SAMSUNG GALAXY
How to clear an app's cache on a Samsung Galaxy
In short
Open Settings, Apps, tap the app, then Storage, and tap Clear cache at the bottom. This removes temporary files and keeps your login and data. Clear data resets the app to how it was when installed.
Well, there is always an app that freezes, crashes or keeps showing yesterday's content as if nothing has changed. If one app keeps playing up like that, clearing its cache may sort it: it gets rid of old files that can slow the app down or cause glitches. Our example is the Calculator app, whose cache was already empty.
6 of 6 steps show a real screenshot from our Galaxy A57 5G (One UI 8.5) and Galaxy S26 (One UI 9.0).
Steps
- 1
Open Apps
Open Settings and tap Apps. The Apps page opens and lists your apps with their size, under Your apps.
- 2
Tap the app
Scroll or use the search icon at the top, then tap the app. In our screenshot the box is on Android Auto, the first row under Your apps; our example app, Chrome, is further down the list. The App info page opens.
- 3
Tap Storage
Scroll down the App info page past Defaults to the Usage group and tap Storage. On our Galaxy S26, Chrome's Storage row read 315 MB used in Internal storage.
- 4
Look at Cache
Space used shows the app, its data and its cache separately. A large cache is worth clearing. On our Chrome: App 253 MB, Data 16.15 MB, Cache 45.64 MB, Total 315 MB.
- 5
Tap Clear cache
At the bottom right. The cache figure drops to 0 B and the button is greyed out. We tapped it once for Chrome: Cache read 0 B and the total fell to 269 MB. Our Chrome sign-in and tabs stayed.
- 6
Clear data only if needed
Clear data, at the bottom left, deletes the app's settings, logins and offline files. Samsung says this returns the app to its factory defaults. We never tapped it.
If you do not see this option
- You want to clear every app at once Samsung says clearing every app's cache and data in one go means a factory reset, which wipes the whole phone. Source: Improve app performance by clearing cache and data on your Samsung Galaxy
- Clear data may not work for some system apps Samsung says a few built-in apps won't let you clear their data. Source: Improve app performance by clearing cache and data on your Samsung Galaxy
If this does not work
- The app still misbehaves Then it is time for the bigger hammer. Samsung suggests uninstalling and reinstalling it: touch and hold its icon, tap Uninstall, then install it again from the Play Store or Galaxy Store.
- The phone is still short of space Samsung suggests removing files you do not need, such as images, videos and recordings, and using Device care.
- The cache fills up again? If your habit is to clear every cache on the phone to win space back, I am afraid the apps will quietly fill it up again behind your back. Google notes that clearing cached data frees space only for a while. Over time, cached data builds up again.
Good to know
To free space on the whole phone instead: how to check and free up storage on a Samsung Galaxy phone.
Don't worry if the app opens a little slower the first time after clearing the cache; it is just rebuilding the files it needs, and pictures may download again, which uses some data. Your sign-in, settings and saved content stay as they were. If you need to tidy the whole phone rather than one app, Samsung points to Device care. For an app that will not respond at all, see how to force stop an app.
About this guide
- Device
- Android
- Shown on
- Samsung Galaxy A57 5G (SM-A576B), One UI 8.5, Android 16, Samsung Galaxy S26 (SM-S942N, Korean model), One UI 9.0, Android 17 (build CP2A.260605.016.S942NKSU5BZJB)
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Apps
- Real screenshots
- 6 of 6 steps
- Checked
- November 2026
- Sources
- 2 official, linked below
The screenshots are from a Samsung Galaxy S26 with One UI 9.0 and Android 17, in Dark mode, apart from steps 1 and 2, from our Galaxy A57 with One UI 8.5. Samsung points out that which screens and settings you see can depend on the model and the country. We tapped Clear cache for Chrome once and never tapped Clear data.
Sources
Links checked November 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.Did this guide work for you?
Sorry about that. What happened?