How to Clear Discord Cache on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android & iPhone

Q: Where is the Discord cache folder located on Windows?

It's inside %appdata%\discord, specifically the Cache, Code Cache, and GPUCache subfolders. You can jump there directly by typing %appdata% into the Windows search bar or File Explorer address bar.

Q: Where is the Discord cache folder located on Mac?

It's under ~/Library/Application Support/discord/, inside the Cache, Code Cache, and GPUCache subfolders. The Library folder is hidden by default. Hold the Option key while clicking the Go menu in Finder to reveal it.

Q: Where is the Discord cache located on Linux?

It depends on your install method. Standard installs use ~/.config/discord/Cache, while Flatpak and Snap installs store it in different sandboxed locations under ~/.var/app/ or ~/snap/ respectively.

If Discord is lagging, images won’t load, or it’s suddenly taking up gigabytes of storage, the cache is usually the culprit. Every image, GIF, video thumbnail, and emoji you scroll past gets saved locally so it loads instantly next time, and over months of daily use, that adds up fast.

Quick answer: On Windows and Mac, close Discord completely and delete the Cache, Code Cache, and GPUCache folders from Discord’s data directory.
On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Discord > Storage > Clear Cache.
On iPhone and iPad, there’s no reliable built-in cache button. Offload the app instead. None of this touches your messages, servers, or friends list, since those live on Discord’s servers, not your device.

This guide covers every platform step by step, plus what to do if the cache won’t clear, what actually happens to your data, and a few things worth knowing about what Discord’s cache can contain.

What Is Discord Cache, Exactly?

Cache is temporary storage your device keeps so apps don’t have to re-download the same data repeatedly. It’s separate from your device’s main storage in the sense that it’s disposable. Deleting it doesn’t remove anything permanent, just the local copies.

For Discord specifically, the cache holds:

Images, GIFs, and video previews shared in servers and DMs
Profile pictures and server icons for people and communities you interact with
Emoji and sticker assets
Interface files that help the app load faster

None of this is your actual account data. Your messages, server memberships, friend list, and settings are stored on Discord’s servers and tied to your account. Clearing the local cache doesn’t touch any of it.

Why Clear the Discord Cache?

There are three real reasons to bother with this, beyond “it’s good hygiene”:

1. Storage space. Heavy Discord users ( especially in image- or meme-heavy servers) can accumulate several gigabytes of cached media without realizing it. On a phone or a smaller SSD, that’s noticeable.

2. Performance and glitches. A bloated or corrupted cache can cause slow loading, broken image previews, outdated avatars that won’t update, or the app freezing when switching channels.

3. Leftover content you’d rather not have. This one’s less talked about but worth knowing: if someone sends explicit, graphic, or otherwise unwanted content in a server you’re in, even if it’s deleted by a moderator seconds later, a cached copy can remain on your device until you clear it. Regularly clearing your cache is a simple way to make sure nothing like that lingers.

Before You Start: A Few Things to Know

Cache ≠ Data. Clearing “Cache” is always safe and never logs you out. On Android and some other settings menus, be careful not to tap “Clear Data” or “Clear Storage” instead; that resets the app and does log you out.
Close Discord first on desktop. On Windows and Mac, Discord needs to be fully closed (not just minimized to the system tray) before you delete cache folders, or some files may be locked and skipped.
Deleted files still take up space until the Trash/Recycle Bin is emptied. This trips people up. The folders look gone, but the space isn’t reclaimed until you empty it.

How to Clear Discord Cache on Windows

Close Discord completely. Right-click the Discord icon in your system tray (near the clock) and choose Quit Discord. Closing the window alone leaves it running in the background.
Press Windows key + R, type %appdata%, and press Enter. This opens the Roaming AppData folder.
Open the Discord folder inside it.
Select the Cache, Code Cache, and GPUCache folders (hold Ctrl to select all three), then delete them.
Empty your Recycle Bin to fully reclaim the space. Right-click the Recycle Bin icon and choose Empty Recycle Bin.
Relaunch Discord. It will rebuild a fresh, empty cache automatically.

If you use the Discord Store app from the Microsoft Store rather than the standalone installer, the path may differ slightly. Search for “Discord” inside %localappdata%\Packages if %appdata%\discord doesn’t exist on your system.

How to Clear Discord Cache on Mac

Quit Discord completely. Click Discord in the menu bar and select Quit Discord, or press Cmd + Q.
Open Finder, click Go in the menu bar, then hold the Option key. This reveals a hidden Library option. Click it.
Navigate to Application Support > Discord. (You can also jump straight there by pressing Cmd + Shift + G in Finder and pasting. ~/Library/Application Support/discord/.)
Right-click the Cache, Code Cache, and GPUCache folders and choose Move to Trash.
Right-click the Trash icon in the Dock and select Empty Trash.
Relaunch Discord.

