If you are using Spotify music on a regular basis to either stream songs or podcasts then you must have noticed that the app takes up a lot of cache space. Most of the cache space in Spotify is by your listening history or the offline songs that you download to make available without the internet. So, if you want to save up the device storage and clear out the cache in your Spotify app then here is a guide on how to clear cache on Spotify.
You will need to navigate to the storage in your Spotify app. From there, locate the storage and delete the cache files. In a PC, you will need to locate where are the cache files in your device and then delete them. The process for each device is laid out in detail further in the article.
What Is Spotify Cache
Spotify Cache refers to Spotify files which are stored locally in our devices when Spotify app is used for streaming any song or playlist. Spotify cache is a component of computer systems that stores your Spotify data and programs locally so that they can be accessed more quickly. This can improve the Spotify app performance, as accessing the information from a cache is often faster than retrieving it from a remote storage location to store parts of music and podcasts as cache, so it can play without stuttering. Spotify also stores the offline downloaded material in their cache.
Cache is usually implemented using high-speed memory, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or static random access memory (SRAM). When an item is requested by the system, the cache controller for the app such as Spotify checks to see if the item is already stored in the cache. If it is, the controller retrieves it from the cache and delivers it to the requesting program or your device. If the item is not in the cache, the controller requests it from its original source and then stores it in the cache for future requests.
Why Is Spotify Cache Important
Before we look into how to clear Spotify cache, you may want to know why cache is important in the first place and whether clearing your cache is okay to do.
Cache is a mechanism implemented by browsers to reduce page loading time and the benefits of Spotify cache are :
- Better performance, because app and browser do not need to seek information on the server.
- Content may be preloaded in case of static files, e.g.: tracks and fragments of tracks. If this file does not change, it will not have to download again and page load time will be reduced.
- Cache works with dynamic web pages as well, but they do have a disadvantage – if client changes any data on the webpage that has been loaded from the cache, then all other users would see old version until the new version has been cached.
Spotify recommends its users to have at least 1GB of free memory on your device for Spotify.
So, cache does have the necessary benefits of it. However, having a lot of cache in your device can be disadvantageous to your own app function. So, we look further into why you should clear the cache for Spotify and how to clear cache on Spotify.
Why Should You Clear Your Cache
Now we look into the reasons why you should clear your cache, in your case, Spotify cache in your device. The first benefits is that your app functions better with all the features working as they are supposed to. Some drawbacks of a lot of cache in your device are given below.
- Stale data – if the page is updated on the server, the user might still see the old version if it has not been reloaded.
- Privacy issues – cached pages can be accessed by other people, so sensitive information should not be cached.
- Cache can overflow if there is too much song and track information to store.
- Caching can be defeated by using private browsing mode or disabling cookies in your browser.
- Caching can increase bandwidth usage if used inappropriately.
So overall, cache, or Spotify cache is a useful tool that provides benefits such as improved performance and preloading of static content, but it also has some drawbacks such as stale data and privacy issues. It is important to use your app cache in a way that does not overload the system or compromise privacy, in order to get the most out of it.
Ways To Clear Cache On Spotify
Here are the steps you can follow to clear cache on Spotify in different devices.
Clear Cache On Spotify In iOS Device
The steps to clear cache in an iOS device are as below.
Step 1: Launch Spotify App
First, launch the Spotify app in your device by tapping on it.
Step 2: Go To Settings
Go to the Settings icon by tapping on the gear wheel icon on the top right side of the screen.
Step 3: Tap On Storage
Within settings, tap on Storage to access your Spotify storage settings.
Step 4: Delete Cache
Finally, tap on the option to Delete Cache from Spotify in your device.
Note: On an iOS device, Spotify saves the offline downloads in an encrypted form on your device’s storage. iOS automatically deletes any unused save data if there is not enough storage. So, if there is no extra space in the saved data then you will need to manually remove the downloaded tracks to create storage space.
Steps To Clear Spotify Cache In Android
Similar to that on iOS device, these are the steps to clear cache in an Android device.
Step 1: Launch Spotify In Your Device
First, launch the Spotify app in your device by tapping on it.
Step 2: Go To Settings
Go to Settings by tapping on the gear wheel icon.
Step 3: Tap On Storage
In settings, tap on the Storage option to access Spotify storage.
Step 4: Delete Cache
Next, Delete Cache by tapping on the option. You Spotify cache is then cleared up.
Note: You can use Spotify as you normally would in an Android device once you are clearing cache. In an Android, you can store the downloads in an external SD card if you have one.
Ways To Clear Spotify Cache In PC
Unlike your phone, the steps to clear cache in your PC are different. Follow the given steps to clear cache on Spotify in PC.
Step 1 : Go To Spotify
First, go to the Spotify app in your PC or browser.
Step 2: Click On The Downward Facing Arrow
From there, click on the home in your top left corner and from the downward facing arrow, open the options.
Step 3: Go To Settings
Go to Settings by tapping on the gear wheel icon.
Step 4: Show Advanced Settings
Scroll down in your settings and choose the Show Advanced Settings option.
Step 5 :Go To Offline Songs Storage
Next, tap on the Offline Songs Storage to see where your cache is stored in your PC.
Step 6: Go To Folder In Computer
Next, go to the folder that is in your device and taking up the device storage.
Step 7: Select Files And Delete Folder
Select all the files from the cache folder and delete it to clear cache.
Note: Inside offline stores storage you can click on the Change Location option to store the Spotify cache in your device in another location.
What Happens When You Clear Spotify Cache
So, the above mentioned ways is how to clear cache on Spotify in the device that you are using. Now, you may wonder what happens when you clear Spotify cache.
When you clear your Spotify cache, it means that you are getting rid of all the temporary files including your listening history and offline data that are stored in your phone or browser. This can be helpful if you are experiencing any problems with your internet connection, or if you are having trouble loading certain websites or functions through the Spotify app in your device.
Be aware that clearing your Spotify cache can also delete any cookies or other information that has been stored on your computer device. So if you are using a public computer, or if you are worried about someone accessing your information, you may want to avoid clearing the cache.
When you clear cache on your Spotify, any offline information including downloaded files will be removed. However, your playlists and library still remains the same. You can be assured that clearing cache will not clear your music and your playlists that are already in your Spotify system. Though, your streaming data on the app will be removed from the listening history.
Overall, clearing your cache is a quick and easy way to improve your Spotify app function, and it can be a helpful troubleshooting step if you are experiencing any problems. Just be sure to remember it will delete your offline data and your cookies in your Spotify in PC.
Does Clearing Cache Mean Clearing All Data
Clearing your Spotify cache is different from clearing your app data. The only things that get cleared out are all the songs you have downloaded and made available offline. Except this, your music and playlists are stored in the Spotify server. Until and unless you delete your account entirely, your app information is intact even when you clear the app cache.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some frequently asked questions on how to clear cache on Spotify are below.
Where Is Spotify App Cache
You need to go to the offline songs section from within your advanced storage settings to locate your app cache files. The cache files are stored in your device memory however, you can change the location in an Android phone and in your PC.
Why Is My Spotify App Cache So Large
The listening history in your Spotify app must not take up a lot of cache space. However, the more songs you store for offline use, the more your cache takes up space in your device storage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you can clear the Spotify cache in your device by going to the Spotify app in your device and clearing it out. You can choose to save your cache files in an external SD card in an Android. In your PC, you can change the location of the cache files too. Overall, there are various benefits and drawbacks that come with cache files and you can see how your app functions once you clear out your cache.
