What the Instagram cache is
The cache is temporary data the app keeps on your phone so it loads faster: pictures and videos you have already seen, parts of your feed, profile pictures. It grows with use, and now and then a damaged file in it makes the app misbehave.
Clearing it does not touch your account. Posts, messages, followers and settings live on Instagram's servers, not in the cache. It does not reset what Instagram suggests to you either; that is a separate setting, covered in how to reset your Instagram algorithm. Your search history is also kept apart from the cache; clearing it is in how to reset Instagram search suggestions.
"Clear cache" can mean three different things on Instagram, and each is cleared in a different place:
| What | Where it lives | How to clear it |
|---|---|---|
| App cache | Your phone's storage. | Android: in phone Settings. iPhone: offload or reinstall. |
| In app browser data | Instagram's built in browser, for links you open. | Browser settings inside Instagram. |
| Search history | Your Instagram account. | Your activity, or Accounts Center. |
Clearing it on Android
Android has a clear cache button for every app. Menu names vary a little between phone makers, so yours may read slightly differently:
- Open your phone's Settings app.
- Tap Apps, and find Instagram in the list.
- Tap Storage, or Storage and cache.
- Tap Clear cache.
The same screen has a second button, and the difference matters. Clear cache deletes temporary data, and the app may be a little slow the next time you open it. Clear storage permanently deletes all of the app's data, which for Instagram means you are signed out and start as if the app were new. Use Clear cache first.
Clearing it on iPhone
iPhone has no clear cache button for apps, and Instagram has none inside the app. Two options come close, both under Settings, General, iPhone Storage, then Instagram:
| What | Offload App | Delete App |
|---|---|---|
| Removes the app | Yes. The icon stays on the home screen. | Yes. |
| App data on the phone | Kept: Apple says offloading keeps the app's documents and data. | Removed, along with the app. |
| Getting it back | Tap the icon to download the app again. | Reinstall from the App Store and log in again. |
| Best for | Freeing space without losing anything. | Clearing everything Instagram stored on the phone. |
Since offloading keeps the app's data, it frees the space the app itself takes more than it clears a cache. Deleting is the full reset. Before you delete, make sure you know your password and can reach your two factor method: deleting the app does not delete the account, but you will need to sign in again.
How to clear Instagram's in app browser cache
When you tap a link in a post, story, ad or message, Instagram opens it in its own browser, and that browser keeps cookies and a cache of its own. To clear them:
- Tap any link inside Instagram to open the in app browser.
- Tap Options in the top right, then Browser settings.
- Tap Clear cookies and cache, then Clear browsing data to confirm.
This clears cookies, cache and storage data from the websites you visited inside Instagram. It is the fix when a shop's checkout or a login page misbehaves in the app. The same screen clears your link history and turns autofill on or off.
Clearing search history is a different thing
Recent searches are stored with your account, not in the cache, so clearing the cache leaves them in place:
- Go to your profile, tap the menu, then Your activity under "How you use Instagram".
- Tap Recent searches, then Clear all.
On some accounts the setting has moved to Meta Account, under Your information and permissions, then Search history. Clearing it is temporary, and cleared searches can come back as suggestions.
When clearing the cache helps
- The app takes a lot of storage. Note the size under Apps on Android or iPhone Storage first, so you can see the difference afterwards.
- Images or videos will not load, or show old versions. A damaged cached file is a common cause.
- The app freezes or crashes on one screen. Clear the cache before you reinstall.
- A link opened inside Instagram will not work. Clear the in app browser data.
It does not help with account problems: a disabled account, a login error, missing followers or low reach, none of which are stored on the phone. If the app still misbehaves, update it, restart the phone, and check whether Instagram itself is down before reinstalling. On an older or fuller phone, Instagram Lite is built to use far less storage in the first place.
What you lose, and what you keep
| After clearing | Result |
|---|---|
| Posts, stories, Reels, messages, followers | Unchanged. They are on Instagram's servers. |
| Drafts | At risk. Drafts are saved on the phone, and are lost if you delete the app. |
| Login | Clear storage or deleting the app signs you out. |
| First load | Slower, while the app downloads images again. |
Drafts are the one thing to protect, because they never reach Instagram's servers. Post or finish any draft you care about before clearing storage or deleting the app; how to post on Instagram explains where drafts live and why they do not follow you to another phone.
If you are clearing things out because you want a break from the account rather than a faster app, deactivating Instagram hides the profile and is undone by logging in. Privacy settings such as vanish mode and a hidden followers list live on the account and are unaffected by anything you clear on the phone.
How we will test this
Not run yetEverything above comes from the published sources listed below, and nothing here is presented as something we measured. Our own test on live accounts has not been run yet.
This is the test we will run: we check the Instagram storage size on an Android phone and an iPhone, clear the cache on Android, offload and then delete the app on iPhone, and clear the in app browser data. We record what each action frees, whether we are signed out, and what happens to drafts and search history.
Platforms change behavior without announcing it, so once the first test is run we repeat it every quarter, and this section will say when it was run and on which devices and app versions.
Sources
Read on September 18, 2026.
- Google, Android Help, Free up storage on your Android device
- Apple Support, How to check the storage on your iPhone and iPad
- Instagram Help Center, How to edit Instagram's in-app browser settings
- Instagram Help Center, Clear your Instagram search history
- Instagram Help Center, Save a post as a draft on Instagram
Questions people ask next
How do I clear cache on Instagram?+
On Android: Settings, Apps, Instagram, Storage, Clear cache. On iPhone there is no cache button, so offload the app or delete and reinstall it from Settings, General, iPhone Storage.
Can you clear Instagram cache inside the app?+
Only for the in app browser: tap a link, then Options, Browser settings, Clear cookies and cache. The app's own cache is cleared in your phone's settings.
Does clearing cache delete my Instagram account or posts?+
No. Posts, messages and followers are stored on Instagram's servers. Clearing the cache only removes temporary files on your phone.
Will clearing cache delete my drafts?+
Drafts are saved on the phone and are lost if you uninstall the app, so treat anything that clears app data as a risk to them. Post or save the drafts you care about first.
What is the difference between Clear cache and Clear storage?+
Clear cache deletes temporary data. Clear storage permanently deletes all app data, which for Instagram signs you out and resets the app.
How do I clear Instagram cache on iPhone without deleting the app?+
Offload App removes the app but keeps its documents and data. It frees the app's space; deleting and reinstalling is the only full reset.
Does clearing cache clear my Instagram search history?+
No. Search history is stored with your account. Clear it under Your activity, then Recent searches, or in Meta Account.
How often should I clear Instagram cache?+
Only when there is a reason: low storage, images that will not load, or a screen that keeps crashing. Clearing it routinely just makes the app slower for a while.
Why is Instagram using so much storage?+
Mostly cached images and video from what you have watched, plus drafts. The cache grows with use, which is why clearing it can free a noticeable amount.
Does clearing cache fix Instagram not working?+
It fixes problems caused by damaged files on the phone. It does not fix account problems, outages or login errors.
How do I clear the Instagram cache on a desktop?+
There is no Instagram app cache on a computer. instagram.com runs in the browser, so what there is to clear is the browser's cache and site data for instagram.com, the same way as for any other site.