Clearing an app’s cache can free up space and fix performance issues in your games and apps. App cache refers to temporary files that apps store on your device to speed up load times. On Android it’s easy, you just can tap a “Clear Cache” button in settings for each app. On iPhones, however, iOS manages app cache differently – there’s no universal one-tap cache clear option built into iOS.
This means you have to use a few workarounds to clear cached data on iPhone games and apps.
In this guide, I’ll explain step-by-step how to clear an app’s cache on an iPhone without fully reinstalling the app.
Step-by-Step: How to Clear App Cache on iPhone Without Reinstalling the App
If a game or app is taking up too much space or behaving oddly due to cached data, you may want to clear its cache. Since iOS doesn’t let you clear cache directly, the closest method (short of deleting the app entirely) is to offload the app. Offloading frees up the app’s storage usage but keeps its documents and data intact
This way, you don’t lose personal data or game progress, and you can re-download the app to continue using it. Follow these steps:
- Open iPhone Settings and go to General > iPhone Storage. This will display a list of all apps on your iPhone and how much space each is using.
- Find the app (game) you want to clear the cache for, and tap it. Here you’ll see the app’s size and its “Documents & Data” size.
- Tap the “Offload App” button. On the app’s info page, you should see an Offload App option (above a Delete App option). A confirmation prompt will explain that offloading will remove the app but keep its data. Confirm by tapping Offload App again. (If prompted, or if using older iOS, you might need to swipe left on the app name in the list and then choose Offload.)
- Reinstall the app from the App Store (or tap its icon). Offloading removes the app from your iPhone, but its icon will typically remain on your home screen with a small cloud download symbol. To get the app back, simply tap the icon (if it’s still on your home screen) or go to the App Store and re-download the app. The app will reinstall, and because iOS kept the app’s documents and data, your game progress or settings should be preserved.
- Launch the app and check storage. After reinstalling, open the app. It may need to download some assets again (since cached files were removed) or log you back in, depending on how it handles data. You should notice that the app is now taking up less space on your iPhone than before. You can verify this by checking Settings > General > iPhone Storage again – the app’s size should be reduced, reflecting that the old cache has been cleared out.
Please note, that offloading an app frees up the space the app itself was using and might clear certain cache files, but it does not remove all app data. The app’s core data and documents remain. If the cache was stored in the “Documents & Data” portion, offloading alone might not shrink that portion significantly. In many cases, however, large caches (like downloaded videos, images, or updates) are removed when you offload. If you find that offloading didn’t reclaim enough space or fix the issue, you may need to consider fully deleting and reinstalling the app (explained below as an alternative).
You can also enable “Offload Unused Apps” in Settings to have iOS automatically offload apps you haven’t used in a while. This won’t target a specific game’s cache on demand, but it’s a handy way to free up storage over time without losing your app data.
To enable this, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and tap Enable next to Offload Unused Apps. (You can still reinstall any offloaded app later and pick up where you left off.)
Using the Shortcuts App to Automate Cache Clearing (Is It Possible?)
Apple’s Shortcuts app is a powerful tool for automating tasks on your iPhone. You might hope to create a one-tap shortcut to clear a game’s cache. Unfortunately, automating cache clearing is very limited on iOS due to security restrictions. There is currently no Shortcut action that directly clears an app’s cache or offloads an app. In other words, Shortcuts cannot internally press the “Offload App” button for you or wipe another app’s data (apps are sandboxed for privacy).
That said, you can use Shortcuts to assist in the process or streamline the steps:
- Shortcut to Open iPhone Storage for a Specific App: While a Shortcut can’t offload the app automatically, it can deep-link you into the Settings page for that app. For example, advanced users have discovered URL schemes (like the prefs:root=General&path=STORAGE_MGMT/<AppID>) that jump straight to an app’s iPhone Storage screen. You could create a shortcut that, when run, opens the Settings for your game, so all you have to do next is tap “Offload App” manually. This saves you the trouble of navigating through menus each time. (Note: These URL schemes are unofficial and might not work on all iOS versions.)
