This wikiHow teaches you how to free up space on your Android by clearing the app cache. From the Settings menu, you can either clear the cache for all apps at once or for an individual app.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:
Clearing the Cache on All Your Apps
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Open your Android’s Settings. You’ll usually find this app on the home screen or in the apps menu.
- On most Android phones, you can swipe down from the top of the screen, then tap on the gear icon to access the settings menu.
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Tap the magnifying glass icon. On most Android phones, the search bar is at the top of the screen or in the upper-right corner of the Settings menu.Advertisement
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Type Storage into the search bar. Since the Android settings menu is different from one Android to another, it's easiest to use the search bar to find options in the Settings menu.
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Tap Storage in the search results. This should take you to your Storage settings.
- This option is called Storage & USB on some Android devices.
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Tap Clear cache , Clean Now , or Free up Space . Depending on the make and model of your phone, there will be a button that says "clear cache", "clean now", or "free up space", or something similar. Tap the button to clear your cache.
- If you don't see this option on the Storage menu, look for Phone storage . You will find Cached data there.
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Tap OK . If you are asked to confirm if you want to clear your cache, tap Ok in the pop-up window.Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:
Clearing the Cache for Individual Apps
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Open your Android’s Settings. You’ll usually find this app on the home screen or in the apps menu.
- On most Android phones, you can swipe down from the top of the screen, then tap on the gear icon to access the settings menu.
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Scroll down and tap Apps . This displays a list of installed apps.
- If you are having trouble finding any menu items in Settings menu, tap the magnifying glass icon in the upper-right corner and type the menu item you are looking for in the search bar.
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Tap on an app. This opens information about the app.
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Tap Storage . It’s the first option in the menu below the buttons.
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Tap CLEAR CACHE . This deletes the cache for the selected app.
- Repeat these steps to clear the cache for additional apps.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionIf I delete cache data, will it remove my poems, pictures, collections, etc?Smc3d06Community AnswerNo, that is your "app data" and it's safe unless you tap to delete it instead of the cache option. The average user likely won't notice any changes after deleting cache except in regards to available storage. Think of cache as crumbs left behind after eating a cookie.
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QuestionI have several old phones I would like to donate to the servicemen & women in order to call home. How do I make sure all my personal data has been removed?Community AnswerIn the settings menu, there will be an option to fully factory reset the device and bring it back to the initial setup. You can usually find it by using the search function in the settings application.
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QuestionHow do I clear the data from an app on an Android phone?Community AnswerYou follow the steps above but press "Clear Data" instead of "Clear Cache". This clears the whole app, including cache, and resets it.
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Warnings
- You may lose your custom settings in some apps when you clear all cached data, so always proceed with caution before clearing your cache.Thanks
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About this article
Article Summary
X
1. Open your Android's Settings.
2. Tap the magnifying glass icon.
3. Type "Storage" in the search bar.
4. Tap Storage
in the search results.
5. Tap the button that says Clear cache
, Clean now
, or Free up space
.
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 12,426 times.
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