Emptying cache one app at a time

[Why Google Why]

Why is there no option on Android to empty caches from all apps at once?

 

[Hadron]

The cynical answer is that Google don't want us to worry our little heads about how much data your apps are caching. For evidence to support this, go to Settings > Apps and look at what it says for the amount of storage used by each app in the list. Then click on one (browsers and social media apps are good examples) and see how much space it's actually using: the storage shown in the app list doesn't include the cache! It didn't used to be this way, though I can't remember which Android version changed it, but they really do try to keep cache usage out of sight.

It may be possible to find a third party tool that can still do this. Looking at my phone SD Maid seems to have that capability (in its "AppCleaner" section), though as that's a very powerful tool I'd always suggest looking to see what it is offering to clear before pressing the button.

Of course if you are running short of space clearing caches is a strictly temporary measure. By definition they will fill up again, so while that might get you through a tight spot temporarily if caches are a problem you will sooner or later need to either remove some apps (or other files) or buy a device with more storage.

 

[ocnbrze]

go into your stock recovery, usually some sort of power+vol buttons(knowing what phone would help determine which combo works). once in recovery mode select wipe cache partition. this should clear all of the system cache.

 

[Hadron]

But that's not the same as app caches: those live in the /data partition, same as the apps.

Also not all Android have a cache partition any more. Samsung do, because they still insist on not adopting the A/B partition scheme, but some others haven't had one for years.

 

[Dannydet]

I use an app called SD Maid which will do this for me, app by app.
It works like a charm.

 

[ocnbrze]

But that's not the same as app caches: those live in the /data partition, same as the apps.

Also not all Android have a cache partition any more. Samsung do, because they still insist on not adopting the A/B partition scheme, but some others haven't had one for years.

ahh yesss, i forgot that is mostly a sammy thing as that is all i have ever owned save for the htc hero and the evo series.

 

[Hadron]

And back then HTCs would have had a cache partition (I don't know whether the current ones do because it's a long time since I've even seen one. Ironically, after a long hiatus, they've just announced a reasonably-priced, reasonably-specced U23, but I left them when they started only making large phones and this one has the same problem).