/ trending today
Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget.
Tech > Smartphones > iPhone
If your iPhone is running slow, consider this quick routine to boost its speed and free up space.
Editor in Chief
Editor in Chief
March 21, 2026, 1:00 am ET
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
I’m guessing your iPhone has dozens of apps running and maybe a couple of browsers, each with way too many tabs open at all times. I know mine does. The thing is, all that activity causes cached data to build up over time.
Every time you use apps or browsers on your phone, they locally store bits of information such as images, scripts, and logins to make your iPhone perform faster. Websites load quicker, and apps feel snappier. At least that’s how it’s supposed to work in theory.
More from ZDNET
Also: How to clear your iPad cache (and fix slow performance for good)
But like a junk drawer that starts out as a handy place to keep odds and ends — like a screwdriver, sticky notes, or a spare battery — so you can grab them and get things done fast, cached data eventually overflows and makes it impossible to work quickly.
Clearing your cache is like cleaning out that drawer. Suddenly everything works the way it should. Your phone feels lighter and runs smoother. So let’s walk through every way to clear the cache on an iPhone running iOS 26, and why you should make it a habit.
What you’ll need: An iPhone running iOS 26 and your Apple ID password or device passcode handy in case you’re prompted for it.
If Safari is your main browser, you should know that every time you use it, each site you visit saves temporary files to your device to help pages load faster the next time you browse. Over time, though, those files can pile up, causing Safari to slow down or struggle with simple tasks.
Here’s how to fix that by clearing the cache.
You can clear Safari’s history and website data directly in the app, but you’ll find more options in Settings. Doing this regularly can fix glitches or speed up browsing without deleting your bookmarks or saved passwords.
Also: I found an iPhone and Mac browser that’s faster, safer, and easier than Safari
Tip: For even more granular control, go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data, then tap Remove All Website Data. This clears only cookies and tracking data, not your browsing history. Safari will simply behave as if you haven’t visited any sites before, so you’ll need to log back into your favorite services.
If you use Chrome on your iPhone instead, you can clear the cache just like in Safari. Chrome also saves temporary data to improve speed, but again, those files can overflow, becoming bloated and buggy.
Also: I let ChatGPT Atlas do my Walmart shopping for me – here’s how the AI browser agent did
Chrome has several cache controls built right into the app, so you don’t need to dig through Settings this time.
Clearing Chrome’s cache forces it to reload sites from a clean slate, which can help fix slow or glitchy browsing sessions. You may be logged out of some services if you also clear your cookies in Safari, but your bookmarks and passwords will remain intact.
Most apps don’t include a dedicated “clear cache” button to remove temporary files and free up space, but iOS 26 lets you offload or delete apps, which effectively clears built-up cache and helps manage your storage.
Social, streaming, and gaming apps often accumulate gigabytes of cache. Offloading or deleting them can free up significant space. For example, YouTube Kids had 5.5GB of stored data on my device.
Also: Low on iPhone storage space? Do this instead of deleting your apps
Tip: You can turn on Offload Unused Apps under Settings > App Store to let iOS 26 remove apps you rarely use.
After clearing browser and app cache, it’s time to restart your iPhone. iOS 26 also stores hidden system cache and temporary files in the background, but a reboot clears that out and can refresh memory and performance.
If your buttons aren’t working, go to Settings > General > Shut Down.
Also: Rebooting your phone daily is your best defense against zero-click attacks
A quick reboot can make your iPhone feel faster, fix background glitches, and even improve security.
Cache is a collection of temporary files that apps and websites store locally on your device to speed up loading, browsing, and your overall session. For example, Safari saves images or scripts from sites so they don’t have to download again. It’s helpful, but too much cache can slow your iPhone down, so clearing it regularly keeps performance smooth.
Also: Cookie pop-ups don’t have to be a fact of life online – how I block them and why
Clearing cache only removes temporary data, not your bookmarks, messages, photos, or passwords. Offloading an app also preserves your data and settings if you want to reinstall it later, but deleting an app wipes everything for a full reset.
Cache and cookies aren’t the same. Cache stores copies of images, scripts, and other elements so websites load faster next time. Cookies, on the other hand, save personal data like logins, preferences, and shopping cart items. While clearing cache removes saved page files, deleting cookies erases your logins and settings, requiring you to sign in and reconfigure preferences.
It depends, but a good habit is to clear your browser cache monthly and restart your iPhone daily or at least once a week. You should also regularly offload or delete apps you don’t use, especially if they’re taking up too much space or acting glitchy.
Yes. Browsers like Firefox and Edge have their own cache-clearing options. But in my experience, many apps don’t let you manage cache. Some of the more popular ones do, like TikTok and Snapchat, which you can find directly in their settings.
You can block cookies in Safari. Turning them off stops sites from tracking you, but it can also break some websites or limit features. So you’ll need to weigh privacy against usability. If you’d like to block cookies in Safari, follow these steps:
Also: The best secure browsers for privacy
There are also third-party extensions — such as Ghostery and Disconnect — that help you block cookies and trackers in Chrome.
Your iPhone’s Settings can show you what’s eating up your storage, whether it’s photos, videos, music, or even an app’s temporary data. To see a full breakdown of your storage usage, follow these steps:
Also: Does your iPhone have enough space? How to find out
Unfortunately, you can’t clear a third-party app’s cache directly in Settings, but this view gives you a clear breakdown of your storage and lets you delete or offload apps.
Please accept cookies to view the comments powered by Disqus.
© 2026 ZDNET, a Ziff Davis company. All rights reserved.
