How To Clear Cache on iPad [Expert Guide]

Cache is the magical space within your device that stores various types of information that you have used throughout your activities. This information includes internet cookies, site data, app data, images, and other things that help speed up loading times by giving your device faster access to data that you have encountered in the past.

While this may sound like a good deal (and it does have its perks) it does take up some of your device’s memory space. The more information you gather along the way, the more your cache builds up. The more your cache builds up, the slower or inconsistent your device will become.

If you notice that your iPad starts to get slower, lags a little more, and sometimes does not follow your commands, then perhaps it is time to clear out the cache. However, there could also be multiple other reasons for your iPad to misbehave, and you can try troubleshooting other things first before clearing up any data.

How do you clean up your iPad and make it faster?

We get it, storing the iPad cache can be really convenient. As much as possible, you may want to hold on to it a little longer, so here are a few things you can try before deleting anything off your device.

Aside from clearing cached data, other ways to clean up your iPad and make it run faster include:

Offload Unused Apps

There is a handy feature built into iOS devices called the Offload Unused Apps feature. When you activate this tool, it will automatically uninstall apps that you do not use often or at all. There are not enough details as to how long you have to go without using the app before it is considered under the offload list.

The difference between using the offload feature versus actually deleting the app is the former allows the apps to stay on your home screen and your app library. Offloading also does not delete any of the documents or data that is connected with the app. Lastly, the app’s icon appears with a little cloud icon next to it. This means that the next time you tap on the icon, your iPad will automatically start downloading the app again.

You can activate this feature by going to “Settings”, then “App Store”, and then toggle “Offload Unused Apps” to turn it on.

If you prefer to double check just how much storage space this feature frees up for you, head over to “Settings”, “General”, and then “iPad Storage”. There should be an area below the graph with some information on how much space you can free up by enabling the feature.

Two Downsides To Offloading Apps

While this sounds like a great alternative to deleting the apps completely, there are 2 factors to consider before you tap offload apps.

Downside #1: You can’t download depreciated apps

There are some apps that may be great to keep handy but are soon deleted off the App Store. If this app gets offloaded in the automatic downsizing, then you will have no option to download it again since it was taken off the App Store.

If there are old apps you need to keep, best to steer clear of the Offload feature.

Downside #2: Special Apps

There are some apps on our devices that only get their moment in the limelight when we find ourselves in unique situations or locations. If this location happens to be in an area with little to no coverage (think hiking trail), it would be a major inconvenience to not have it in the rare times you were going to open it up.

Offloading Apps Manually

If the downsides above are deal breakers for you, there is still a way for you to maximise this feature: by offloading apps manually. Simply head over to “Settings”, hit “General”, and then select “iPhone Storage”.

Once you are there, select the app you want to offload and simply choose “Offload App”.

Permanently Delete Apps

Don’t need the frills of offloading and keeping the app icons in plain sight? You can opt to permanently delete some apps instead. You can find the list of your available apps under the “iPhone Storage” page. This list is conveniently lined up according to how much space it is taking up on your iPad.

If you find the app you want gone, simply select the “Delete App” button located under the offload button.

How to clear your cache on iPad?

If you have decided to just go ahead and clear up the cache, then you can simply go to your search engine of choice through your iPad’s settings, and then hit “Clear History and Website Data”.

However, depending on your chosen search engine, the process could look a little different from one another.

How to clear cache in Safari

Safari lets you conveniently delete your search history, cookies, and Safari cache all at once if you want to, which makes it a real time saver! However, since we are focused on clearing cache alone, here is a step-by-step guide to it:

Step 1: Go to your iPad’s “Settings”, scroll down until you find “Safari”. Click on it, and then scroll down again once you find the “Clear History and Website Data” button.

Step 2” Once you have selected it, choose “Clear” on the pop up window to confirm the action.

How to clear cache in Google Chrome

Chrome offers you more options than Safari does when clearing your cache.

Step 1: Tap the 3 horizontal dots located on the upper right corner of the screen. Then, you want to hit “Settings”.

Step 2: Scroll down until you reach “Privacy”, and select it.

Step 3: Hit “Clear Browsing Data”

Step 4: Tap on “Cached Images and Files”, and keep everything else unchecked.

Step 5: Once that is cleared you, can you hit “Clear Browsing Data”, and then tap it again to confirm.

How to clear cache in Firefox

Firefox may not be as popular as the first two search engines but if it is your preference, there are steps to clear cache too.

Step 1: While Firefox is open on your screen, click the three lines (hamburger menu) located on the upper right corner of your screen. Once the drop down menu displays, select “Settings”.

Step 2: Select “Data Management” located under “Privacy”

Step 3: Keep the Cache option toggled on while everything else is toggled off. Here, tap on “Clear Private Data” twice to confirm.

How can I clear my iPhone cache from third-party apps?

Similarly, you may need to clear up cache on your iPhone in order to make it work faster and more efficiently. A lot of the cache is not only stored in your chosen browser, but also in the third party apps downloaded on the device. To clear this out, you will need to check with the specific apps since the process can vary depending on the app.

For example, in order to clear cache for the productivity app “Slack”, you will need to go to “Settings”, find “Slack”, and then choose “Reset cache on next launch”. While for WhatsApp, you have more control by being able to clear out individual conversations from within the app. Simply go to the app Settings, choose “Data and storage use”, and then “Storage usage”.

If you have an app that you feel is hoarding too much unnecessary data on your iPhone, but you can’t find a quality option to clear it cache, then you can check the iOS iPhone Storage screen for guidance.

Step 1: Open “Settings” on your device.

Step 2: Select “General”

Step 3: Select “iPhone Storage”

Step 4: The list of all your apps according to its weight will then appear. You can find the heaviest apps listed first. With this hierarchy set up, you can better decide if the app stored in your phone is taking up too much space.

Step 5: Once you select an app, there are usually two options on the screen: Offload App or Delete App. The choice is yours whether you want to preserve any documents and data, or remove everything.

Note: Need a little more guidance than just the app size? You can scroll further down the iPhone Storage list to find all the “Last Used” dates on the app. If it has been a month or more since you last opened it, then consider tossing it out.

You’re All Set!

If you still find that your device is lagging or malfunctioning even after clearing up storage space and deleting the cache, it is probably time to repair your iPad and iPhone. Otherwise, you are now well on your way to a more efficient mobile device!