3 Ways to Clear Cache on an iPad

This article explains how to delete the app cache in the Safari and Chrome browsers on any iPad (iPadOS 15 and earlier), as well as how to delete your app cache without losing your app data.

How to Clear the Safari Cache on iPad

If you've noticed that your iPad is getting sluggish or is behaving erratically, clearing the cache can help, but you'll need to clear the cache from any browsers and your apps.

Follow these steps to clean up Safari:

1. On your iPad, tap Settings.

2. On the Settings page, select Safari from the left navigation menu. You may have to scroll to find it.

3. On the Safari settings page, scroll down to the Privacy & Security section and select Clear History and Website Data.

4. In the confirmation box, tap Clear.

Depending on how long it's been since it was done last, it may take a few minutes for the Safari cache to clear. Once it's complete, you should notice a difference in the responsiveness of your iPad if you were previously having slowdown issues.

How to Clear the Cache in the Chrome Browser on iPad

If you use Chrome on your iPad instead of Safari, follow these steps to clear that browser's cache:

1. Open your Chrome browser and tap More (three dots) in the upper-right corner of the page.

2. In the menu that appears, tap Settings.

3. In the Settings dialog box, select Privacy.

4. In the Privacy window, tap Clear Browsing Data.

5. In the Clear Browsing Data dialog box, select the type of data you want to clear:

   • Browsing History: This is the history of all the sites you've visited.
   • Cookies, Site Data: This is small bits of information stored in your web browser that helps sites log you in automatically and/or load faster. Cookies may also contain other information about your system and they may reveal your browsing habits to other sites.
   • Cached Images and Files: Cached images and files help sites load faster, but they can take up space and slow down your overall browser performance.
   • Saved Passwords: This includes any usernames or passwords you've told your browser to log for you. Be careful and make sure you have all your important passwords stored somewhere else before you clear these so you can get back into those sites later.
   • Autofill Data: This can include names, addresses, credit card numbers, and any other data that you've given your browser permission to remember to make filling out forms easier.

   Once you've made your selections, tap Clear Browsing Data.

   At bare minimum, you should probably clear your Browsing History, Cookies, Site Data, and Cached Images and Files about once a month just to keep your browser working optimally.

6. In the confirmation that appears, tap Clear Browsing Data again to begin the process of clearing your browsing data. It could take a couple of minutes, depending on how heavily you use your web browser and when the last time you cleared the cache was.

How to Clear the App Cache on Your iPad

One more thing you can do to clear up some space is to clear the individual app cache for apps that you have installed. You can do that by offloading or deleting apps.

1. On your iPad, select Settings.

2. Select General > iPad Storage.

3. It may take a few seconds to a couple of minutes for the iPad Storage page to load, depending on how much you have stored. Once it loads, you should see a breakdown of how your iPad storage is used and a Recommendations section.

   The iPad Storage page is where the operating system recommends apps or downloads that haven't been used in a while. For example, If you have downloaded movies or TV, you can see them listed there. You can also tap through those to delete any downloads or apps that you no longer want to keep.

4. Next, scroll through the list of apps and tap one to clear its app cache.

5. On the app page, you have two options for clearing the app from your storage:

   • Offload App: This removes the app from your iPad, but retains the Documents & Data associated with the app. Choosing to Offload App effectively clears the cache. Once you've offloaded it, you can reinstall a clean, fresh copy of the app that still has your data.
   • Delete App: This option does what it says it does. It deletes the app and all data associated with the app. You can reinstall the app if you choose, but all data associated with the app will be permanently lost.

6. Regardless of which option you select, you'll be prompted to confirm your choice. Tap Offload App or Delete App again to confirm your choice.

   You can also tap Cancel if you change your mind about the action that you want to take.

7. You may encounter system apps, like the Photos app, that do not have the option to Offload App or Delete App. If this is the case for an app that is using a lot of space on your device, your only option is to go into the app and delete individual items. How those items are deleted will depend on the item, but generally either selecting or long-pressing on the app will open a menu that contains a Delete option.

Why You Should Clear Your iPad's Cache Regularly

Your iPad’s browsers and apps store cache data and cookies to make your life more convenient, making faster page-load times and remembering your login information on frequently visited sites.

However, at times, you may find that your iPad is loading all web pages more slowly or that websites seem outdated or aren’t performing correctly. Clearing your browser’s cache and cookies will speed up your page load and response times, acting as a general system cleanup.

If you find that your iPad is running out of storage or that apps are generally not performing well, clearing the in-app cache will free up storage space and improve overall operations.

Additionally, some people have privacy and security concerns and don’t want websites and apps to track them. Clearing cookies means advertisers can’t track your interests and serve you personalized ads, protecting your privacy. However, you may miss the convenience of websites remembering your passwords and login information via cookies, so be sure to remember this important information before clearing your cookies.