how to clear system data cache iphone

reddit.com › r › ios › comments › 1he5fgo › how_do_you_clear_system_data

PSA: The proper way to delete or shrink iPhone System Data use on disk Hi, So you may all be aware of the “date trick” for triggering maintenanced (a system process on iOS responsible for cache deletion and management) on iOS to invalidate and expunge System Data (caches) from the disk. But, cache sometimes gets revalidated - as in System Data goes back to its original size - presumably because maintenanced doesn’t finish its process before users set the date back, or because there is a scheduled maintenance period triggered by this date change to expunge the data that isn’t triggered immediately (the change to storage after this maintenance period is shown in Storage settings but isn’t actually freed at this time). I have figured out a reliable way to prevent this, and to trigger maintenanced to immediately expunge all cache for good. As in, with this method, you can actually get iOS to immediately reduce System Data use on disk and to have it stay for good. Essentially, you need to set the date into the future, twice. Read notes below before you begin. Notes: Make sure you follow Step 3. Also, it’s actually not recommended you do this consistently, as caches increase the performance of apps and iOS in general. This should only be done when it spirals out of control. Also only do this if you see System Data above 25GB for best results. I also recommend deleting and reinstalling Instagram and Discord, if you use them, as they seem to be the mostly sneaky apps camouflaging cache into System Data. Check your current System Data use on iPhone Storage settings. Close all your apps. Critical: Set your iMessages to stay around forever on iMessage settings on iPhone to avoid having your iMessages deleted! Go to Settings > iMessage > Message History > Select ‘Forever’. This is important. Set your iPhone in Airplane Mode and turn Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off (this is to avoid anomalies with iCloud, Apple Watch and other apps). Change the date to 1 year into the future from the real date. Make sure you followed Step 3 before this step. Wait 60 seconds. Keep your phone awake. Check System Data use again. It should be much lower. If you don’t see a change, close Settings, relaunch and keep checking. Change the date to 3 months in the future from the real date (this is essentially 9 months in the past from the last setting). Wait 60 seconds. Keep your phone awake. Check System Data use again. It should be around the same or lower. Change date back to Automatic. Turn off Airplane Mode. You’re golden! It’s absolutely ridiculous this process is even necessary, Apple should get on board to fix the System Data woes. They have been an issue for many years now. https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone/ Answer from talley89 on reddit.com

Apple Community

discussions.apple.com › thread › 254876478

How to clear system data on iPhone - Apple Community

You'd backup your iPhone, and then restore your iPhone from the backup you've just created. All System Data will delete. ... I discovered that ios 17.1.1 aparently has a bug in the memory manager not returning cache. I ended up having to deep sleep/suspending all of my apps.

reddit.com › r/ios › how do you clear system data?

r/ios on Reddit: How do you clear system data?

December 14, 2024 -

Please, I’m getting desperate

Top answer

1 of 17

47

PSA: The proper way to delete or shrink iPhone System Data use on disk Hi, So you may all be aware of the “date trick” for triggering maintenanced (a system process on iOS responsible for cache deletion and management) on iOS to invalidate and expunge System Data (caches) from the disk. But, cache sometimes gets revalidated - as in System Data goes back to its original size - presumably because maintenanced doesn’t finish its process before users set the date back, or because there is a scheduled maintenance period triggered by this date change to expunge the data that isn’t triggered immediately (the change to storage after this maintenance period is shown in Storage settings but isn’t actually freed at this time). I have figured out a reliable way to prevent this, and to trigger maintenanced to immediately expunge all cache for good. As in, with this method, you can actually get iOS to immediately reduce System Data use on disk and to have it stay for good. Essentially, you need to set the date into the future, twice. Read notes below before you begin. Notes: Make sure you follow Step 3. Also, it’s actually not recommended you do this consistently, as caches increase the performance of apps and iOS in general. This should only be done when it spirals out of control. Also only do this if you see System Data above 25GB for best results. I also recommend deleting and reinstalling Instagram and Discord, if you use them, as they seem to be the mostly sneaky apps camouflaging cache into System Data. Check your current System Data use on iPhone Storage settings. Close all your apps. Critical: Set your iMessages to stay around forever on iMessage settings on iPhone to avoid having your iMessages deleted! Go to Settings > iMessage > Message History > Select ‘Forever’. This is important. Set your iPhone in Airplane Mode and turn Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off (this is to avoid anomalies with iCloud, Apple Watch and other apps). Change the date to 1 year into the future from the real date. Make sure you followed Step 3 before this step. Wait 60 seconds. Keep your phone awake. Check System Data use again. It should be much lower. If you don’t see a change, close Settings, relaunch and keep checking. Change the date to 3 months in the future from the real date (this is essentially 9 months in the past from the last setting). Wait 60 seconds. Keep your phone awake. Check System Data use again. It should be around the same or lower. Change date back to Automatic. Turn off Airplane Mode. You’re golden! It’s absolutely ridiculous this process is even necessary, Apple should get on board to fix the System Data woes. They have been an issue for many years now. https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone/

