cookies do, and why you might clear them

Cache is temporary data that apps and websites store on your iPad to load faster the next time you visit. Cookies are small files that remember your login information, preferences, and browsing history. Over time, both can pile up and slow your iPad down, cause websites to load incorrectly, or prevent you from logging into accounts with fresh credentials.

Clearing them is safe — you will not lose photos, messages, or documents. The main inconvenience is that websites will load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing, and you may need to log back into accounts. Most people clear cache and cookies when a website is acting broken, when they want to remove browsing history, or when their iPad feels sluggish.

Your iPad stores cache and cookies in two places: in Safari (the built-in web browser) and within individual apps. This guide covers both.

Key Takeaways

  • Safari cache and cookies clear together through Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data, and you can choose to clear just the last hour, day, week, or month instead of everything.
  • Clearing Safari data does not delete your saved passwords or autofill information unless you specifically choose that option.
  • Individual apps like Facebook, Instagram, or Gmail store their own cache separately and must be cleared within each app's settings.
  • If a website is broken or you cannot log in, clearing Safari data is usually the fastest fix.

Clear cache and cookies in Safari

Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Safari. You will see several options — scroll to the bottom and tap Clear History and Website Data.

A popup will appear asking what time range to clear. You have four choices: the last hour, the last day, the last week, or all history. Choose the one that fits what you need. If a website broke today, clear the last day. If you want a complete wipe, choose all history. Tap the blue button to confirm.

Safari will clear both cache and cookies in that time range. Your saved passwords and autofill information stay in place unless you go back into Safari settings and manually delete them — the standard clear does not touch those.

Clear cache from individual apps

Apps like Facebook, Instagram, Gmail, and others keep their own cache separate from Safari. If an app is loading slowly or showing old information, clearing its cache can help. The steps vary slightly by app, but the principle is the same.

Open Settings and scroll down to find the app you want to clear. Tap it. Look for an option called Offload App, Clear Cache, Storage, or Data — the exact name depends on the app. Tap it, then confirm when prompted. This removes temporary files the app stored but does not delete your account or saved login information.

If you cannot find a cache option in Settings, open the app itself and look in its own settings menu — usually a gear icon or three horizontal lines. Search for "cache," "storage," or "clear data." Some apps put this option in their own menus rather than in the iPad Settings app.

When to clear cache versus when to clear cookies

In most situations, you will clear both at once through Safari's standard clear function. But understanding the difference helps when troubleshooting.

Clear cache when a website looks broken, images are not loading, or a page seems stuck on old information. Cache problems usually show up as visual glitches or slow loading. Clear cookies when you cannot log into an account, when a website is not remembering your preferences, or when you want to remove your browsing history. Cookie problems usually show up as login failures or forgotten settings.

If you are not sure which one is causing the problem, just clear both together — it takes the same number of steps and solves most issues.

What happens after you clear cache and cookies

Websites will load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing, because your iPad has to download all the images and data fresh instead of pulling them from storage. This slowdown lasts only for that first visit — subsequent visits will be normal speed.

You will be logged out of most websites and apps. When you visit them again, you will need to enter your username and password. If you use two-factor authentication (a code sent to your phone or email), you will need to complete that step again too. This is normal and expected.

Your saved passwords in Safari remain unless you deleted them separately. If you want to stay logged in without re-entering your password, Safari can save it again the next time you log in — just tap "Save Password" when prompted.

Clear Safari data without clearing everything

If you want to keep some browsing history but clear the rest, use the time-range option. Instead of choosing "all history," pick "last day" or "last week" to clear only recent activity. This is useful if you cleared your cache yesterday and do not want to repeat the process, or if you want to remove today's browsing but keep older history.

You can also clear data for a specific website without clearing everything. Open Safari, tap the bookmarks icon (looks like an open book), then tap the history tab. Find the website you want to remove, swipe left on it, and tap Delete. This removes only that site's history and cookies, leaving everything else intact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache and cookies delete my saved passwords?

No. The standard clear function in Safari removes cache and cookies but leaves saved passwords in place. If you want to delete a specific saved password, go to Settings > Safari > Passwords and delete it manually. If you want to clear everything including passwords, you can do that, but it is a separate step.

Why does a website still look broken after I cleared the cache?

If clearing cache did not fix the problem, the issue is likely on the website's end, not your iPad. Try the website on a different device or browser to confirm. If it works elsewhere, the website may be having server problems. If it is broken everywhere, contact the website's support team.

How often should I clear my cache and cookies?

There is no set schedule. Clear them when a website is broken, when you want to remove browsing history, or when your iPad feels slow. Most people do not need to clear them more than once a month unless they browse heavily or use public iPads.

Can I clear cache and cookies automatically on a schedule?

Safari does not have a built-in automatic clear function. You can set it to clear history when you close the app by going to Settings > Safari and turning on "Close Tabs" and "Clear History and Website Data." This clears data every time you fully close Safari, though it may be more frequent than you want.

What is the difference between clearing data and offloading an app?

Clearing data removes temporary files but keeps the app installed. Offloading removes the app entirely but keeps your account data and settings, so you can reinstall it without losing anything. Offload an app if you need to free up storage space; clear its cache if it is just running slowly.