What cache is and why clearing it helps

Cache is temporary data that apps and Safari store on your iPhone to load faster next time. When you visit a website, Safari saves images and code. When you use an app, it stores login information, search history, and settings. This speeds things up — but over time, cache can pile up and take storage space, or cause an app to behave oddly.

Clearing cache does not delete your passwords or saved logins (unless you specifically choose to). It removes the temporary files that apps and Safari have collected. On iPhone 13, you can clear cache for Safari, individual apps, or both at once. The method depends on what you want to clear and how thorough you want to be.

Key Takeaways

  • Safari cache clears through Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data, and you can choose to clear only cache or also browsing history.
  • Individual app cache clears through Settings > General > iPhone Storage, where you can offload or delete apps to remove their stored data.
  • Clearing cache does not remove your saved passwords, but it does clear browsing history if you select that option.
  • Cache buildup rarely causes serious problems, but clearing it can free up a few hundred megabytes and fix apps that load slowly or show outdated information.

Clear Safari cache and browsing history

Open Settings on your iPhone 13 and scroll down to find Safari. Tap it, then scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data. A menu appears with three options: the time range (Last Hour, Last Day, Last Week, Last Month, or All Time) and what to clear.

If you want to clear only cache without losing your browsing history, you cannot do that in Safari directly — the option clears both together. Choose your time range and tap Clear History and Website Data at the bottom. Your Safari cache is now gone. Passwords and autofill information stay in place.

Remove cache from individual apps

Apps store their own cache separately from Safari. To clear an app's cache without deleting the app itself, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Scroll through the list until you find the app you want to clear. Tap it, then tap Offload App. This removes the app but keeps your data (login information, saved settings, documents you created in the app).

If you want to remove the app entirely and start fresh, tap Delete App instead. After offloading or deleting, you can reinstall the app from the App Store — it will download fresh and rebuild its cache as you use it. This method works for any app: social media, email, messaging, games, or productivity tools.

Free up storage by checking what takes space

Before you clear cache, it helps to see what is actually using your storage. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and look at the list. Apps are sorted by size, with the largest at the top. Most cache is small — a few hundred megabytes at most — so clearing it rarely frees up dramatic amounts of space. But if an app shows 2 GB or more, much of that is likely cache or downloaded content.

Tap any app to see a breakdown. For apps like Netflix or Spotify that download content, you can delete downloaded shows or songs directly in the app itself rather than offloading the whole app. For other apps, offloading is the fastest way to clear everything at once.

When clearing cache actually solves problems

Cache causes visible problems in specific situations. If an app shows outdated information (old messages, stale news feeds, incorrect account balances), clearing its cache often fixes it. If an app crashes repeatedly or loads very slowly, cache corruption can be the cause. If you are having trouble logging into an app after changing your password, clearing cache sometimes helps.

For Safari, clearing cache can speed up browsing if you have visited thousands of websites over months. But for most people, the difference is small. Cache is not like a virus or a security threat — it is just old data taking up space. Clear it if you notice a problem or if you want to free up storage, but you do not need to do it regularly.

Automatic cache clearing options

You can set Safari to clear cache automatically when you close it. Go to Settings > Safari and scroll down to find Close Tabs. Tap it and choose Manually, After One Day, After One Week, or After One Month. This does not automatically clear cache — it only closes your open tabs. To actually clear cache on a schedule, you need to do it manually through the Clear History option.

iPhone does not have a built-in setting to clear app cache automatically. You have to offload or delete apps by hand. Some people set a monthly reminder to clear Safari cache, but it is not necessary unless you notice Safari running slowly or you are running low on storage.

What does not get cleared when you clear cache

Clearing cache keeps your passwords, autofill information, and saved credit cards intact. It also does not remove your browsing history unless you specifically choose that option in the Clear History menu. If you want to keep your history but clear only the cached files, Safari does not offer that choice — you have to clear both together or clear neither.

Clearing app cache keeps your login information and any documents or data you created in the app. If you offload an app instead of deleting it, all your settings and data stay on your iPhone — the app just removes itself from view and storage. When you reinstall it, everything comes back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache delete my passwords?

No. Clearing Safari cache or app cache does not remove saved passwords or autofill information. Those are stored separately. If you want to remove a saved password, you have to delete it manually through Settings > Passwords.

How much storage does cache usually take up?

Cache is typically small — usually between 100 MB and 500 MB total across all apps and Safari combined. Clearing it rarely frees up significant space unless you have not cleared it in years or you use apps that download large amounts of content like Netflix or Spotify.

Should I clear cache regularly?

No. Cache does not degrade performance or security on iPhone 13. Clear it only if you notice an app behaving oddly, you are running low on storage, or you want to remove browsing history for privacy reasons.

Can I clear cache for just one website in Safari?

No. Safari clears cache for all websites at once. You cannot select individual sites. If you want to clear data for one site only, you have to clear all Safari cache and history.

What happens if I offload an app instead of deleting it?

Offloading removes the app from your iPhone but keeps all your data, settings, and login information. When you reinstall it from the App Store, everything comes back exactly as it was. Deleting removes the app and all its data permanently.