The iPhone and iPad tend to deadening downwardly as they gradually get chock-full up with unwanted files and apps. In this article, nosotros explain how to clean out the enshroud, junk and memory-clogging files on your device, which should information technology turn get it to run faster.

iOS and iPadOS devices don't need the same level of maintenance as Macs (or, heaven forbid, Windows PCs), merely they do crave a minor corporeality of attention to run at optimum speed; the performance of older iPhones and iPads in detail will benefit from a spring make clean. A clear-out likewise helps on a human level, because it enables you to focus on the apps and files yous do utilise.

Update 10 July 2022: If your iPhone is running iOS 13.5.1 you may have noticed some issues with background activity causing battery drain, we are trying to institute if enshroud bug may be connected to this. Read: iPhones experience bombardment draining groundwork action in iOS 13.5.1

How to clear the cache on an iPhone or iPad

Deleting the cache in Safari is simple.

  1. Open Settings, and curlicue down to the 5th group of options (starting with Passwords & Accounts). Tap Safari.
  2. Gyre down and tap 'Articulate History and Website Data'.
  3. In the popup, tap 'Clear History and Data' to confirm.

Note that this volition log you lot out of any websites you've currently signed into.

How to clear cache on iPhone or iPad: Clear Safari's History and Data

Delete unwanted app data

Information stored by other apps can be cleaned out using the Usage option in Settings.

  1. Tap Settings > General > iPhone Storage. (On an iPad this option will exist labelled iPad Storage.)
  2. At the bottom of the screen (beneath recommendations for ways to relieve space) you'll run across your apps, arranged by the amount of storage they take up. Tap an app that's taking upwards a lot of space.
  3. Check the figure for Documents & Data. This includes related media such every bit pictures, songs and podcasts, save games and preferences; in some cases it tin exist considerably larger than the app itself.
  4. If the Documents & Information figure is more than than 500MB, and yous're prepared to lose the above files, consider deleting and reinstalling the app to clear this infinite. (The app below has just 319KB, and then nosotros wouldn't carp. It's a game nosotros've barely started playing.)
  5. If you decide to proceed, tap Delete App, confirm, then head to the App Shop (or your Purchased listing) and re-download it. This clean install won't include the data and documents and will therefore be smaller.

How to clear cache on iPhone or iPad: Delete app data

Gratuitous upwards memory past restarting your iPhone or iPad

For the most office, iOS does a good task of managing memory without any user involvement. Only we do observe that restarting an iPhone from time to fourth dimension is a skilful way to clear out the retentivity and ensure important apps have enough to run happily.

Here'south how to restart your iPhone:

  1. Hold downwards the power button (at the top or top-correct of the device) until "slide to power off" appears. If you've got an iPhone without a Home button (a XR, 11, 11 Pro and then on) you'll need to hold down both power and book up until the slider appears.
  2. Swipe the ability off slider.
  3. Expect until the device has fully powered down, and so printing and hold the power push button to turn the iPhone on again.

Doing this on a regular ground used to be vital on an iPhone, just is less so these days. Nonetheless, it tin can still be useful on older models.

Download a cleaner app

In that location are enough of apps out there that practise a quick and efficient job of getting rid of files yous don't need. These are normally downloaded to your Mac or PC; you lot so connect your iPhone (or iPad) and allow the app do its thing.

A cleaner app is unremarkably the almost constructive way to make space on your iPhone, just if yous desire a fully featured ane they normally cost somewhere in the region of £twenty/$20. Better that than having to cough upwardly for a whole new phone.

PhoneClean

PhoneClean past iMobie tin can be used to remove junk files from iOS. Follow these steps:

  1. Plug the iPhone into your Mac.
  2. Open PhoneClean and click Scan.
  3. Once the scan is consummate, click Clean.

Some PhoneClean features, including Photograph Caches, are only bachelor in the Pro version. This starts at $xix.99 (around £sixteen), for a unmarried Mac or PC for one year.

How to clear cache on iPhone & iPad: PhoneClean by iMobie

iMyFone Umate

Much like PhoneClean, iMyFone Umate for Mac and Windows tin be used to quickly remove temporary and junk files from your iOS device.

  1. Connect the iPhone to your Mac or PC.
  2. Open up iMyFone Umate and click Scan (on the Home tab).
  3. Cheque the Junk Files and Temporary Files sections, then articulate them to free up infinite on your device (we managed 4GB on our test iPhone).
  4. You can also clear out any large files, and come across which apps have upwards the virtually space, then delete them.

There'southward a complimentary version if you desire to try the application out for yourself. The paid version, which costs $19.95 (£16), adds more than avant-garde features.

How to clear cache on iPhone & iPad: iMyFone Umate

Further reading

That's all for today, but we hope the tips above help you to improve your device'south operation. For more than general iOS speed tips, it would be worth taking a await at our broader tutorials: How to speed upwardly a tiresome iPhone and How to speed upwardly a tedious iPad.

At some bespeak y'all may wish to bite the bullet and buy a new device. You lot can do this direct from Apple, but nosotros'd recommend taking the time to read some advice first; our iPhone buying guide and iPad ownership guide should be your first ports of call.