How to clear the Messenger app's cache on an iPhone or Android
Redeem now - You can clear the Messenger app's cache on an Android phone by opening your device's "Apps" menu.
- On an iPhone or iPad, the only way to clear Messenger's cache is to delete and reinstall the app.
Messenger, the standalone chatting app that used to be part of Facebook, is one of the most popular apps in the world. It's not hard to find someone whose entire life revolves around Messenger conversations.
But the more you use Messenger, the larger its cache — a stockpile of data it uses to quickly load messages you've seen before — grows. And an oversized cache can make the app run slowly and hog storage space.
Luckily, it's not hard to clear Messenger's cache on either an Android, iPhone, or iPad.
How to clear Messenger's cache on an Android
Nearly every Android app lets you clear its cache in the same way: By going through your device's Apps menu.
1. Open the Settings app on your Android device and tap Apps.
2. If you see Messenger in the list of recently used apps, tap it. Otherwise, tap the See all option and then select Messenger from the longer list that appears.
3. In the App info menu, select Storage & cache.
4. Tap the Clear cache option.
How to clear Messenger's cache on an iPhone or iPad
Unlike Android phones and tablets, you can't just clear an app cache through a menu on your iPhone or iPad. Instead, you'll need to completely delete the app from your device, then download it again.
To delete an iPhone or iPad app, hold your finger on its icon until a menu appears. Select Remove App, then Delete App, and then Delete.
Once you delete Messenger, you can reinstall it from the App Store for free. Just note that you'll probably need to log into your account again.
William Antonelli Tech Reporter for Insider Reviews William Antonelli (he/she/they) is a writer, editor, and organizer based in New York City. As a founding member of the Reference team, he helped grow Tech Reference (now part of Insider Reviews) from humble beginnings into a juggernaut that attracts over 20 million visits a month. Outside of Insider, his writing has appeared in publications like Polygon, The Outline, Kotaku, and more. He's also a go-to source for tech analysis on channels like Newsy, Cheddar, and NewsNation. You can find him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher, or reach him by email at wantonelli@businessinsider.com. Read more Read lessncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxnpJqwqXvHqK5mrJ9isK2xwKtkpp2jqLKvs8SrZJyZk52y