How to Clear & Delete Cache in Safari: Mac, iPhone, iPad

If you’re wondering how to clear or delete cache on Safari—whether you’re using a Mac, iPhone, or iPad—we’ve got you covered. Just follow the straightforward steps we’ve outlined here for your specific device.

Keep in mind, you have the option to clear all cache or just those from a particular site. Plus, you can choose to erase cache from a specific timeframe, from the last hour to all time.

How to Clear Cache on Safari On Mac

Option 1: If You Need a Full Safari Reset

Use this option when you want to completely clear all browsing history, cache, and other data in Safari. This is effective for overall privacy, freeing up space, or resolving performance issues.

What it does:

  • Clears all browsing history.
  • Removes all cache.
  • Deletes other website data.

What happens to logged-in sessions and passwords:

  • Logged-in Sessions: You will be logged out of most websites.
  • Passwords: Saved passwords in Safari’s autofill remain secure.

How to do it:

  1. Launch Safari.
  2. Click on ‘Safari’ in the menu bar, then select ‘Settings…’ or ‘Preferences…’.
  3. In the Settings/Preferences window, click on the ‘Privacy’ tab.
  4. Click on ‘Manage Website Data…’.
  5. Remove individual site data or clear all data.

Option 2: If You Need to Clear Specific Site Data

Use this option when you need to selectively remove data from certain websites without impacting your entire browsing history or cache.

What it does:

  • Lets you view and manage data stored by individual websites.
  • Allows removal of cache per site.

What happens to logged-in sessions and passwords:

  • Logged-in Sessions: Removing data for specific sites may log you out.
  • Passwords: Deleting site data does not affect passwords stored in Safari’s autofill.

How to do it:

  1. Open Safari on your Mac.
  2. Head to the History menu.
  3. Click on ‘Clear History’.
  4. Choose your time range and clear it.

How to Clear Cache on Safari On iPhone or iPad

Option 1 – If you need a full Safari reset.

Use this if you want to comprehensively clear all browsing data, including history, cache, and cookies for improved privacy or to resolve loading issues.

What it does:

  • Clears all browsing history, cache, and other site data.

What happens to logged-in sessions and passwords:

  • Logged-in Sessions: You will be logged out of most sites.
  • Passwords: Does not affect passwords saved in Safari’s autofill.

How to do it:

  1. Find the Settings app on your device and open it.
  1. Navigate to ‘Safari’ settings.
  2. Tap “Clear History and Website Data”.

Option 2 – If you need to clear specific site data.

Use this if you need targeted deletion of data from specific websites without impacting all your browsing data.

What it does:

  • Delete data for specific websites.

What happens to logged-in sessions and passwords:

  • Logged-in Sessions: Removing data for specific sites may log you out.
  • Passwords: Like the full reset, this does not impact your saved passwords.

How to do it:

  1. Find Safari in your iPhone or iPad settings.
  2. Scroll down to ‘Advanced’ and tap on it.
  3. Tap on ‘Website Data’.
  4. Delete data for specific sites or clear data from all sites.

If you want to learn more about managing cookies on Safari, you can check out our guide on how to delete cookies on Safari. Additionally, if you need to enable cookies on Safari for specific sites or in general, our article on how to enable cookies on Safari provides step-by-step instructions.