The cache refers to data temporarily stored to improve accessibility to information on an app or a website or even on the computer’s main storage. The cache stores data that will be accessed again and it improves the performance of the device by reducing the amount of data retrieval from the main memory.
Where the cache is stored is referred to as the cache memory and it helps with the easy access of frequently-used data with utmost efficiency. Your storage unit catalogues a copy of every data you access into its cache memory, to help you whenever you want to access said data again. The cache also helps reduce the amount of data you consume when you use your device.
Caches help with the performance of the device because of the frequently used data stored, they help with the availability of information by reducing the chances of waiting, in an input/output operation, and caches help reduce latency by minimising the amount of time for data to move between cache and memory.
How to clear Instagram cache will be discussed with the following outline:
- What Is A Cache Used For?
- How To Clear Instagram Cache On Android.
- How To Clear Instagram Cache On iPhone.
- What Happens When You Clear Instagram’s Cache?
- What Happens When You Clear Instagram’s Data?
What Is A Cache Used For?
A cache is used to make a recall and results turn up faster, enhancing the processing time. When you perform a task that requires getting some information, your device checks the cache memory first rather than fetching your request from the live server. If it finds it there it makes getting the information to you easier as the device is at peak performance but if it isn’t there the information takes longer to get to you.
You know of course that the cache stores up temporary memory, which allows the web pages to load faster.
That being said every app or web page with an image has a cache and in the case of Instagram this can be very large as Instagram is a picture-based application, so the more you view a picture on Instagram, the more likely a copy of the data will find its way to your cache.
In fact, Instagram saves every search you make to speed it up when you search for favourite accounts or hashtags. Sometimes this can be as large as 1Gb when the size of the app itself is less than 100Mb. When the cache has stored a lot of data and your device is running out of memory, the app starts to lag and the performance decreases.
You might even start getting outdated content because the cache prohibits the loading of updated content. When the cache is cleared you get an updated version of your data Clearing your cache and in this case, that of Instagram can reduce the amount of space Instagram takes up on your phone and also help with troubleshooting, which increases the overall performance of your device.
So below, I’ll be explaining how to clear Instagram cache without deleting the app.
How To Clear Instagram Cache On Android.
Clearing the Instagram cache on your Android does not require you to delete the app, all you need do is go to settings
1. Open the Settings app, scroll through and when you find storage click on it
2. Select “apps” or “other apps” depending on the phone
3. Click on Instagram. You should see the clear cache button, click on it and that is all.
These steps taken do not even require you to log out of your account, so your account and saved data are still safe plus your Instagram experience has increased performance, it is a win-win for you.
How To Clear Instagram Cache On iPhone.
Some would argue that it is not necessary to get rid of the Instagram cache on your iPhone as it improves the Instagram experience, but after a while, the large cache storage would cause your iPhone to be slow and you definitely wouldn’t like that.
How To Clear Instagram Cache On iPhone by Deleting the App
To clear the Instagram cache on your iPhone you might have to uninstall the app and reinstall it again. That is the surest way to get rid of the rapidly increasing Instagram cache. But there is another way and this will come after.
1. Locate the Instagram icon in your app library.
2. Press and hold the icon until the menu pops up.
3. Select remove app or click on the minus sign.
You can also delete the Instagram app from the phone storage where you find all installed apps along with their storage usage.
After removing the app, go to the Apple store and download the app again, after reinstalling the app you would need to log in again.
How To Clear Instagram Cache on iPhone Without Deleting The App.
To clear cache without deleting the app is with the help of a third-party app.
Yes, deleting the app provides a certainty that the storage is increased and the cache won’t affect peak performance again but it is unwise to keep uninstalling and reinstalling the app as you may have to keep repeating this process every few months.
With a tool like iMyFone Umate pro
This app similar to the phone manager or xmanager of Android devices aims to boost the iPhone performance.
These are the steps to take to clear Instagram’s cache on your iPhone without deleting the app.
1. Run the iMyFone Umate pro app and connect your iPhone to it
2. Select the 1-click free up space icon and click on the quick scan button
3. Once the scan is complete, click on clean to clear junk files and temporary files on your iPhone, and all app caches including those of Instagram will be removed
You should know that using this app to clear your cache will not affect your Instagram account, or delete your previous posts
If you use your browser for Instagram and not the app, all the cache will be stored within the storage of the browser and so if you choose to clear your browser cache, it automatically clears the ones generated by Instagram.
This is applicable on all platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, as much as the browser offers the user, using the app is better
You should optimise your device by clearing out the Instagram cache on your iPhone or Android. You should also clear the caches of other apps on your device too when you find that it starts to affect the performance of your device slowing it down, this gives you a maximum yield of your device’s performance.
What Happens When You Clear Instagram’s Cache?
Clearing the cache memory removes the temporary data saved on your device to help you with the performance of your device, this does not in any way affect your messages, posts or Instagram account, it does not delete anything on the web just frees up space taken on your iPhone or Android.
Clearing the cache will not clear out the Instagram photos saved on your phone or your account, that would require a “delete” action because your photos are not cached data but are saved to permanent storage on your device. Cached data are stored temporarily to help you retrieve often-used data quickly.
What Happens When You Clear Instagram’s Data?
When you install an app, a directory is created on your phone containing account information, customizations you made and offline files, so clearing an app is similar to uninstalling and reinstalling the app but without re-downloading it.
Clearing Instagram’s data is something else, though, as it clears both the cache and your account information.
You have to understand, that your account information is removed and accessing your account again will require you to log in afresh, this is because data from social media apps are stored in the cloud and not on your phone.
Put it this way. You have an account with Instagram but you have signed out from the device, so be rest assured your account is secured but not signed in. And once you have signed in again with your account information you start receiving messages and notifications.
Clearing data can be said to be good as it resets the app, taking care of the problems you are starting to have on the app like lags and lack of memory, it also deletes the data associated with the app, making the app seem new, you would have to log in, grant all the needed permission and requests, after clearing the data and you open the app, the app updates to the latest version.
Conclusion
You can use any of the options above to free your phone of clogged-up memory space and boost the performance speed and efficiency of your phone.
It’s a fact that the longer you use your phone, the slower it gets because the phone generates caches always due to daily usage of the apps, so it is wise to clear caches every few times.
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