Clearing the cache on an Android device can help to free up space and potentially solve issues with apps misbehaving due to corrupted cache files. Here’s how you can clear the cache:
1. Clear Cached Data for a Specific App:
- Open the Settings app on your Android device.
- Tap on “Apps” or “Applications” or “Apps & notifications” depending on your device and its version.
- You’ll see a list of all the installed apps. Find and tap on the app for which you want to clear the cache.
- Tap on “Storage”.
- Here, you’ll see an option to “Clear Cache”. Tap on it.
2. Clear System Cached Data (For Some Older Android Versions):
Some older versions of Android allow you to clear all app caches simultaneously. Here’s how:
- Open the Settings app.
- Navigate to “Storage” or “Device Care” or similar (the terminology might vary based on the device and its version).
- You might see a segment called “Cached data” with the total space taken up by app caches. Tapping on this will usually present an option to clear all cached data.
Note: Clearing all cached data might not be available on all Android versions or devices, as newer versions of Android have removed this option in favor of managing cache more efficiently in the background.
3. Clear Cache Partition via Recovery Mode:
In some cases, especially if the phone is experiencing severe issues, you might need to clear the cache partition via recovery mode. The exact method for entering recovery mode can vary based on the device brand and model, but here’s a general approach:
- Turn off your device.
- Hold the Volume Up button and the Power button simultaneously until the device logo appears.
- Navigate using the volume buttons to the “Wipe cache partition” option and select it using the power button.
- After the process is complete, select “Reboot system now.”
Warning: Be very careful when using the recovery mode. Selecting the wrong option, like “Wipe data/factory reset,” can erase all data on your device.
Always make sure to backup any important data before making major changes or clearing caches, especially when working in recovery mode.