On Android, open Settings, tap Apps (then See all apps, if your phone shows that step), tap Instagram, tap Storage or Storage & cache, then tap Clear cache; Google Pixel Phone Help and Samsung support publish those steps (read 6 October 2026). On iPhone, Apple Support lists two actions on every app, offload and delete (and, for some apps, deleting some of its documents and data), and no per-app clear-cache button (read 6 October 2026).
Instagram keeps temporary copies of the photos, videos, Reels, Stories and profile pictures it has already loaded, so they show up faster the next time and so you use less mobile data. That saved pile is the cache. Clearing it can free up storage and may help an app that has started to lag or misbehave, but Google calls it "a short-term solution" and says that "Over time, cached data will build up again." The method is different on Android and iPhone, and the difference matters.
Why the Instagram cache grows
Every time media loads in your feed, Instagram writes a temporary copy to your device. The more you browse, and the more video-heavy your feed is, the faster this builds up. The cache is meant to be disposable, so removing it is safe. What it does not contain is anything that only exists on your phone in a permanent sense, which is why it is usually harmless to wipe.
Clear the Instagram cache on Android
Android gives you a direct Clear cache button at the system level, and Instagram's own Help Center points Android users to the phone's settings: "Open your phone's settings. Tap Apps. Scroll down and tap Instagram." It adds "You can also clear your cache and data" from there (Instagram Help Center, read 6 October 2026). Use your phone's settings:
- Long-press the Instagram icon on your home screen, then tap App info (the small ⓘ or gear). You can also go to Settings → Apps → Instagram.
- Tap Storage (on some phones it reads Storage & cache).
- Tap Clear cache.
Your version may label these menus slightly differently: Samsung phones use Settings → Apps → Instagram → Storage, while stock Android uses Storage & cache. Samsung puts its warning that "Clearing the data will reset the app to factory default settings" on Clear data, not on Clear cache, so Clear cache is not expected to sign you out or touch your drafts. Neither Instagram nor Google documents that outcome in so many words, so treat it as expected rather than promised. Do not tap Clear storage or Clear data unless you intend a full reset, which should be expected to sign you out and remove local drafts.
The iPhone approach: offload or reinstall
Here is the honest part: Apple's iPhone Storage screen offers two actions on every app, offload and delete (and, for some apps, deleting some of its documents and data), and no per-app "clear cache" button (Apple Support, read 6 October 2026). We found no in-app button for clearing the app's cache documented in Instagram's Help Center either. So on an iPhone you cannot clear the cache in the tidy way Android allows.
Instagram does document a few in-app clears, but they cover other data. In the in-app browser, Browser settings has Clear cookies and cache, which Instagram says clears "cookies, cache and storage data from the websites you've visited while using Instagram" (Instagram Help Center, read 6 October 2026). Your activity > Link history has Clear all (Instagram Help Center, read 6 October 2026), and there is a separate article on clearing your search history (read 6 October 2026). None of those is described as clearing the photos and videos saved from your feed. For that, there are two real workarounds:
Offload the app (keeps your data)
- Open Settings → General → iPhone Storage.
- Scroll to and tap Instagram.
- Tap Offload App, then confirm.
Offloading removes the app itself but deliberately keeps its documents and data. That reclaims the space the app binary takes, but it does not fully clear the cache, because the cached media lives in that retained "Documents & Data." Reinstalling brings it back.
Delete and reinstall (clears the cache)
- Long-press the Instagram icon, tap Remove App, then Delete App.
- Open the App Store, search for Instagram, and reinstall it.
- Log back in.
Deleting the app is the only way to genuinely clear the cache on iOS, because it removes the Documents & Data along with everything else. Before you do this, make sure you know your login details, since you will be signed out.
What clearing does and does not delete
Clearing the cache only removes temporary files. It does not touch anything stored on Instagram's servers:
- Safe: your account, posts, Reels, Stories highlights, followers, direct messages and saved collections all live in your account and are untouched.
- On Android "Clear cache": expected to remove only temporary files and to leave you signed in with your drafts intact, though Instagram does not document that outcome.
- On a full reset (Android "Clear storage" / iPhone delete-and-reinstall): expect to be signed out, and locally stored items such as unposted drafts can be lost: Instagram says "Drafts are saved onto your device" and "If you uninstall the app, your drafts will be lost" (Instagram Help Center, read 6 October 2026). Post or back up anything important first.
In short: routine cache clearing is low-risk, but a full reset behaves like a fresh install.
When to actually do it
Instagram manages its own cache and will overwrite old files on its own, so this is not something you need to do on a schedule. Clear it when there is a reason:
- The app has become slow, laggy or keeps crashing.
- Your phone is low on storage and Instagram is one of the biggest offenders.
- Images or videos load blank, or the feed keeps showing stale content.
If the app still misbehaves after clearing, updating Instagram to the latest version or restarting your phone is usually the next step. The same Android and iPhone split applies to Meta's other apps; see our guides to clearing the Messenger cache and clearing the Facebook cache.