How to Clear Discord Cache on Linux

This is the one platform most guides skip, and the folder location genuinely varies by how you installed Discord:

Standard install (.deb/tarball): ~/.config/discord/Cache
Discord PTB or Canary builds: ~/.config/discordptb/Cache or ~/.config/discordcanary/Cache
Flatpak installs: typically under ~/.var/app/com.discordapp.Discord/config/discord/Cache
Snap installs: under ~/snap/discord/current/.config/discord/Cache

Steps:

Fully quit Discord (check ps aux | grep -i discord in a terminal if you’re not sure it’s closed).
Open a file manager or terminal and navigate to the Cache folder matching your install method above.
Delete the contents of the Cache folder (specifically Cache_Data if present), along with Code Cache and GPUCache if they exist.
Relaunch Discord.

If you’re not sure which install method you used, run flatpak list | grep -i discord or snap list | grep -i discord in a terminal. If either returns a result, use that install method’s path instead of the default ~/.config location.

How to Clear Discord Cache on Android

This is the most straightforward platform. Android gives every app a built-in cache-clearing option with no need to hunt for folders:

Open your phone’s Settings app.
Go to Apps (or Apps & notifications, depending on your Android version).
Find and tap Discord.
Tap Storage (or Storage & cache).
Tap Clear Cache.

Important: Do not tap Clear Storage or Clear Data unless you specifically want to fully reset the app. That removes your saved login and logs you out, unlike Clear Cache.

How to Clear Discord Cache on iPhone or iPad

iOS doesn’t give apps a universal, guaranteed “clear cache” button the way Android does, so this platform needs one of two workarounds.

Some versions of the Discord app have exposed an in-app Clear Caches option under User Settings, but it isn’t consistently available across versions. Check for it first, and fall back to offloading if you don’t see it.

Option 1: Offload the app (recommended; keeps your login)

Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
Go to General > iPhone Storage (or iPad Storage).
Scroll down and tap Discord.
Tap Offload App.

Offloading removes the app’s temporary files and cached media while keeping your documents and account data, so you won’t need to log back in when you reinstall it.

Option 2: Delete and reinstall (a full reset)

Press and hold the Discord app icon on your Home Screen.
Tap Remove App > Delete App.
Reinstall Discord from the App Store.
Log back in with your credentials.

This clears everything, including your cache, but you will need to log in again.

How to Clear Discord Cache in a Web Browser

If you use Discord through your browser instead of the desktop or mobile app, there’s no separate “Discord cache” to find. It’s stored inside your browser’s own cache.

Chrome: Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + Delete (Mac), select Cached images and files, and click Clear data.

Firefox: Open Settings, go to Privacy & Security, and clear Cookies and Site Data (note this also clears saved logins for sites, so you may need to sign back in elsewhere too).

Edge / Safari: Both have similar “Clear browsing data” options under their privacy settings. Search for “clear cache” in the browser’s settings search bar if you can’t find it.

Troubleshooting: Cache Won’t Clear or Discord Acts Up Afterward

The Cache Keeps Coming Back or Won’t Delete

Make sure Discord is fully closed, not just minimized. On Windows, check the system tray; on Mac, check the Dock and menu bar.
Restart your device if files appear “in use” and won’t delete. This releases any file locks.
As a last resort, uninstall and reinstall Discord. This won’t affect your account or messages, since those are stored on Discord’s servers, but back up any local settings or custom themes first if you use third-party client mods.

Discord Is Glitchy After Clearing the Cache

Double-check you deleted the right folders: Cache, Code Cache, and GPUCache specifically, not the entire Discord config folder, which would remove your local settings too.
Update Discord to the latest version, since a stale cache combined with an outdated client is a common source of odd bugs.
Check for conflicts with other software, particularly overlay apps (like certain recording or streaming tools) that inject into Discord’s window. Closing them and relaunching Discord often resolves rendering glitches.
Contact Discord Support if none of the above helps. Some issues are server-side rather than local.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Tapping “Clear Data” instead of “Clear Cache” on Android. This logs you out and resets app preferences, which “Clear Cache” alone never does.
Deleting the entire Discord folder on Windows/Mac instead of just the Cache subfolders. This can wipe local settings, custom CSS, or keybinds you’d rather keep.
Forgetting to empty the Recycle Bin or Trash after deleting cache folders. The space isn’t actually freed until you do.
Assuming the browser version and desktop app share a cache – they don’t. Clearing one has no effect on the other.
Expecting a guaranteed in-app cache button on iPhone; it’s inconsistent across Discord versions, so don’t rely on it being there.

How Often Should You Clear the Discord Cache?

There’s no strict rule, but a reasonable habit is to clear it roughly once a month, or any time you notice Discord running slower, images failing to load, or storage warnings on your phone.

