Clear app cache or clear app data: How and when to use each

Anybody who has ever faced an app or software problem on Android may have been given the advice "clear app cache" or "clear app data". These two techniques are frequently regarded as Android miracle cures, but what distinguishes these seemingly similar operations? That is exactly what we are attempting to explain in this article.

What is cache?

In computer science, a cache is a small piece of memory that is used to store frequently accessed data. The idea behind a cache is to speed up access to this data by keeping it close to the processing unit, so that it can be quickly retrieved without the need to access slower memory or storage devices.

There are different types of caches, each with its own specific purpose and behavior. Some common types include:

CPU cache: A small amount of memory that is built into a processor, used to store instructions and data that the processor is likely to use in the near future. This can greatly speed up the execution of a program, because the processor doesn't have to wait for data to be retrieved from slower main memory.

Disk cache: A small amount of memory used to store recently read data from a disk drive. When a program requests data from the disk, the operating system checks the cache first to see if the requested data is already in memory. If so, it can be returned quickly, without the need to access the slower disk drive.

Web cache: When you access a website, your web browser stores a copy of the website's files on your computer. The next time you access the same website, the browser can use the cached version of the files instead of downloading them again. This can speed up the loading time of the website and reduce the amount of data you need to download.

In summary Cache is a hardware or software component that stores data so that future requests for that data can be served faster; the data stored in a cache might be the result of an earlier computation or a copy of data stored elsewhere.

What does 'clear app data' or 'clear app storage' mean?

If you haven't already noticed, 'clear app cache' and 'clear app data' ('clear app storage' on newer phones) are two separate tasks. However, you should be aware that wiping app data is a more serious procedure. While deleting the cache poses no risk to app settings, preferences, and saved states, wiping the app data completely deletes/removes these.

Clearing data generally restores an app to its original state: it causes your programme to behave as it did when you initially downloaded and installed it. Assume you make adjustments to your preferred fitness app's settings. You can customise the length of the exercises as well as the sound settings.

These saved settings will not be affected if the cache is cleared. Clearing saved data may, and most likely will, help.

When should you use them?

  • First and foremost, to conserve storage space. Some apps can save many gigabytes of data that you no longer require (podcast apps are often guilty of this). You may choose to clear their data in this situation.
  • The other, more usual, reason is to restore an app to its original state if it has become problematic, buggy, or otherwise annoying.

How to clear app data or cached data?

  • Launch the Settings app.
  • Select Storage.
  • Choose Apps or Any other Apps.

This will provide a list of all the apps that are currently installed on your phone. By default, it will priorities the apps that use the most data. On older Android versions, you may also sort the apps by size.
  • Choose the programme for which you wish to remove the cache/data.
  • There are two alternatives available: Clear storage and Clear cache.
  • Choose one of these alternatives depending on your objective.
  • Please keep in mind that 'delete app data' or 'clear app storage' is the more extreme of the two options and should only be used if you are having serious problems with an app or are going out of storage capacity.

If you're using an old version of Android, you can erase all cached files with a single click. To do this, navigate to Settings > Storage > Cached data and select Clear Cache. This feature has been removed from newer Android versions, including Android 10 and 11.

A note about "performance-enhancing" apps

Many apps claim to "improve device performance," but this isn't always the case. Many of these apps only offer a one-touch option for terminating processes and emptying the cache, both of which are completely superfluous on today's Android platform.

You may and should do this manually if necessary, but don't make it a routine.

So, while deleting your app when your phone is running slowly or the memory is full may seem like the greatest solution in the short run, it may have long-term effects, which is why you shouldn't do it too frequently.

Last thoughts

When it comes to cleaning the cache and app data, there is no "better" or "worse" choice. Both procedures have a function.

Clearing the cache should be your first step in fixing a broken app because it is the least intrusive way for swiftly fixing apps. If that fails, or if you want to free up more storage space, delete the files. Just keep in mind that anything stored or saved in the programme, including music, video, or image files, will be deleted as well!