- Prompt to Offload Unused Apps: You could set up a personal automation in Shortcuts that triggers under certain conditions (like when your available storage drops below a threshold) and then sends you a notification or reminder to clear caches. For instance, a Shortcut could detect low storage and prompt you with a list of large apps (using the Get Device Storage action and perhaps some scripting). While it can’t offload them automatically, the reminder can quickly guide you to do it.
- Clearing Safari Cache via Shortcuts: If your concern is browser cache (not exactly game cache, but worth mentioning), Shortcuts can run JavaScript on Safari or use actions to clear Safari history. Apple even provides a Shortcut in their gallery to clear Safari data. This doesn’t apply to game apps, but it’s a useful automation for web cache.
In summary, Shortcuts cannot directly “clear cache” for third-party apps at the press of a button (no Apple-provided action exists for that). Any fully automated solution would be hacky – for example, using Voice Control to simulate taps, which is not reliable. So, use Shortcuts as a helper (to quickly navigate or remind you), but be prepared to do the final tap yourself. Hopefully, in future iOS updates, Apple might add more abilities for cache management, but for now we must work within these limits.
Alternative Methods to Clear Cache on iPhone (Games & Apps)
Besides offloading apps and using Shortcuts, here are some alternative methods and tips to manage or clear app caches on your iPhone:
- Check for In-App Cache Clearing Options: Some games and apps include their own cache or data reset options. Before resorting to deletion, open the game’s settings or preferences menu. Look for options like “Clear cache,” “Delete temporary files,” or “Reset downloaded content.” For example, certain social media apps and news apps have a clear cache button in their settings. If your game provides this, it’s the easiest way – just use that option and the app will wipe its cached files. (Not many games offer this, but it’s worth a look.)
- Fully Delete and Reinstall the App: If offloading didn’t clear the cache as you hoped (perhaps the cached data was counted under Documents & Data and remained), the sure-fire way is to delete the app and then reinstall it from the App Store. Deleting an app on iPhone wipes the app and all of its data/cache from your device. This will truly reset the app to a fresh state. After deletion, restart your iPhone (this helps ensure any residual files are cleared by the system), then download the app again. When you open it, it will be as if it’s new – you may need to log in again or re-download game data. Important: Make sure any important data (scores, progress, profiles) are saved to an account or cloud before deleting. For many online games, progress is tied to an account, so you can safely reinstall without losing progress. Deletion is a more drastic step, but it completely clears the cache and data for that app, often resolving issues and freeing a lot of space.
- Use Third-Party iPhone Cleaner Tools (With Caution): There are various iPhone “cleaner” apps on the App Store and computer software that claim to clear junk or cache (e.g., Smart Cleaner, iMyFone Umate, PhoneClean, etc.). Be aware: Due to Apple’s sandbox security, no iOS app can clear cache from other apps. Cleaner apps on the iPhone usually only help you tidy up things like duplicate photos, large videos, or unused files – they cannot reach into a game’s cache. Some reputable computer-based tools can remove temporary files when you connect your iPhone to a PC/Mac, but results vary. For example, iPhone management software might clear “Other” storage which includes some cached data. If you choose to use a third-party tool, stick to well-known ones and backup your device first. In general, think of these tools as helping to clean system junk or media files rather than magically clearing app caches.
- Backup and Restore Trick: One advanced method to clear many caches at once (including game caches) is to do an encrypted backup of your iPhone and then restore it. When you back up your iPhone via iCloud or Finder/iTunes, most app caches are not included in the backup (to save space). If you then erase your iPhone and restore from that backup, the restored device will only bring back actual app data, not the old cache files. This can significantly reduce used space and clear out caches system-wide. However, this is a time-consuming process and usually overkill if you just want to clear one app’s cache. It’s an option if your phone storage is largely consumed by “Other” (cached data) and you want a fresh slate without losing settings. Always ensure you have a good backup before erasing.
- Regular Maintenance: To prevent caches from building up too much: restart your iPhone occasionally (iOS will often purge some temporary files on reboot), keep iOS updated (updates sometimes optimize storage), and consider offloading apps you haven’t opened in a long time. Also, periodically check Settings > iPhone Storage to see which apps are using the most space. If a game has ballooned in size due to cached content (for example, downloaded levels or updates), you can decide to clear it by offloading or deleting as needed. Keeping an eye on this will ensure caches don’t surprise you by eating all your storage.