How to clear Twitter (X) cache on iPhone, Android, and desktop

If Twitter (X) is running slow, showing outdated posts, or eating up storage, clearing the cache can usually fix it. Luckily, this process is simple for both the app and the website.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to clear your Twitter cache on iPhone, Android, and desktop browsers. We also explain what the cache stores and how clearing it can help the platform run more smoothly.

Note: Twitter is now called X, but this guide will refer to it as Twitter for consistency.

Why clearing the Twitter cache improves performance

Like any app or website, Twitter uses a cache, which is a short-term storage space that saves bits of data so it can load faster. It works like a shortcut; instead of downloading the same images, scripts, and previews every time you open the platform, Twitter reuses the files already saved in your browser or on your device.

When this temporary data becomes outdated, corrupted, or too full, it can cause glitches, sluggish performance, or you might see outdated content. Clearing it forces Twitter to refresh everything with clean, up-to-date files, which often fixes performance issues.

The difference between Twitter cookies vs. cache

Twitter’s cache and cookies store different types of data, and understanding the difference helps you manage your storage without losing anything important.

• Cache: Saves temporary files such as images and videos you’ve already viewed, profile pictures, media previews, recent searches, and data from profiles or tweets you’ve visited. On the website, the cache may also store scripts and other site data.
• Cookies: Store account-related information such as login sessions, preferences, and personalization data. If you clear cookies, it can sign you out of Twitter and may remove any saved preferences.

Benefits of clearing the Twitter cache

Here are some benefits you might see when you clear your cache on Twitter.

• Faster app performance: Removing excess cached data helps Twitter load new content more efficiently. The app and website may open faster, refresh timelines more quickly, and feel smoother when scrolling or switching tabs.
• Frees up storage space: Cached media can quietly build up to hundreds of megabytes. Clearing it frees that space so your device has more room for apps, photos, and updates.
• Improved image and video loading: If media appears blurry, loads slowly, or doesn’t update, clearing the cache forces Twitter to fetch fresh versions from its servers, resulting in sharper images and smoother video playback.
• Enhanced search accuracy: Clearing cached search data removes outdated suggestions and search history stored locally, allowing Twitter to rebuild your search suggestions and trends with fresh, more accurate results.

Signs that you need to clear your cache

• Slow app performance: You notice Twitter taking longer to launch, timelines loading slowly, or delays when opening posts or profiles.
• Frequent freezing or crashes: The app stutters, becomes unresponsive, or closes unexpectedly during normal use.
• Long load times for media: Images stay blurry, videos buffer for too long, or media refuses to load until you refresh repeatedly.
• Outdated information: Your timeline shows posts that are hours or days old, or new Tweets don’t appear unless you manually refresh.
• Old tweets: You see outdated versions of conversations, replies that were deleted, or posts that no longer match what others see.
• Profile not updating: Your profile picture, bio, or display name updates on one device but not on another.

How to clear Twitter cache on iPhone

On iOS, you can clear the cache directly in the Twitter (X) app by following these steps:

1. Tap your profile icon in the top-left corner, and select Settings and privacy.
2. Tap Accessibility, display, and languages.
3. Select Data usage.
4. Tap Media storage to clear cached photos and videos.
5. Confirm by tapping Clear media storage.
6. Next, select Web storage.
7. Here, you have two options:

• Clear web storage: This clears the cache.
• Clear all web storage: This wipes everything the app has stored for websites, including cache and cookies, so you may need to sign back in afterwards.

How to clear Twitter cache on Android

On Android, it’s best to clear the cache via your phone settings:

1. In Settings, select Apps.
2. Find and tap the X app.
3. Choose Storage from the list.
4. Select Clear cache from the bottom right corner.
5. You should now see 0 B beside Cache, indicating your cache memory has been successfully cleared.

Troubleshooting Twitter cache on iPhone and Android

Twitter is still crashing or lagging

If clearing the cache didn’t resolve the issue, the next step is to reset the app’s stored data. On iPhone, this means offloading the app; on Android, it means clearing storage. Both actions remove all app data, including cached files, so X can rebuild everything from scratch.

Offload the app on iOS

1. Go to Settings and select General.
2. Tap iPhone Storage.
3. Find X and select it.
4. Tap Offload App.

Clear storage on Android

1. Go to Apps, then find and select X.
2. Tap Storage.
3. Select Clear data.

Other solutions for Twitter crashing or lagging

If offloading doesn’t fix the issue, the problems may not come from the cache itself but from other system or app limitations. In that case, try the following:

• Free up device storage: When your phone’s storage is nearly full, the app may struggle to save or refresh cached files properly, leading to slow loading, broken media, or app instability.
• Update the app: Using an outdated version of Twitter can cause bugs or compatibility issues that affect performance, including how cached content loads and displays.
• Check for an OS update: Some performance issues can come from your device’s OS, not the app itself.

What to do if the app doesn’t respond

• Force-quit and reopen the X app: On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle, then find X and swipe it up to fully close it. On Android, you can find X in your app settings and select “Force Stop.” Fully quitting and reopening the app resets the current session and clears temporary memory that may have caused it to hang.
• Restart your phone: A restart clears temporary system processes that may be interfering with how the app loads cached content. This often fixes situations where the app won’t open or repeatedly freezes.
• Check your internet connection: A weak or unstable connection can make the app look frozen when it’s actually unable to fetch new data. If cached content can’t refresh, the app may appear stuck until the connection stabilizes.

How to clear Twitter cache in desktop browsers

When you use Twitter (X) in a desktop browser, the site doesn’t store its separate cache inside the app the way it does on mobile. Instead, your browser keeps cached images, scripts, and site data for every website you visit, including Twitter.

Most browsers, like Chrome and Firefox, only let you clear your general browser cache, which means removing cached data for every website at once. Safari is the exception because it stores website data in separate containers, which means you can remove cached files for individual sites like Twitter.

Clearing cache in Chrome, Firefox, and Safari

How to clear cache in Chrome

1. In Google Chrome, click the three dots in the top-right corner, and select Settings from the menu.
2. From there, click Privacy and security from the side menu, then Delete browsing data.
3. Check the box beside Cached images and files, and select the time frame you want (to fully clear everything, select All time). Then, select Delete data.

How to clear cache in Firefox

1. In your Firefox browser, click the three-line icon (☰) in the top right corner, then select History.
2. Click Clear recent history.
3. Check the box next to Cache, then choose the time frame you want to delete data from in the dropdown menu (to fully clear the cache, choose Everything). Select Clear Now to confirm.

How to clear cache in Safari

1. Open your Safari browser, click Safari in the top menu bar, and select Settings.
2. Open the Privacy tab, and then select Manage website data.
3. Search for “Twitter” and “X” and select the relevant results. Click Remove then Done to confirm.

How to use Data Saver to cache less data

Turning on Twitter’s Data Saver feature reduces how much information the app stores on your device. When Data Saver is enabled, Twitter lowers the quality of images, stops videos from autoplaying, and loads media only when you tap it. These changes mean the app downloads fewer large files, which helps keep your cache smaller over time.

Here’s how to enable Data Saver in the Twitter (X) app:

1. Go to Settings and privacy and select Accessibility, display, and languages.
2. Select Data Usage.
3. Tap the toggle next to Data Saver to the on position.

Learn more: Bluesky vs. X: Which platform offers better privacy and control?