clear phone's cache - is there a difference between these two methods ...?

[davehorne]

When there's a problem, when the phone is acting screwy, we're often told to clear the phone's cache.

One method is to restart the phone while connected with a USB cable to another device and press Power and Volume Up until the Galaxy logo appears (and then use the side buttons to navigate the menu).

In Settings, we have Device care, Optimise now.  Does that setting clear the phone's cache.  I ask because I saw online that it does (though it's not specifically stated in the app). 

[Star_girl]

Hi David, there are four methods that I know of, to clear a phone cache. The two most certain ones are by cleaning the phone's cache from the diagnostic menu after pressing the Power BUtton and the Volume Up button until you enter the diagnostic menu and pressing Clear Cache and Reboot System now.
The second method that certainly cleares the phone's cache is by clearing the cache manually from Settings for each application.
The 3rd from Device Care> Optimisation. I don't know what 'Optimization' does, but it turns off all the apps I am using currently on my phone.
The 4th method and recommended by Samsung, because I get notification on my phone after every software update is by Using Galaxy App Booster from Good Guardians. I suppose this might clear cache because in the notification Samsung says that if you notice that your device slows down after Software Update, you should use App Booster to make your device more responsive. I am not certain what the two latter apps really do though, but I am using them on par with the other two, depending what suits me at a given moment. What I noticed for sure, is that if an app doesn't work and I clear the cache for that app, it works again.

[davehorne]

Thanks for mentioning Good Guardians, I had forgotten about that!

Having just used Galaxy App Booster in Good Guardians, the method of connecting a USB cable to another device to clear cache is certainly faster.  

[Star_girl]

You are welcome @davehorne.
For me Apps Booster comes in handy, usually I need a few days until I clear the Cache using Diagnostic Menu.😅

[arianwen27]

Optimisation closes currently running applications. So every app you open will start from fresh again instead of continuing where they left off. This is done daily when the user is asleep.

Galaxy app booster also doesn't do anything with cache, it recompiles your apps.

To explain that. Since android varies so much, apps aren't coded specifically for your device. They are more generic. When your phone is idle and charging, it spends time sorta optimising the apps so they run better on your specific device. Galaxy app booster manually triggers this optimisation. So your phone will do it anyway, it just forces it to be done all at the same time.

For the cache clearing things. The recovery menu clear is the better option. That clears all cache including that of the operating system. The clear per app within android way is specific to each app. A lot of system apps and processes cannot be cleared this way.

If I have an app issue, force stop the app, clear cache, open app. I've never had to clear the cache partition.

[JAMES4578]

The optmisation in Device Care should  ensure your Device is operating to its potential. It is designed to identify apps whgich are using excessive Battery power, clear redundant items from your phone's memory ,delete unnecessary files  and close apps running in the background.

The Galaxy Apps Booster optimises the Android app and enables them to run faster, it is claimed there should be a speed boost of between 5 and 15%.   I think it is similar to the repair Apps option that used to be in recovery Mode.

There is a slight  difference between clearing the cache of individual apps and wiping the cache partition.  with individual apps you are making the space available  but the files remain in the storage until another file is put in its place.  When wiping the cache partition the temporary cache files are deleted ad it can fix some issues.

[Mahmoud_1991]

Could you please tell me how to access the diagnostic menu? I have tried pressing the volume up and power buttons simultaneously, but unfortunately, nothing happened.

[Star_girl]

It happened to me alot of times before I learned how to do it.
Power off your phone.
Connect the phone to a PC/Laptop or another Samsung phone via USB C to USB C cable only, nothing else will work.
Wait until the charging widget comes on.
Remove the case from your phone to avoid pressing accidentally the wrong buttons.
Press the Power button and the edges of the Up and Down Volume button.
Release the Volume Down button after a very short while.
You should get a black screen with a few options written in small writing on the top of the screen.
Read carefully the options and moving the Volume Up or Down to scroll this Menu, chose the Wipe Partition Cache Option, as you chose it it will be highlighted.
With the power button access this option.
The Partition Cache Option will be done almost in an instant.
After this go to the 1st option Which is Reboot System now same way using the Volume Button and the Power button as this action will restart your phone.
Wipe Partition Cache will be finished now.

[davehorne]

I'm no expert, but what I do is this.  I restart my phone.  (It will be said to start with your phone completely off, but it works for me by restarting as well.)  I continue to press down the Power and Volume Up button while the phone eventually begins to start up.  I release my fingers when the Galaxy logo / word appears.  While I am doing this, the phone is connected via a USB cable to another device.  

In my case, it's a USB C (phone side) to USB A (computer side).  You should see the menu that looks like an old DOS screen.  You'll use the Volume rocker to scroll up and down and the Power button to confirm.  

[Mahmoud_1991]

I can do this but I thought there is another way when the phone open to start diagnostic menu