If you find your mobile device memory being drained from cached data, you should probably clear it.

So, if cached data isn’t that important, is it safe to erase? Well, that depends. You can specifically remove the cache on certain websites but leave others in place, which can be particularly useful if you are managing multiple sites. Without cache, everything would need to reload. For example, if I close my Twitter app and reopen it 10 minutes later, I’ll be able to scroll down and see posts that were previously loaded. When this data is cached, we can reopen the app or revisit the page with confidence that it won’t take anywhere near as much time.Ĭache memory also saves states. On-page elements like images, videos, and even text take some time to load. Is cached data important?Ĭached data isn’t inherently important, as it’s only considered “temporary storage.” However, it does exist to improve the user experience. This is why small-sized files like web text and images are stored in the cache. The flip side to low latency means not much memory can be stored. Note: Your second time around should be noticeably faster.

Here’s a visual of this hierarchy for reference: On a more technical side, the cache is very high up on the hierarchy of computer memory.

How does cached data work?įor cached data to be stored for re-access, there needs to be enough memory or storage space on your device. The technique of storing cache data or cache files as history on a phone or web browser to improve the user experience on future visits to a website or an app is known as caching. All our devices have some level of reserved space to store this type of data for quick access. Laptops, tablets, smartphones, it doesn’t matter. The user gets to enjoy content in exchange for location info, which device they’re using, which browser they’re using, time spent on pages, and other user behaviors. With every app opened or website visited comes a bartering of information. This data is then used to quickly gather information about the app or website every time revisited, reducing load time. Cached data are files, scripts, images, and other multimedia stored on your device after opening an app or visiting a website for the first time.

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