Over a period of time, the Safari browser cache on your MacBook & iPhone can become filled up with stale, outdated and even corrupted files, which can lead to slowing down of the web browser and other browser related problems.
Hence, it is recommended that you get into the habit of periodically clearing the browser cache on your Mac, which should refresh the browser and help in preventing the possibility of the Safari browser slowing down or running into problems.
Clear Safari Cache on Mac & iPhone
If you are good at remembering keyboard shortcuts, you can quickly clear the Safari cache on your Mac by pressing CMD + ALT + E keys on the keyboard of your computer.
In addition to this, you can also clear the browser cache on your MacBook by enabling the Develop Menu, which makes it really easy to clear the Safari browser cache on your Mac.
When it comes to iPhone, it does not provide the option to clear only the browser cache, while leaving your browsing history intact. Hence, the only way to clear Safari browser cache on iPhone is by using “Clear History and Website Data” option as available in the Settings App.
1. Steps to Clear Safari Cache On Mac
In the case of a MacBook, the option to clear Safari cache is located under the “Develop” tab, which is not available by default on a MacBook.
Hence, the first step is to enable the “Develop” tab in the top-menu bar of the MacBook. Once, the Develop tab becomes available, you can clear the browser cache on your Mac by clicking on the Develop tab and selecting Clear Cache option in the drop-down.
1. Open Safari browser > click on Safari tab in the top menu-bar and select Preferences… in the drop-down menu.
2. On the next screen, switch to Advanced tab and select Show Develop Menu in Menu Bar option.
This will enable the “Develop” tab in the top menu-bar on your MacBook.
3. Next, click on the Develop tab in top menu-bar and select Empty Caches option in the drop-down menu.
This will clear the Browser Cache on your Mac.
2. Clear Safari Cache on iPhone Using Settings
Unlike a MacBook, iPhone does not provide the option to clear only the browser cache, while leaving your browsing history intact.
Hence, the only way to clear the Safari browser cache on iPhone is by using “Clear History and Website Data” option as available in the Settings App.
1. Open the Settings App on your iPhone > scroll down and tap on Safari.
2. On the next screen, scroll down and tap on Clear History and Website Data option.
3. On the confirmation pop-up, tap on Clear History and Data to confirm.
As mentioned above, all cached files, cookies, website data and your entire browsing history will be deleted from the browser cache.
After clearing browser cache, it is normal to find websites loading a bit slower than usual, when your favorite websites for the first time.
Once the Safari browser builds up its cache with fresh data, you should find a noticeable difference in the overall performance of Safari browser on your iPhone.