Your Samsung Galaxy S25 uses cached data to make apps load faster, but over time, that temporary storage can get clogged and cause slowdowns. When you notice apps stuttering or your storage mysteriously filling up, clearing the cache is a great first step. It's a safe process that won't delete your personal information.
Use Device Care for a Quick Cleanup
One UI 8 has a powerful built-in tool for this. Swipe down and open your Settings, then tap on Battery and device care. From there, tap Storage and then hit the blue Clean now button.
This automatically scans and removes cached data from all your apps at once. It's the fastest way to reclaim a gigabyte or two of space without touching your photos or messages. I'd start with this one every time.
Clear Cache for a Specific App
If one app in particular is acting up, you can target it directly. Go to Settings > Apps, then find and select the problematic app from the list. Tap on Storage and you'll see the Clear cache button at the bottom.
This wipes the app's temporary files while keeping your account logged in and your saved data intact. Focus on data-heavy apps like Instagram, TikTok, Chrome, or Spotify, as they build up cache the quickest.
Clear Your Browser Cache
If you use Samsung Internet, open the app and tap the menu (three lines). Go to Settings > Personal browsing data > Delete browsing data. Make sure Cached images and files is checked, then tap Delete.
For Google Chrome users, the path is Menu (three dots) > Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. Select Cached images and files and choose your time range before clearing.
Wipe the System Cache Partition
This is a deeper clean for the Android system itself, useful if your phone feels laggy or buggy after a software update. First, power your Galaxy S25 off completely.
Note that Samsung removed the Wipe cache partition option from the recovery menu on the Galaxy S25 with the February 2026 update, so this step is no longer available. If you do boot into recovery (connect the phone to a PC with a USB cable, then hold Volume Up and the Side key), you will only see Reboot system now, Wipe data/factory reset, and Power off. Samsung now clears the system cache automatically during seamless software updates, so use Device Care above instead.
Manage Messages and Media Storage
The Messages app can hoard space with old photos and videos. Open Messages, tap the three-dot menu, and go to Settings > More settings > Delete old messages. You can set it to auto-delete messages older than a certain time.
For a more hands-on approach, go through individual conversations and delete large media files manually. This often frees up more space than clearing the app cache alone.
Set Up Automatic Maintenance
You can put your Galaxy S25 on autopilot. Go to Settings > Battery and device care > Auto optimization. Toggle it on to let your phone automatically restart and clear temporary files at set times, like while you're sleeping.
Also check Settings > Battery and device care > Storage > Advanced for options like removing duplicate files or detecting large files you might have forgotten about.
Perform a Force Restart
Sometimes, a simple restart is all you need to clear out stuck processes. If your phone is unresponsive, press and hold the Volume Down button and the Side key for about 10 seconds until the screen goes black and the Samsung logo reappears.
This forces a fresh boot and clears the phone's active memory (RAM), which can instantly resolve minor glitches and sluggish performance. It's a good habit to do this once a week.
