Alexis Kestler
Clearing the cache on Snapchat frees up storage space on your device and can improve performance issues with the app. The Snapchat cache contains temporary files like lenses, filters, stories and browser data that build up over time. Removing this data deletes unused files and gives your phone more available memory.
Clearing cache won‘t delete your Snapchat account, contacts, messages, photos or any other permanent user data. Your core Snapchat experience will remain intact. You‘ll just need to reload certain features like lenses when you open the app again.
Overall, cleaning out the Snapchat cache gives your device a fresh start and makes the app run faster. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about clearing cache on Snapchat.
What is Cache on Snapchat?
Cache is temporary data that apps like Snapchat store on your device to improve performance. This can include:
- Thumbnails and previews of stories or Snaps you‘ve viewed recently.
- Filters, lenses and other augmented reality features that you‘ve used before.
- Log in credentials, cookies and browsing history from the Snapchat browser.
- Location data and usage analytics.
Snapchat caches all of this so the app doesn‘t have to freshly load it every time you open Snapchat. By keeping some data in temporary storage, Snapchat can launch and run quicker.
However, cache files build up over time and start to take up significant storage space. They can also become outdated or corrupted. Clearing the cache gives you a clean slate, freeing up memory and removing any problematic cached files.
Benefits of Clearing Snapchat Cache
Here are some of the main benefits of cleaning out your Snapchat cache periodically:
1. Frees Up Storage Space
Cache data can take up a surprising amount of storage space. For example, cached Snapchat stories, lenses and filters can easily occupy over 100MB with frequent use of the app.
Deleting the cache removes all these temporary Snapchat files from your device‘s memory. This frees up space for new apps, photos, videos and other data you may want to save.
2. Fixes Performance Issues
Over time, the Snapchat cache can become bloated and buggy. Corrupted cache files may cause crashes, laggy performance, trouble loading certain features, login problems and other issues.
Clearing out old cache data gives you a clean slate. This can fix performance problems and glitches caused by outdated, overloaded caches.
3. Speeds Up Load Times
A overloaded, inefficient cache slows Snapchat down. Removing cache forces Snapchat to freshly load thumbnails, lenses, filters and other frequently used features.
With the clutter gone, Snapchat can cache fresh, clean files optimized for fast performance. Pages and features will load noticeably quicker after clearing cache.
4. Protects Your Privacy
The Snapchat cache may contain sensitive information like locations you‘ve shared, search history, and usage analytics profiles. Clearing it regularly helps protect your privacy by removing this unneeded data from your device.
5. It‘s Good General Device Maintenance
All apps create temporary cache files. Letting them build up indefinitely can degrade your phone‘s performance over time. Periodically clearing cache helps keep your device running smoothly.
Think of it like cleaning out old junk files on your computer. It‘s just good digital hygiene for optimal speed and storage space.
Does Clearing Cache Delete Anything Important?
The Snapchat cache only contains temporary, optional files. Clearing it does NOT delete:
- Your account or login details
- Contacts or friends
- Chat messages or histories
- Memories photos and videos
- Saved media or files
- Settings or notification preferences
Your core Snapchat experience stays completely intact. All personalized data, content and settings are stored separately outside the cache.
The only thing that gets deleted are cached and temporary files like:
- Story and Snap thumbnails
- Saved augmented reality lenses/filters
- Browser history and data
- Some location details
- Usage analytics
So you can clear cache without worrying about losing anything important. At most, you‘ll just have to reload some lenses or re-view stories again. A small price to pay for faster performance and more storage space!
How Often Should You Clear Snapchat Cache?
Most experts recommend clearing cache every 1-2 months for optimal performance. Some signs it‘s time include:
- Snapchat crashing or freezing frequently
- Increased lag/slowness when loading stories or features
- Rapid battery drain or overheating when using Snapchat
- Odd glitches like trouble logging in or missing features
Of course, cache needs vary widely by how intensively you use Snapchat. Heavy users with tons of lenses/filters may need to clear cache more often. Occasional users may be fine doing it every 3-6 months.
Monitor Snapchat‘s performance on your device and clear cache whenever you notice degraded speed or bugs creeping in. Think of it like changing the oil in your car – regular maintenance prevents bigger problems down the road!
How to Clear Cache on Snapchat
Clearing the Snapchat cache only takes a few seconds. Here are simple step-by-step instructions for both iPhone and Android devices:
Clear Cache on iPhone
- Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon in the top left.
- Go to Settings in the top right.
- Scroll down and tap ‘Clear Cache‘ under ‘Account Actions‘.
- Choose which caches to clear. Options include:
- Memories Cache
- Camera Cache
- Browser Cache
- Maps Cache
- Clear All
- Confirm that you want to delete the selected caches.
And that‘s it! The process is super quick and easy on iOS devices.
Clear Cache on Android
- Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon in the top left.
- Go to Settings in the top right.
- Scroll down and tap ‘Clear Cache‘ under ‘Account Actions‘.
- Confirm that you want to delete all cache data.
Android has a simplified process with just a single ‘Clear Cache‘ button to wipe everything. Straightforward and fast!
Tips for Clearing Cache Successfully
- Close Snapchat fully before clearing cache for best results.
- You may need to log back into Snapchat after clearing cache.
- Some features like lenses may need re-downloading when you reopen Snapchat.
- Restart your device after clearing cache to fully free up memory.
- Check Snapchat‘s size in your device storage before/after to confirm cache removed.
- Clear cache from device settings if still having issues in the app.
With this handy guide, you can keep your Snapchat cache clear for optimal performance! Let us know if you have any other tips or questions in the comments below.
