# How to Clear Instagram Cache (iPhone and Android) Page: https://famoid.com/how-to-clear-instagram-cache/ On Android, go to Settings → Apps → Instagram → Storage → Clear cache. On iPhone there is no cache button, so you offload or reinstall the app. Both are safe. ## What the Instagram cache is The cache is a folder of stored images, videos and data. Instagram keeps it so your feed opens fast. Over weeks it grows to hundreds of megabytes. Parts of it can break. A broken cache causes blank images, a feed that will not refresh, and the "Something went wrong" error. Before you clear it, [check if Instagram is down](/is-instagram-down/). If the servers are down, clearing the cache changes nothing. ## How to clear Instagram cache on Android 1. Open your phone **Settings**. 2. Tap **Apps** (or Apps and notifications). 3. Find and tap **Instagram**. 4. Tap **Storage** (or Storage and cache). 5. Tap **Clear cache**. Do not tap **Clear data** unless you know your password. Clear data wipes the app back to a fresh install and logs you out. Google explains the difference on its [Android storage help page](https://support.google.com/android/answer/9079646). The exact menu names change by phone brand. Samsung, Pixel and Xiaomi all put it under Storage. ## How to clear Instagram cache on iPhone iPhone has no cache button for any app. You have two options. ### Option 1: Offload the app 1. Open **Settings**. 2. Tap **General**, then **iPhone Storage**. 3. Scroll to **Instagram** and tap it. 4. Tap **Offload App**. 5. Tap the Instagram icon on your home screen to reinstall it. Offloading removes the app and its cache but keeps your login and settings. Apple describes it on its [offload apps page](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102594). ### Option 2: Delete and reinstall 1. Hold the Instagram icon on your home screen. 2. Tap **Remove App**, then **Delete App**. 3. Open the App Store and install Instagram again. 4. Log in. This is the full reset. Have your password ready. If you use two-factor, have your phone or codes nearby. ## Clear cache inside the Instagram app Instagram does not have a true cache button inside the app. What it does have: - **Clear search history.** Go to Settings and activity → Your activity → Recent searches → Clear all. This removes old searches, not the media cache. - **Media quality.** Settings and activity → Your app and media → Media quality. Turning off "Upload at highest quality" makes the cache grow slower. Some older Android builds of Instagram had a clear cache option under Settings. Most current versions do not. Use the phone settings instead. ## What clearing the cache does not do This matters, because people clear the cache hoping to fix the wrong thing. - It does **not** delete your posts, Reels, messages or followers. Those are on Instagram's servers. - It does **not** log you out on Android. Clear data does. - It does **not** fix an action block or a "try again later" limit. That is on your account, not your phone. See our [something went wrong guide](/instagram-something-went-wrong/). - It does **not** remove a shadowban or restore reach. - It does **not** fix an outage. ## When you should clear it - Images or Reels show blank or grey. - The feed says "Couldn't refresh feed" on a good connection. - The app is slow to open or crashes. - Your phone storage is almost full. If the problem is the feed only, our [couldn't refresh feed guide](/instagram-couldnt-refresh-feed/) has more fixes. ## What happens after Instagram rebuilds the cache as you scroll. The first open may be slower. Images load from the network again, so it uses more data for a day. That is normal. If clearing the cache did not help, update the app, restart your phone, and check your connection. If nothing works, the [Instagram Help Center](https://help.instagram.com/) lists known issues. ## Quick answers **How do I clear the cache on Instagram?** Android: Settings → Apps → Instagram → Storage → Clear cache. iPhone: Settings → General → iPhone Storage → Instagram → Offload App, then reinstall. Nothing on your account is lost. **Does clearing Instagram cache delete anything?** No. Your account, posts, messages and followers live on Instagram's servers. You only lose stored images and unsaved drafts. On Android, Clear data is different. It logs you out. **Why can't I clear cache on Instagram on iPhone?** iPhone does not give apps a cache button. Offload the app or delete and reinstall it. Inside Instagram you can only clear search history. **Does clearing cache fix Instagram not loading?** Often, yes. A broken cache causes stuck feeds, blank images and the something went wrong error. Check if Instagram is down first, then clear the cache. **How often should I clear the Instagram cache?** Only when something breaks or your phone is full. Instagram rebuilds the cache as you scroll, so clearing it too often just uses more data. ## Related - [Is Instagram down right now? (live check)](https://famoid.com/is-instagram-down/) - [Instagram not loading](https://famoid.com/instagram-not-loading/) - [Instagram couldn't refresh feed](https://famoid.com/instagram-couldnt-refresh-feed/) Written by the Famoid team. Updated 2026-08-21.