How to Clear Spotify Cache on Phone and Computer

When Spotify starts stuttering, skipping or hogging your phone's storage, the cache is the first thing I'd look at. It's the app's short-term memory, and like any short-term memory it can get cluttered. The good news is that Spotify gives you a clear-out button on every device, and it takes seconds.

Below are the steps from Spotify's own help page for phones and computers, plus the one question everybody asks: will clearing the cache wipe out the songs you saved for offline listening?

What the Spotify cache is and why it fills up

Spotify's help explains that it uses your device's memory to store parts of music and podcasts as cache, so playback can start without lagging. Every time you stream, bits of audio get tucked away so that a replay is smoother. Over weeks of listening, that adds up.

Spotify recommends having at least 1GB of free memory on your device for the app. If your phone is close to full, Spotify has less room to work with, and that's when you notice glitches.

Clearing the Spotify cache on iPhone and Android

Spotify's help gives the same route for both kinds of phone:

1. Tap your profile picture at the top of the app.
2. Tap Settings and privacy.
3. Tap Data-saving and offline.
4. Under Storage, tap Clear next to Clear cache.

That's all there is to it. You don't need to log out, and nothing about your account changes. If a menu name looks a touch different in your version, look for the Storage section, because that's where the cache control sits.

Clearing the Spotify cache on a computer

On the desktop app, Spotify's help route is just as short:

1. Click your profile picture at the top and select Settings.
2. Scroll down to the Storage section.
3. Click Clear cache.

The same section has a Change location option. If your main drive is crowded, you can point the cache at somewhere with more room, which is handy on a laptop with a small disk.

Will clearing the Spotify cache delete my downloads

This is the worry I hear most. Spotify's help treats the cache and your downloads as separate things. The cache is the temporary stuff that helps streaming run smoothly, and downloads are the albums, playlists and podcasts you saved on purpose for offline play. The storage page doesn't say that clearing the cache removes downloads, and the listen offline page describes downloads on their own terms.

That said, I'd still check your downloads afterwards if you rely on them for a trip. If you do want to remove them to free space, Spotify's help says to do that on purpose: on mobile, open your profile picture, then Settings and privacy, then Data-saving and offline, and under Storage choose Remove all downloads.

What you want	Spotify option
Fix stuttering and free a little space	Clear cache under Storage
Free a lot of space	Remove downloads you no longer need
Store the cache elsewhere on a computer	Change location under Storage
Start completely fresh	Reinstall the app, then download again

When clearing the Spotify cache doesn't fix the problem

If music still stutters after a clear-out, try these in order:

• Check your internet connection by streaming something else.
• Restart Spotify, and then restart your phone or computer.
• Update Spotify from your app store.
• Free up storage until you have at least 1GB spare.
• Reinstall the app as a last step.

A word of caution on reinstalling. Spotify's help warns that it removes your downloads, so you'll need to download your music and podcasts again. Downloads can also disappear if you don't go online at least once in 30 days, so a reinstall is better saved for when nothing else works.

How often to clear the Spotify cache

Spotify's help doesn't set a schedule, so there's no rule to follow. I'd treat it as a repair tool rather than a chore. Clear it when playback stutters, when your phone warns you about storage, or when a song refuses to start even though your connection is fine.

If you clear it and the app feels slower for the first few songs, that's normal. The cache refills as you listen, and Spotify stores parts of tracks again so playback starts quickly next time. Give it a little while before you decide it made no difference.

It also helps to keep the two jobs apart in your head. Clearing the cache tidies temporary playback data, while removing downloads clears the music you saved on purpose. Decide which problem you have before you press anything, because they free up different things.

Clearing the Spotify cache if you listen to podcasts for work

Plenty of small-business owners and creators lean on Spotify for industry podcasts while they're out and about. If your phone is also packed with photos, video and other apps, the cache is one of the easiest things to trim without losing anything you meant to keep. I'm a big fan of podcasts as a calming habit, and I've written about why podcasts help people relax and sleep, which is another reason to keep Spotify running smoothly.

And if you're curious why Spotify invests so heavily in smooth, instant playback, my piece on Spotify's marketing strategy shows how much of its brand is built on the listening experience.

Frequently asked questions

How do I clear the Spotify cache on my phone?

Tap your profile picture, then Settings and privacy, then Data-saving and offline. Under Storage, tap Clear next to Clear cache.

How do I clear the Spotify cache on a computer?

Click your profile picture, select Settings, scroll to Storage and click Clear cache. You can also use Change location to store the cache somewhere else.

Does clearing the Spotify cache delete downloaded songs?

Spotify's help describes the cache and downloads as separate, and it doesn't say clearing the cache removes downloads. To remove downloads on purpose, use Remove all downloads under Storage.

How much free space does Spotify need?

Spotify's help recommends at least 1GB of free memory on your device.

Why is Spotify still slow after I cleared the cache?

Check your connection, restart the app, update it and free more storage. Reinstalling is the last resort because it removes your downloads.