Heavy users in large, media-active servers will hit that threshold faster than someone who mostly uses Discord for text chat in a couple of small servers.

Conclusion

Clearing Discord’s cache takes under two minutes on any platform and won’t touch your messages, servers, or friend list. It only removes temporary files your device downloaded to make the app feel faster.

If Discord is sluggish, eating storage, or showing broken images, this is almost always the first thing worth trying before reinstalling anything or digging into deeper troubleshooting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I clear the Discord cache?

Clearing the cache frees up storage space, can fix performance issues like lag or broken image previews, and removes temporary copies of media, including content you may not want lingering on your device, such as images posted and later deleted by a moderator.

Will clearing the Discord cache delete my messages or servers?

No. Your messages, server memberships, friends list, and account settings are stored on Discord’s servers, not in your local cache. Clearing the cache only removes temporary local files.

Will clearing the cache log me out of Discord?

On Windows and Mac, no. Clearing the cache folders never logs you out. On Android, “Clear Cache” also keeps you logged in, but “Clear Data” or “Clear Storage” will log you out. On iPhone, offloading the app keeps your login; deleting and reinstalling it will require you to log back in.

How often should I clear Discord’s cache?

Roughly once a month is a reasonable habit, or anytime you notice slowdowns, broken images, or your device running low on storage. Heavy Discord users in media-heavy servers will need to do it more often than casual users.

How much storage does Discord’s cache actually use?

It varies widely based on how long you’ve used the app and how active the servers you’re in are, but it’s common for the cache to grow into the hundreds of megabytes or several gigabytes over months of regular use, especially with image- and GIF-heavy servers.

Does Discord have a built-in “clear cache” button?

Not universally. Android exposes a system-level cache clearing option through your phone’s app settings. Some Discord mobile app versions include an in-app “Clear Caches” option, but it isn’t consistent across versions. Windows, Mac, and Linux require manually deleting the cache folders, and iPhone/iPad generally require offloading or reinstalling the app.

Where is the Discord cache folder located on Windows?

It’s inside %appdata%\discord, specifically the Cache, Code Cache, and GPUCache subfolders. You can jump there directly by typing %appdata% into the Windows search bar or File Explorer address bar.

Where is the Discord cache folder located on Mac?

It’s under ~/Library/Application Support/discord/, inside the Cache, Code Cache, and GPUCache subfolders. The Library folder is hidden by default. Hold the Option key while clicking the Go menu in Finder to reveal it.

Where is the Discord cache located on Linux?

It depends on your install method. Standard installs use ~/.config/discord/Cache, while Flatpak and Snap installs store it in different sandboxed locations under ~/.var/app/ or ~/snap/ respectively.

Can I clear the Discord cache without closing the app?

It’s not recommended. Discord may keep some cache files open or locked while running, which can prevent full deletion or cause errors. Always fully quit the app first on desktop platforms.

Is it safe to delete the entire Discord folder instead of just the cache subfolders?

It’s safer to delete only the Cache, Code Cache, and GPUCache folders specifically. Deleting the entire Discord data folder can also remove local settings, custom CSS themes, and keybind configurations you’d have to set up again.

Does clearing the browser cache also clear Discord’s cache if I use Discord in a browser?

Yes, if you use Discord through a web browser rather than the desktop or mobile app, its cached data lives inside your browser’s cache. Clearing your browser’s cache clears Discord’s cached files along with everything else stored there.

Why can’t I clear the cache directly on iPhone?

Apple’s iOS doesn’t provide third-party apps with a universal system-level “clear cache” button the way Android does. Discord’s in-app cache option is inconsistent across app versions, which is why offloading the app or reinstalling it are the more reliable methods on iOS.

What’s the difference between offloading and deleting the Discord app on iPhone?

Offloading removes the app itself and its temporary cache files but keeps your account data, so reopening the app after reinstalling doesn’t require logging in again in most cases. Deleting the app removes everything, including saved login credentials, requiring a fresh sign-in.

Can clearing the cache fix Discord crashing or freezing?

Often, yes. A corrupted or bloated cache is a common cause of crashes, freezing when switching channels, or images failing to load. If clearing the cache doesn’t resolve a crash, updating Discord to the latest version or reinstalling it are the next troubleshooting steps.

Does Discord automatically clear its own cache over time?

No, Discord does not automatically clear cache files on a schedule. Cache files accumulate indefinitely until you manually clear them, which is why long-time users sometimes discover several gigabytes of built-up cached media.

Is clearing the Discord cache different from clearing cookies on the Discord website?

Yes. The Discord cache (on desktop or mobile apps) stores images, videos, and interface files locally, while cookies on the Discord website mainly manage your login session and site preferences. Clearing cookies may log you out of the website, whereas clearing app cache does not.

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