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26

Not Even Kidding : Only legit way I found was to Reset and Setup the Phone again. A lot of Youtube videos will tell you to delete safari history but that doesn't "clear" that much.

Discussions

How do you clear system data?

PSA: The proper way to delete or shrink iPhone System Data use on disk Hi, So you may all be aware of the “date trick” for triggering maintenanced (a system process on iOS responsible for cache deletion and management) on iOS to invalidate and expunge System Data (caches) from the disk. But, cache sometimes gets revalidated - as in System Data goes back to its original size - presumably because maintenanced doesn’t finish its process before users set the date back, or because there is a scheduled maintenance period triggered by this date change to expunge the data that isn’t triggered immediately (the change to storage after this maintenance period is shown in Storage settings but isn’t actually freed at this time). I have figured out a reliable way to prevent this, and to trigger maintenanced to immediately expunge all cache for good. As in, with this method, you can actually get iOS to immediately reduce System Data use on disk and to have it stay for good. Essentially, you need to set the date into the future, twice. Read notes below before you begin. Notes: Make sure you follow Step 3. Also, it’s actually not recommended you do this consistently, as caches increase the performance of apps and iOS in general. This should only be done when it spirals out of control. Also only do this if you see System Data above 25GB for best results. I also recommend deleting and reinstalling Instagram and Discord, if you use them, as they seem to be the mostly sneaky apps camouflaging cache into System Data. Check your current System Data use on iPhone Storage settings. Close all your apps. Critical: Set your iMessages to stay around forever on iMessage settings on iPhone to avoid having your iMessages deleted! Go to Settings > iMessage > Message History > Select ‘Forever’. This is important. Set your iPhone in Airplane Mode and turn Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off (this is to avoid anomalies with iCloud, Apple Watch and other apps). Change the date to 1 year into the future from the real date. Make sure you followed Step 3 before this step. Wait 60 seconds. Keep your phone awake. Check System Data use again. It should be much lower. If you don’t see a change, close Settings, relaunch and keep checking. Change the date to 3 months in the future from the real date (this is essentially 9 months in the past from the last setting). Wait 60 seconds. Keep your phone awake. Check System Data use again. It should be around the same or lower. Change date back to Automatic. Turn off Airplane Mode. You’re golden! It’s absolutely ridiculous this process is even necessary, Apple should get on board to fix the System Data woes. They have been an issue for many years now. https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone/ More on reddit.com

r/ios

106

151

December 14, 2024

PSA: The proper way to delete or shrink iPhone System Data use on disk

Just did it, I got rid of 8 GB out of 59 GB that my phone was using total, not bad! Note: I have my messages set to keep for 1 year, then delete, and all of my messages are now deleted. Definitely set your messages to keep “forever” before doing this, just in case! Edit: I turned off, then back on messages in iCloud and now all of my messages are re-downloading! More on reddit.com

r/iphone

407

4195

November 22, 2022

Any guides to delete system data, it’s consumed almost 38 gb WTF

There’s absolutely no reason to be concerned about this. The OS will reclaim that space as necessary. It’s just log files and caches and such. It has no impact on your device performance. More on reddit.com

r/iphone

68

67

May 7, 2023

Is there no way to clear the cache without deleting and reinstalling the app?

No, but sadly it is the best way.

Rarely, some apps have the ability to clear documents and cache. Go to Settings -> General ->Storage * iCloud Usage -> Manage Storage. From here, you can click through each individual app and see if it's enabled.
There's a "trick" you can use, where once you are approaching the limits of your iPhone storage, you try to download a movie that exceeds your remaining iPhone capacity (download a movie you already own to prevent charges). This can prompt the iPhone to attempt to clear cache.
The best (in lack of a better term) way is to delete and re-install the app, which comes w/ its own set of problems.

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