Updated October 2026: Snapchat moved the Clear Cache option. It used to sit under “Account Actions” at the bottom of Settings. It now lives under My Privacy & Data. The steps below follow Snapchat’s own help page as of October 2026.
Clearing the cache is the quickest fix when Snapchat is slow, Snaps will not load, or the app is taking up too much space on your phone. It removes temporary files the app keeps so that it can load faster. It does not delete your Memories, Snaps or Chats.
How to clear the Snapchat cache on iPhone
- Open Snapchat and tap your Bitmoji or profile icon in the top-left corner to open My Account.
- Tap the gear icon in the top-right corner to open Settings.
- Scroll down to the App & Privacy section and tap My Privacy & Data.
- Under Manage My Data, tap Clear Cache.
- Tap Clear to confirm.
On iPhone you can also clear individual caches, such as the Lens cache, instead of everything at once. The Lens cache is often the largest, so clearing only that one frees space without making the rest of the app reload.
How to clear the Snapchat cache on Android
- Open Snapchat and tap your Bitmoji or profile icon in the top-left corner to open My Account.
- Tap the gear icon to open Settings.
- Scroll down to App & Privacy and tap My Privacy & Data.
- Under Manage My Data, tap Clear Data.
- Tap Clear Cache, then tap Clear to confirm.
On Android the cache is cleared for the whole app at once rather than one feature at a time.
What the Snapchat cache stores
The cache is space on your phone where Snapchat keeps files it expects to need again: thumbnails, parts of Stories you have watched, Lenses and filters you have used, and similar data. When you open the app, it can read these from your phone instead of downloading them again, which makes it feel faster. Over time the cache grows, and on a phone that is short of space that can slow the app down rather than speed it up.
When you should clear it
- Snaps will not send or load. Snapchat’s own troubleshooting steps are to update the app, check your connection, clear the cache and restart your phone.
- Memories are missing or will not load. Clearing the cache and restarting is one of Snapchat’s suggested fixes.
- Login errors. For some login error codes, Snapchat suggests updating the app, restarting it and clearing the cache before trying again.
- Low storage. If your phone warns that it is almost full, Snapchat’s cache is often one of the larger chunks you can safely remove.
What happens after you clear the cache
Nothing important is lost. Your account, friends, Chats, Snaps and Memories stay exactly as they were, because those are stored on Snapchat’s servers and in your Memories backup, not in the cache. The first time you open Lenses, Stories or the Map afterwards they may take a moment longer to load while Snapchat downloads what it needs again. If you want to remove more than temporary files, Snapchat’s separate Clear Data options handle things like your search history.
FAQs
Does clearing the Snapchat cache delete my Memories?
No. Snapchat confirms that clearing the cache does not delete any of your Memories, Snaps or Chats.
Where is Clear Cache on Snapchat now?
Open Settings from My Account, scroll to App & Privacy, tap My Privacy & Data, then find Clear Cache under Manage My Data. On Android it is inside Clear Data.
Why can I clear individual caches on iPhone but not Android?
Snapchat offers separate caches, such as the Lens cache, only on iOS. On Android the whole cache is cleared in one go.
How often should I clear the Snapchat cache?
There is no need to do it on a schedule. Clear it when the app is slow, something will not load, or you need to free up storage.
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