What clearing your PS4 cache does

Clearing your PS4 cache removes temporary files that your console stores to speed up games and apps. These files build up over time as you play, and clearing them can free up storage space, fix games that freeze or load slowly, and resolve connection problems. The cache itself is not essential — your PS4 will rebuild it automatically the next time you use each game or app.

You have two options: clear the cache for a single game or app, or clear the entire system cache. Most people only need to clear one game's cache when that specific game is acting up. A full system cache clear is useful if you are running low on storage or if multiple games are having problems.

Key Takeaways

  • Clearing cache removes temporary files and can fix freezing, slow loading, and connection issues without deleting your saved games or account data.
  • To clear one game's cache, go to Settings > Storage > System Storage > Cached Data, find the game, and delete it.
  • To clear your entire system cache, restart your PS4 in Safe Mode and select "Clear Cache" from the menu.
  • Clearing cache takes a few minutes and your PS4 will rebuild the files automatically the next time you play.

How to clear cache for a single game

If one game is freezing, stuttering, or taking too long to load, clearing just that game's cache is usually the fastest fix. Start on your PS4 home screen and go to Settings, then scroll down to Storage. Select System Storage, then Cached Data.

You will see a list of games and apps with cached files. Find the one that is giving you trouble, select it, and press the Options button on your controller (the button with three horizontal lines). Choose Delete and confirm. The cache for that game will be removed, but your saved games and progress stay intact.

How to clear your entire system cache

Clearing all cached data at once is the right choice if you are running out of storage space or if multiple games are having problems. This process requires restarting your PS4 in Safe Mode, which is a special menu that lets you perform maintenance tasks.

First, turn off your PS4 completely — not rest mode, but fully off. Once it is off, hold down the power button for about seven seconds until you hear two beeps. The first beep happens at about three seconds; keep holding until you hear the second one. Your PS4 will boot into Safe Mode and show a menu with several options.

From the Safe Mode menu, select Clear Cache. Your PS4 will ask you to confirm, then it will clear all cached data from every game and app. This process usually takes a few minutes. When it finishes, your PS4 will restart normally and you can use it as usual.

What happens after you clear cache

After clearing cache, your games and apps will work exactly as they did before, but they may load slightly slower the first time you open them. This is normal — your PS4 is rebuilding the cache files. By the second or third time you play, the cache will be rebuilt and performance will return to normal.

Your saved games, trophies, account settings, and any games you own are completely unaffected by clearing cache. You will not lose progress or have to re-download anything. The only thing that happens is that temporary files are removed.

When to clear cache instead of other fixes

Clearing cache is worth trying first if a game is freezing, stuttering, or taking a long time to load. It is also useful if you see error messages when starting a game, or if you are having trouble connecting online in a specific game.

If clearing cache does not fix the problem, the issue is likely something else — a corrupted game file, a network problem, or a problem with the game itself. At that point, you might try rebuilding your PS4's database (a different process that checks the health of all your files) or reinstalling the game. But for most performance problems, clearing cache is the simplest first step.

How much storage space you will free up

The amount of space you recover depends on how many games you have and how long you have owned your PS4. A single game's cache might be anywhere from 100 MB to a few gigabytes. If you clear the entire system cache, you could free up anywhere from a few gigabytes to 50 GB or more, depending on your console's age and how much you have played.

If you are running very low on storage and clearing cache does not free up enough space, you may need to delete games you are not playing or move games to external storage. You can check how much space each game is using by going to Settings > Storage > System Storage > Applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache delete my saved games?

No. Clearing cache only removes temporary files. Your saved games, trophies, and all your progress stay on your PS4. You will not lose anything.

Do I need to clear cache regularly?

Not necessarily. You only need to clear cache when you notice a problem like freezing or slow loading, or when you are running low on storage space. There is no benefit to clearing it on a schedule.

What is the difference between clearing cache and rebuilding the database?

Clearing cache removes temporary files that speed up games. Rebuilding the database checks the health of all your files and reorganizes them. Rebuilding takes longer but fixes different problems. Try clearing cache first for performance issues; use rebuild if you see error messages or corruption.

Can I clear cache while a game is running?

No. You must close the game first. If you try to clear cache for a game that is currently running, your PS4 will not let you. Close the game, return to the home screen, then go to Settings and clear the cache.

Will my PS4 be slower after clearing cache?

Only temporarily. The first time you open a game after clearing its cache, it may load a bit slower because the cache has to be rebuilt. After that, performance returns to normal. This usually takes one or two uses of the game.