How to Clear the YouTube Cache (Android, iPhone and Browser)

Clearing the cache is the first thing support teams suggest, and it's quick. It also catches people out, because the steps are completely different on an Android phone, an iPhone and a browser, and some of what you'll find online mixes them up.

I'll keep this to what Google's and YouTube's help pages say, device by device. If you run a channel and spend your day in YouTube Studio in a browser, the browser steps matter as much as the phone ones.

What clearing the YouTube cache does and doesn't do

The cache is a store of temporary files the app or browser keeps so things load faster. When those files get stuck or out of date, you can see buffering, a page that won't load or a video that won't start. YouTube's help lists clearing the cache as a fix for buffering and loading problems on a phone, and for the Something went wrong message in a browser.

Google Play's help adds an honest note: clearing an app's cache is temporary, because cached data builds up again over time. So it's a reset, not a permanent cure. It isn't the same as deleting your account or your uploads. Those stay on your account.

Clearing the YouTube app cache on Android

YouTube's help gives these steps for an Android phone or tablet:

1. Open Settings on your phone.
2. Tap Apps or Applications (some phones say Apps and notifications, then See all apps).
3. Tap YouTube.
4. Tap Storage (some phones say Storage and cache).
5. Tap Clear cache.
6. Open YouTube again and replay the video.

Menu names differ between phone makers, and Google's own help says settings can vary by phone. If you can't find the option, check your phone manufacturer's support page. Be careful not to tap the clear data or clear storage button next to it unless you mean to: that one removes the app's saved data.

Clearing the YouTube cache on iPhone and iPad

Here's the part that surprises people: an iPhone has no clear cache button for apps. YouTube's help says to offload the app instead. The steps:

1. Open Settings and tap General.
2. Tap iPhone Storage (iPad Storage on an iPad).
3. Find YouTube in the list of apps and tap it.
4. Tap Offload App and confirm.
5. When it finishes, tap Reinstall App.
6. Open YouTube and replay the video.

Clearing the cache for YouTube in Chrome on a computer

In a browser, the cache belongs to the browser rather than to YouTube, so you clear it in the browser's own settings. Google's Chrome help gives these steps:

1. Open Chrome on your computer.
2. At the top right, click the More icon (three dots), then Delete browsing data.
3. Choose a time range, such as the last hour or all time.
4. Tick the box for cookies and other site data, and tick cached images and files if it's shown.
5. Click the button to delete the data.

Chrome's help adds two useful things. Clearing cookies while you're signed in to Chrome won't sign you out of your Google Account. And clearing data can erase some site settings, so you may have to set a few things again on sites you use.

Clearing the YouTube cache in Chrome on Android

If you watch YouTube in Chrome on your phone rather than in the app, Chrome's help says to open Chrome, tap the More icon (three dots) beside the address bar, then tap Delete browsing data. Choose a time range and tap Delete data. The default is 15 minutes, which only clears very recent activity, so pick a longer range if the problem has been going on for a while. For specific data types, tap More options, tick what you want gone and tap Delete data.

Clearing the YouTube cache on a smart TV

There's no cache button in YouTube's help for TVs. What the help does give for TV apps is a reset: reset the YouTube app in the TV's Settings, which signs you out if you're signed in, then sign back in. Power cycling the TV by unplugging it for at least 30 seconds is also described as often the most effective fix. My page on what to check when YouTube isn't working covers the wider list.

Which YouTube cache fix suits which device

Where you watch	What YouTube or Google says to do
Android app	Settings, Apps, YouTube, Storage, Clear cache
iPhone or iPad app	Settings, General, iPhone Storage, YouTube, Offload App, then Reinstall App
Chrome on a computer	More, Delete browsing data, tick cookies and cached files
Chrome on Android	More, Delete browsing data, choose a range, Delete data
Smart TV	Reset the app in Settings, sign back in, power cycle the TV

What to try if clearing the YouTube cache doesn't help

Work down the list in the order the help pages give it:

• Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data and replay the video.
• Update the YouTube app, close and reopen it, then restart your device.
• In a browser, update the browser and try an incognito window with extensions switched off, since ad blockers can affect playback.
• Sign out and back in. My guide on signing out of YouTube on every device shows how.

If the video itself is the issue, such as a picture that keeps stalling, my guide on changing playback speed on YouTube isn't the fix, but lowering the quality in the player's settings often is.

Clearing the YouTube cache when you run a channel

Creators often blame their video when the problem is their own browser. If a thumbnail or title you've just changed in Studio still looks old on your screen, or a page won't load, clearing the browser cache is a sensible first test before you assume something's wrong with the channel. Try the same page on your phone, too, because if it looks right there, the cache on your computer is the likely cause.

Frequently asked questions

Will clearing the YouTube cache delete my account or videos?

No. The cache is temporary files stored on your device or browser. Your account and uploads stay with your Google Account.

How do I clear the YouTube cache on an iPhone?

YouTube's help says to go to Settings, General, iPhone Storage, tap YouTube, choose Offload App, confirm, then tap Reinstall App.

How do I clear the YouTube cache on Android?

Go to Settings, Apps, YouTube, Storage, then tap Clear cache. The wording can differ slightly by phone.

Will I be signed out if I clear cookies in Chrome?

Chrome's help says clearing cookies while you're signed in to Chrome won't sign you out of your Google Account.

How often should I clear the YouTube cache?

Only when something goes wrong, such as buffering or pages that won't load. Google Play's help says the cache builds up again anyway, so it's a short-term fix.