DB LabsDB Labs

Updated April 7, 2026

By Jack Smith, iOS Developer at DB Labs

How-To

How to Clear Photos Cache on iPhone

iOS does not give you a simple "Clear Cache" button for the Photos app. But there are real ways to reduce Photos-related storage and rebuild the cache. Here is how.

April 7, 2026  ·  5 min read

Quick Answer

iOS has no explicit Clear Cache button for Photos. The effective ways to reduce Photos storage are: 1) Empty the Recently Deleted album (photos sit there for 30 days using space); 2) Restart your iPhone to clear system caches; 3) Turn iCloud Photos off and back on to rebuild the local cache; 4) Enable Optimize iPhone Storage so full originals live in iCloud. Most "Photos cache" space is actually photo files, not cache.

Method 1: Empty Recently Deleted

1 Open the Photos App

Tap the Albums tab at the bottom, then scroll down to Utilities.

2 Open Recently Deleted

Tap Recently Deleted. On iOS 16+, this album is locked — use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock.

3 Delete All

Tap Select in the top right, then Delete All in the bottom left. Confirm. This permanently removes everything in the album and frees the space immediately.

Method 2: Restart Your iPhone

1 Force Restart

Press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. A full restart clears RAM-level caches and many app caches, including some Photos temp files.

Method 3: Rebuild iCloud Photos Cache

This is the most thorough option. It can temporarily use more data as your library re-syncs.

1 Turn iCloud Photos Off

Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos. Toggle Sync this iPhone off. Choose Remove from iPhone if prompted — full originals stay in iCloud.

2 Restart the iPhone

Give iOS a few seconds to process the change, then restart the phone.

3 Turn iCloud Photos Back On

Return to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos and toggle it back on. Enable Optimize iPhone Storage so only smaller previews download. Your library will re-sync with a fresh cache.

Method 4: Enable Optimize iPhone Storage

This is the single best way to reduce Photos storage long-term.

1 Open Photos Settings

Go to Settings > Photos.

2 Select Optimize iPhone Storage

Under iCloud Photos, tap Optimize iPhone Storage. iOS will begin replacing full originals with smaller, device-optimized versions. Over a few hours on Wi-Fi, you can recover many gigabytes.

Note: iOS does not expose the Photos cache as a user-clearable item because it is managed automatically. If the Photos app is using way more storage than expected, it is almost always the actual photo files — not cache.
Tip: The fastest way to actually reduce Photos storage is to delete photos you do not need. Swype Photo Cleaner lets you swipe through your library and delete in bulk.

For more, see our clear iPhone cache without deleting photos, free up space before an iOS update, Optimize Storage explained, and iPhone storage keeps filling up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I clear the Photos cache on iPhone?

No explicit cache button exists. Empty Recently Deleted, restart iPhone, toggle iCloud Photos, or enable Optimize Storage.

Why does the Photos app use so much storage?

Actual photo and video files, previews, thumbnails, Memories, and Recently Deleted. Most of it is photos themselves, not cache.

Does restarting iPhone clear the Photos cache?

Partially. It clears RAM caches and some disk caches but does not delete photo files.