What cache is and why Safari stores it
Cache is a folder on your device where Safari stores copies of websites you've visited — images, text, videos, and code. When you return to a site, Safari loads these stored copies instead of downloading everything fresh from the internet. This makes pages load faster.
The trade-off is that cache takes up storage space on your device, and it can sometimes show you outdated versions of websites. If a site has changed but your cache hasn't, you'll see the old version. Clearing cache forces Safari to read the current version next time you visit.
Key Takeaways
- Safari stores copies of websites you visit in cache to make them load faster, but this takes up storage space and can show outdated content.
- On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data and choose a time range to clear cache along with browsing history.
- On Mac, open Safari, click Safari in the menu bar, select Clear History, and choose how far back to clear.
- Clearing cache does not delete your saved passwords or payment information unless you specifically choose to clear those too.
- You can set Safari to clear cache automatically when you close the browser, or leave it alone if you prefer faster loading times.
Clearing cache on iPhone and iPad
Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Safari. Scroll to the bottom of that screen and tap Clear History and Website Data.
A menu will appear asking how far back you want to clear. Your options are the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all time. Choose whichever fits what you need. Tap Clear History and Data to confirm. Safari will remove the cached files from that time period.
This action also clears your browsing history and cookies from the same time range. If you want to keep your history but only clear cache, there is no separate option — the two clear together on iPhone and iPad.
Clearing cache on Mac
Open Safari. Click Safari in the menu bar at the top of your screen (not in the dock). A dropdown menu will appear. Click Clear History.
A window will pop up asking how far back you want to clear. Choose from the last hour, today, today and yesterday, or all time. Click Clear History. Safari will remove cached files, history, and cookies from that time period.
Like on iPhone and iPad, you cannot separate cache from history on Mac — they clear together. If you only want to remove cache and keep your history, you would need to use a third-party tool, which is rarely necessary for most people.
What gets cleared and what stays
When you clear history and website data, Safari removes cached images and files, your browsing history, and cookies (small files websites use to remember you). It does not delete your saved passwords, autofill information, or payment methods stored in Safari unless you specifically choose to clear those separately.
If you want to remove passwords or payment information, go to Settings > Safari > Passwords and Autofill on iPhone, or Safari > Preferences > Passwords on Mac. From there you can delete individual entries or clear them all.
Setting Safari to clear cache automatically
You can tell Safari to clear cache every time you close the browser. On iPhone and iPad, open Settings > Safari and toggle on Close Tabs. Then scroll down and tap Remove History and Website Data and choose when you close Safari. This will clear cache, history, and cookies automatically each time you fully close the app.
On Mac, open Safari > Preferences > Privacy. Check the box next to Remove history items and choose when you close Safari from the dropdown. Safari will then clear cache and history automatically, though you can adjust what gets cleared by clicking Manage Website Data in that same window.
This setting is useful if you share a device or want to minimize storage use, but it means Safari will load pages slightly slower since it has no cache to draw from. Most people leave this off and clear cache manually when they notice pages loading slowly or showing outdated content.
When you might need to clear cache
Clear cache if a website looks broken, shows old information, or won't load properly. Sometimes a corrupted cached file causes these problems, and clearing it forces Safari to read a fresh copy.
Clear cache if you're running low on storage space. Cached files can add up over months of browsing, especially if you watch videos or visit image-heavy sites. Clearing old cache can free up several hundred megabytes or more, depending on your browsing habits.
Clear cache if you're concerned about privacy on a shared device. Cache stores images and text from sites you visit, so clearing it removes evidence of where you've been. This is different from clearing cookies, which is what websites use to track you across visits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cache delete my passwords?
No. Clearing history and website data removes cached files, history, and cookies, but not passwords or payment information. Those are stored separately. If you want to delete a saved password, go to Settings > Safari > Passwords on iPhone or Safari > Preferences > Passwords on Mac, find the site, and delete it manually.
How much storage space does cache actually use?
It varies widely depending on your browsing habits. Light users might have 50 to 200 megabytes of cache. Heavy users who watch videos or visit image-heavy sites can accumulate several gigabytes. You can see how much space Safari is using by going to Settings > General > iPhone Storage on iPhone, or by checking About This Mac on Mac.
Does clearing cache make Safari slower?
Temporarily, yes. The first time you visit a site after clearing cache, Safari has to read everything fresh, so the page loads slower. After that, cache builds back up and pages load faster again. If you clear cache constantly, you'll notice slower loading times overall.
What's the difference between clearing cache and clearing cookies?
Cache stores copies of website files to make pages load faster. Cookies are small files websites use to remember you — your login status, preferences, items in your cart. Clearing cache doesn't log you out of sites, but clearing cookies does. On Safari, both clear together when you use Clear History and Website Data.
Can I clear cache for just one website?
Not directly through Safari's settings. You can only clear cache for a time period (last hour, today, all time). If you need to clear cache for one specific site, you would need to use a third-party tool. For most situations, clearing all cache is simpler and more effective.