How To Clear The Facebook App Browser Cache

Facebook is an omnipresent social network that follows you wherever you go online. Its share widgets are such an essential part of the internet that it’s hard to find a website that doesn’t have them. It’s not just websites that integrate Facebook widgets. Your smartphones and desktops are no different with both iOS and macOS supporting it natively. Of course, it’s not just your browser that tracks you. The Facebook app has its own browser and like any browser it has a cache. Facebook doesn’t limit the size of its browser cache so it can get quite big and cause the app to get sluggish. Here’s how you can clear the Facebook app browser cache.

Facebook App Browser Cache

Open the Facebook app and tap the more tab. It’s the one with the hamburger icon. Scroll down to the very bottom and tap ‘Settings’.

Facebook has five different types of settings but for this purpose, tap ‘Account Settings’. On the Account Settings page, scroll down and tap the ‘Browser’ item. The browser item only has one option; Clear data. Tap it and your data will be cleared immediately.

The Facebook app browser cache is built when you visit links inside the app. For example, if you see a link to a news item from BBC’s Facebook page, and you visit it, it will add to the browser cache. It has nothing to do with what you like or comment on Facebook. Clearing the cache will not clear all record of your Facebook activity. It’s all still there and well-documented.

Tracking & Privacy

This works only on the current device you have. If you use the Facebook app on two separate devices, e.g.  an iPhone and an iPad, you will have to clear the cache on both individually. Clearing the cache on your iPhone will have no impact on the Facebook app on your iPad.

This isn’t going to add much to your privacy. If you’re visiting links in the Facebook app, it is tracking you regardless of the cache. Deleting the cache might make the app less sluggish and it might occupy a little less space on your device. Other than that, it has no benefits. If you’re concerned about privacy then you might want to quit using Facebook altogether. If that isn’t an option for you i.e., you have to use for work related reasons, consider signing in to it in a separate browser profile on your desktop to keep your routine browsing activity private.