If Safari is your main browser, you should know that every time you use it, each site you visit saves temporary files to your device to help pages load faster the next time you browse. Over time, though, those files can pile up, causing Safari to slow down or struggle with simple tasks.

Here's how to fix that by clearing the cache.

1. Open Settings > Apps.
2. Scroll down to Safari and tap it.
3. Find and tap Clear History and Website Data.
4. Choose a time frame (I suggest All History).
5. Tap Clear History to erase your history, cookies, and cache.

You can clear Safari's history and website data directly in the app, but you'll find more options in Settings. Doing this regularly can fix glitches or speed up browsing without deleting your bookmarks or saved passwords.

Also: I found an iPhone and Mac browser that's faster, safer, and easier than Safari

Tip: For even more granular control, go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data, then tap Remove All Website Data. This clears only cookies and tracking data, not your browsing history. Safari will simply behave as if you haven't visited any sites before, so you'll need to log back into your favorite services.

If you use Chrome on your iPhone instead, you can clear the cache just like in Safari. Chrome also saves temporary data to improve speed, but again, those files can overflow, becoming bloated and buggy.

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Chrome has several cache controls built right into the app, so you don't need to dig through Settings this time.

1. Open the Chrome app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the right corner.
3. Select Settings > Privacy and Security > Delete Browsing Data.
4. Select a time range (I suggest All Time).
5. Make sure Cached Images and Files is checked. You can also include Cookies, Site Data, and Browsing History for a deeper clean.
6. Tap Confirm to clear.

Clearing Chrome's cache forces it to reload sites from a clean slate, which can help fix slow or glitchy browsing sessions. You may be logged out of some services if you also clear your cookies in Safari, but your bookmarks and passwords will remain intact.

Most apps don't include a dedicated "clear cache" button to remove temporary files and free up space, but iOS 26 lets you offload or delete apps, which effectively clears built-up cache and helps manage your storage.

1. Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
2. Review the list of apps sorted by size.
3. Tap an app to view details.
4. Select Offload App to remove the app but keep its data, or Delete App to remove everything.
5. Reinstall from the App Store later if needed.

Social, streaming, and gaming apps often accumulate gigabytes of cache. Offloading or deleting them can free up significant space. For example, YouTube Kids had 5.5GB of stored data on my device.

Also: Low on iPhone storage space? Do this instead of deleting your apps

Tip: You can turn on Offload Unused Apps under Settings > App Store to let iOS 26 remove apps you rarely use.

After clearing browser and app cache, it's time to restart your iPhone. iOS 26 also stores hidden system cache and temporary files in the background, but a reboot clears that out and can refresh memory and performance.

1. Hold the Power and Volume Up buttons until the slider appears.
2. Slide to Power Off your iPhone.
3. Press the Power button to turn it back on.

If your buttons aren't working, go to Settings > General > Shut Down.

Also: Rebooting your phone daily is your best defense against zero-click attacks

A quick reboot can make your iPhone feel faster, fix background glitches, and even improve security.