TikTok uses storage space for the app itself, temporary files and drafts stored on your phone. Videos you download also take up space. First, check your phone’s settings to see what is using the most space. Clearing only the cache does not remove everything. Save important drafts before clearing all app data or deleting TikTok.
Below, you’ll learn how to identify the different files and what you can clear.
Why does TikTok keep taking up more space?
While you use TikTok, the app saves files. Some of these are cache files: temporary files that prevent the app from loading content again and again.
Your own videos can also take up space. Think of a draft you want to finish later. It is not a temporary file to throw away casually. So first check which type of files you want to delete.
| Storage type | What is it? | What can you do with it? |
|---|---|---|
| The app itself | Files TikTok needs to work. | These are needed as long as you use the app. |
| Cache | Temporary files for loading content. | Clear them using a separate cache function, if one is available. |
| Downloads | Files you have downloaded, such as a video in your photo library. | Review them and delete only what you do not want to keep. |
| Drafts | Videos you have not published yet. | Save important videos before deleting drafts. |
Storage space is different from data usage. Storage is the space files take up on your phone. Data usage is internet traffic through Wi Fi or your mobile plan. Using less mobile data therefore does not make files on your phone smaller.
How do you check TikTok’s storage space?
Start with your phone’s storage overview. There you can see whether TikTok is taking up a lot of space, or whether it is mainly the videos in your photo library, for example.
- Open your phone’s settings. Is there a search function? Search for ‘storage’.
- Find TikTok in the app overview and note how much space the app uses.
- Also check the space used by photos and videos. A downloaded TikTok video in your photo library does not necessarily count toward TikTok’s storage.
- Clear one type of file and check the overview again. This shows you what has changed.
The overview varies by phone and version. Sometimes the app and its associated data are listed separately. The total number shown for TikTok therefore does not automatically show how much of it is cache.
How do you clear TikTok cache and downloads?
Start with temporary files. Check TikTok’s settings to see whether there is a separate cache or storage option. Read what the option deletes before confirming.
- It says that only the cache will be cleared. This concerns temporary files, not all of the app’s data.
- It says that all data or storage will be cleared. Do not use that button until you have saved important videos. You could also lose files that exist only in the app on your phone.
- You do not see a separate cache option. Then do not simply choose another delete button. For help, see the TikTok Help page about app cache.
TikTok also explains how to clear cache and cookies in the built in browser . This explanation concerns web pages you open within TikTok, not all of the app’s storage.
Clear downloaded videos separately. Check your photo library or files app. Open the videos first and delete only what you no longer need.
Suppose you saved the same cooking video twice. Check that it really is the same video, then delete one copy. This lets you clear space selectively without clearing all TikTok data.
The cache can grow again as soon as you use TikTok. That does not mean clearing it failed. The app itself and other saved files will also continue to take up space.
Can you clear TikTok cache without deleting drafts?
A function that clears only the cache is intended to remove temporary files. Drafts are different. Pay close attention to the difference between ‘clear cache’ and ‘clear all app data’, especially if you still want to finish videos.
Assume that you may lose drafts if you delete data from your phone. Do not count on them returning when you log in again.
- Check which drafts you want to keep. Can’t find them? Then read how to find TikTok drafts.
- Check whether the original recordings are still in your photo library.
- Can you save a draft as a video? Open that copy outside TikTok and check that the entire video plays, including sound.
- Then delete only the drafts you no longer need.
A saved video is not the same as a draft that you can still edit. You may no longer be able to adjust separate video clips, text or effects. Want to continue editing later? Leave the draft in place and do not delete the app yet.
When does deleting and reinstalling TikTok help?
Reinstalling can clear app files from your phone. Keep this as a last step: you could lose drafts and other data on your phone. Videos stored separately in your photo library will not disappear automatically as a result.
Check beforehand that you can log in again. Do you still have access to the method you normally use to log in? Also save important videos outside TikTok and check that the copies play properly before deleting the app.
After reinstalling, TikTok itself will take up space again. Temporary files will also be added again during use. The amount of space you free up is therefore not fixed. Afterwards, check your phone’s storage overview to see the difference. If you also publish your own content, our TikTok services includes packages for followers and likes. The product pages show the available quantities and prices.
