What clearing cache does and why you might need to
Cache is temporary data Safari stores on your device — website images, scripts, and files — so pages load faster the next time you visit them. Over time, cached files pile up and can slow your browser down, cause pages to display outdated versions, or free up storage space on your Mac or iPhone. Clearing cache removes these stored files and forces Safari to download fresh versions the next time you visit those sites.
You might clear cache if a website looks broken or won't load properly, if you want to remove your browsing history for privacy reasons, or simply to reclaim storage space. Safari lets you clear just the cache, or the cache plus browsing history, cookies, and other data — you choose what goes.
Key Takeaways
- On Mac, go to Safari menu > Settings > Privacy, click Manage Website Data, select sites, and click Remove.
- On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data and choose the time range.
- Clearing cache removes temporary files but keeps your saved passwords and autofill information unless you specifically delete those too.
- You can set Safari to clear cache automatically when you quit the browser on Mac, or turn on Private Browsing to prevent cache from building up at all.
Clearing cache on Mac
Open Safari and click the Safari menu in the top left. Select Settings (or Preferences on older macOS versions). Click the Privacy tab at the top of the window.
Click the Manage Website Data button. A list of websites appears with the amount of data Safari has stored for each one. You can select individual sites and click Remove to delete only their cached data, or click Remove All to clear everything at once. Click Done when finished.
If you want Safari to clear cache automatically every time you quit the browser, go back to the Privacy tab and check the box next to "Remove all website data when quitting Safari." This prevents cache from building up over time, though it means pages will load slightly slower on your first visit to a site.
Clearing cache on iPhone and iPad
Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Safari. Scroll to the bottom and tap Clear History and Website Data.
A popup appears asking you to choose a time range. Select all time to clear everything, or pick a specific range like "the last hour" or "today" if you only want to remove recent cache. Tap Clear History and Data to confirm. Safari will remove cached files, browsing history, and cookies for the time period you selected.
Unlike Mac, iOS does not have a built-in option to clear cache automatically. If you want to prevent cache from building up, you can enable Private Browsing mode, which prevents Safari from storing cache, history, or cookies while you browse.
What gets deleted when you clear cache
When you clear cache, Safari removes temporary website files, images, and scripts. It also removes your browsing history and cookies by default on both Mac and iPhone — cookies are small files websites use to remember you and keep you logged in.
Clearing cache does not delete your saved passwords, autofill information, or credit card data unless you specifically choose to remove those separately. On Mac, you can uncheck boxes in the Privacy settings to keep passwords and autofill data while clearing only cache and history. On iPhone, the Clear History and Website Data option removes history, cache, and cookies together — there is no way to clear only cache without also removing history.
Using Private Browsing to prevent cache buildup
If you do not want Safari to store cache, history, or cookies at all, you can use Private Browsing mode. On Mac, click File > New Private Window, or press Shift + Command + N. On iPhone or iPad, tap the Tabs button (two overlapping squares) at the bottom right, then tap Private at the bottom left, and tap Done.
While Private Browsing is on, Safari will not store any browsing data. You will still be able to use websites normally, but nothing gets saved to your device. When you close the private window or turn off Private Browsing, no trace of those sites remains. This is useful if you are browsing on a shared device or want to keep certain activity private.
Clearing cache for specific websites only
On Mac, you can remove cache for just one or two websites without clearing everything. Go to Safari > Settings > Privacy and click Manage Website Data. Find the website in the list, click it to select it, and click Remove. This deletes only that site's cached data while leaving cache from other sites untouched.
On iPhone and iPad, you cannot clear cache for individual sites — the Clear History and Website Data option removes all cached data for the time range you select. If you need to clear cache for only one site on iOS, your only option is to clear all cache and then revisit the sites you want to keep cached.
Troubleshooting cache problems
If a website still looks broken or loads incorrectly after clearing cache, try closing Safari completely and reopening it. On Mac, quit Safari entirely (Command + Q) rather than just closing the window. On iPhone or iPad, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close Safari in the app switcher, then reopen it.
If the problem persists, try disabling Safari extensions that might interfere with the site. Go to Safari > Settings > Extensions on Mac, or Settings > Safari > Extensions on iPhone, and toggle off any extensions you do not recognize or need. You can also try opening the site in Private Browsing mode to see if the problem goes away — if it does, an extension or stored cookie is likely the cause.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cache delete my passwords and saved credit cards?
No, clearing cache does not remove passwords or credit card information by default. On Mac, you can see exactly what gets deleted in the Privacy settings before you clear anything. On iPhone, passwords and autofill data stay saved even after you clear history and website data.
How often should I clear my cache?
There is no set schedule — it depends on how much you browse and how much storage space you have. If your Mac or iPhone is running slowly or you are running low on storage, clearing cache can help. Many people clear cache once a month or when a website stops working properly. If you want it cleared automatically, enable the "Remove all website data when quitting Safari" option on Mac.
Does clearing cache speed up Safari?
Clearing very old or corrupted cache can sometimes make Safari faster, especially if your device is low on storage. However, cache is designed to make pages load faster on repeat visits, so clearing it means the first time you visit a site afterward, it will load slightly slower while Safari downloads fresh files.
Can I clear cache without clearing my browsing history?
On Mac, yes — you can select individual websites in Manage Website Data and remove only their cache. On iPhone and iPad, the Clear History and Website Data option removes both together, so you cannot separate them. If you want to keep history but remove cache on iOS, you would need to manually delete individual sites from your history one at a time.
What is the difference between cache and cookies?
Cache stores website files like images and scripts to make pages load faster. Cookies are small text files websites use to remember you — they keep you logged in, store preferences, and track your activity. Both get deleted when you clear history and website data, but they serve different purposes.