How do I clear App cache in Windows 10?

Clearing your app cache in Windows 10 can help speed up slow or misbehaving apps by removing temporary files that build up over time. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to clear the cache for individual apps or clear the cache for all apps at once in Windows 10.

What is the App Cache in Windows 10?

The app cache in Windows 10 refers to temporary files that apps store on your hard drive to improve performance. This cached data allows apps to load faster by avoiding having to re-download the same files repeatedly. The types of temporary data stored in the app cache can include:

• Images, audio, video, or other media files used by the app
• Pieces of code the app needs to run properly
• Cookies, browsing history, and other tracking data (for web browser apps)
• App settings and configuration files

Over time, this cached data can build up and start to take up a significant amount of hard drive space. In addition, if any of these cached files become corrupt or outdated, it can cause apps to misbehave, freeze, or crash. Clearing the app cache gives apps a fresh start by erasing these temporary files.

When to Clear App Cache in Windows 10

Here are some common situations when clearing your app cache can be useful:

• An app is acting slow or buggy – Clearing cache resets the app and often fixes performance problems or glitches.
• Experiencing crashes or freezes – A corrupted cache file could be causing crashes. Clearing it could help.
• You uninstalled an app – This deletes leftover cache data, freeing up space.
• Hard drive space is low – The app cache can take up GBs of space over time. Clearing it frees up storage.
• You want to delete private app data – This removes potentially sensitive cached browser history, cookies, etc.
• App requires a cache clear to fix a problem – Some apps recommend clearing cache to fix issues.

Clearing the cache should usually be one of the first troubleshooting steps for app issues in Windows 10 before reinstalling the app or more complex fixes.

How to Clear Cache for a Single App

Here are the steps to clear the cache for a single app in Windows 10:

1. Open Settings. Click the Windows icon in the taskbar and choose the gear icon to open Settings.
2. Click Apps. Select “Apps” from the Settings menu.
3. Select the app. Click the app you want to clear the cache for from the list of installed apps.
4. Click Advanced options. Scroll down and click the “Advanced options” link under the app name.
5. Click Reset. This opens the Reset panel. Click the “Reset” button.
6. Confirm the reset. A popup will ask you to confirm – click “Reset” again to clear the app cache.

After resetting, the app’s cache will be cleared and the app will restart. This process works for both built-in apps like Edge or Photos and third-party apps. You may need to sign back into apps or redo app settings after resetting.

How to Clear Cache for All Apps

Instead of clearing each app one by one, you can also clear the cache for all apps at once in Windows 10. Here are the steps:

1. Open the Run dialog. Press Windows + R to open the Run window.
2. Type “wsreset.exe” and hit Enter. This will launch the Windows Store Cache Reset utility.
3. Wait for the reset. The black Command Prompt window will run and clear the cached data for all Windows Store apps.
4. Restart your PC. Once complete, restart your computer for changes to take effect.

This will clear the cache for all apps installed through the Microsoft Store. You’ll have to restart apps and sign in again after the reset.

How to View Cache Size and Contents

You can view how much space the cached data for an app is taking up in Windows 10. Here’s how:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Navigate to %localappdata%. Type in “%localappdata%” into the File Explorer address bar and hit Enter. This will open the Local AppData folder.
3. Open the app’s folder. Navigate to the folder for the app you want to check. The folder will be named after the app.
4. Check folder size and contents. Right-click the app’s folder and select “Properties” to see the total size. Open the folder to view the types of cached files inside.

This lets you see exactly what types of temporary data the app has stored locally and how much space is being used. You can sort by size to see the largest files.

Alternatives to Clearing the Cache

Before clearing app cache, here are a few other potential solutions to consider for fixing app issues in Windows 10:

• Update or reinstall the app – If it’s a third-party app, check for app updates from the developer. You can also try uninstalling and reinstalling.
• Restart your PC – A simple restart can solve many minor issues caused by apps hanging.
• Update Windows – Make sure you have installed the latest Windows updates which may include app fixes.
• Check for malware – Malware could be interfering with apps. Run a scan to remove any infections.
• Free up hard drive space – If your hard drive is nearly full it can cause performance issues. Delete unneeded files.

However, if you’ve tried these basic troubleshooting steps already, clearing the app cache is often the next best solution.

Conclusion

Here are some key takeaways on how to clear your app cache in Windows 10:

• Clearing the app cache can speed up slow or buggy apps by erasing temporary files.
• You can clear the cache for a single app from the Apps section of Settings.
• Running “wsreset.exe” will clear the cache for all Microsoft Store apps.
• Check the Local AppData folder to view cache contents and size for an app.
• Consider app updates, Windows updates, restarting, and anti-malware scans before clearing cache.

Following these steps will help you effectively clear app caches on Windows 10 whenever apps are misbehaving or hard drive space is low. Reseting the cache gives apps a fresh start and often resolves strange issues and performance problems.