DB Labs
The Short Answer
X does not have a built-in cache-clear button on iPhone. The best way to clear X's cache is to delete the app and reinstall it — this typically recovers 500 MB to 2 GB. Before reinstalling, enable Data Saver mode (Settings → Accessibility, Display & Languages → Data Saver) to slow future cache growth significantly. Your X account, tweets, and DMs are all on X's servers and return when you log back in.
What X Stores on Your iPhone
X's local storage breaks down into three main categories:
| Component | Typical Size | How to Clear |
|---|---|---|
| Media cache (images, GIFs, videos) | 300 MB–1.5 GB | Delete and reinstall app |
| App core files | 200–400 MB | Not removable (required) |
| DM media cache | 50–300 MB | Delete and reinstall app |
The media cache is by far the largest variable component. X pre-loads images and GIFs as you scroll so they appear instantly. Video clips in the Videos tab or embedded in tweets start buffering as you pass them. Over months of use, this cache easily reaches 1-2 GB on heavily used devices.
Check X's Storage Usage
Go to Settings → General → iPhone Storage, scroll down to X, and tap it. You will see App Size and Documents & Data listed. Documents & Data is the cache. If it is above 500 MB, a reinstall is worthwhile. If it is above 1.5 GB, a reinstall will recover significant space.
How to Clear X Cache on iPhone
1 Delete X from Your iPhone
Long-press the X icon on your home screen, tap Remove App, then tap Delete App. All locally cached data is permanently removed. Your X account remains on X's servers — tweets, followers, DMs, and lists are all untouched.
2 Reinstall X
Open the App Store, search for X, and reinstall it. The app downloads fresh with zero cache. Log back in with your credentials (or use Sign in with Apple if that is how you originally registered). Your timeline, following list, and DMs are restored from X's servers.
Enable Data Saver Mode
Data Saver is the most effective setting for reducing X's ongoing storage growth. It stops videos from auto-playing and loads lower-resolution images in your feed:
- Open X and tap your profile icon in the top-left corner.
- Tap Settings and Support → Settings and Privacy.
- Tap Accessibility, Display, and Languages.
- Tap Data Usage.
- Toggle Data Saver on.
With Data Saver on, images load at reduced quality and video requires a manual tap to play. This meaningfully reduces how much media X caches while scrolling — most users see cache growth slow by 50-70% after enabling it.
Disable Video Autoplay Separately
If you want to keep full image quality but stop video autoplay specifically:
- Go to Settings and Privacy → Accessibility, Display, and Languages → Data Usage.
- Under Video Autoplay, select Never or Wi-Fi Only.
Stopping video autoplay is the single biggest driver of cache reduction, since video clips are substantially larger than images. With autoplay disabled on mobile data, X's cache typically stays under 400 MB between reinstalls.
Keep X Storage Under Control Long-Term
- Reinstall every 3-6 months as part of a routine storage clear.
- Keep Data Saver enabled permanently on mobile data.
- Avoid the Videos tab if storage is tight — the algorithmic video feed caches clips aggressively.
- Offload instead of delete if you are not comfortable with a full reinstall: Settings → General → iPhone Storage → X → Offload App. This preserves local data but removes some cache. Less effective than reinstalling but faster.
For related storage tips, see our article on clearing Instagram cache and our guide on Facebook storage on iPhone.