Safari loads half a page, then stalls. Tabs feel heavy. Storage warnings keep showing up even after you delete photos. On iOS 27 Apple still puts the browser cleanup under Settings, Apps, Safari.
Apple’s live Support page for history, cache, and cookies lists two main paths. Clear History and Website Data wipes browsing history plus cookies and cache. Advanced, Website Data removes site data while history stays.
This is Safari only. It does not erase Photos, apps, or AutoFill cards. For app-level free space, use Offload Unused Apps under iPhone Storage instead of clearing the browser twice.
Clear History and Website Data
Open Settings. Tap Apps. Tap Safari.
Scroll down. Tap Clear History and Website Data. Confirm the timeframe you want to clear. Tap Clear History.
Apple says this does not change AutoFill information. History, cookies, cache, recent searches, and many website permissions leave the phone. Bookmarks and saved passwords stay.
If Safari profiles are set up, the sheet may ask which profile to clear. Pick one profile or All Profiles when that choice appears.
After a clear, most signed-in sites ask for login again. That is expected.
Remove Website Data and keep history
Sometimes you only want cookies and cached site files gone. History can stay.
Open Settings, Apps, Safari. Tap Advanced. Tap Website Data.
Tap Remove All Website Data, then Remove Now. Apple notes this clears data used for tracking and login shortcuts sites keep for faster browsing.
You can also swipe left on one site in the Website Data list and delete that entry alone. Useful when only one shop or bank page misbehaves.
If Clear History is gray
When Clear History and Website Data looks gray, Apple says either there is nothing to clear, or Screen Time web content restrictions are blocking the wipe.
Open Settings, Screen Time. Check Content & Privacy Restrictions and Web Content. Unrestricted Access restores the button for most people. Managed school or work profiles can also lock the control.
Remove All Website Data under Advanced can still work when the full Clear History row stays locked. Try that path if Screen Time cannot be changed yet.
Restart and network before you wipe everything
Apple’s Safari troubleshooting page still starts with a network check. Load apple.com on cellular, or join a different Wi-Fi, then try the stuck site again.
Restart the iPhone once. Then clear website data if pages still quit or never finish loading.
VPN settings matter. A tunnel that is on can block some sites. Turn the VPN off briefly for a test.
If Wi-Fi joins but nothing loads across apps, that is a network list problem. Use Reset Network Settings only after Safari-only clears fail. That reset drops saved Wi-Fi passwords.
Public iOS 27 remains on build 24A437 in today’s firmware note. The Settings, Apps, Safari path above matches Apple Support HT105082 wording for that train.
Night Focus schedules and Face ID resets live elsewhere. A Do Not Disturb schedule under Focus does not clear Safari cache.
Photo: Apple Newsroom / Safari Notify Me, Organize Tabs in Safari, Ask to Browse
Source: Apple Support — Delete your Safari history, cache, and cookies on iPhone; Apple Support — If Safari isn’t loading websites or quits on your iPhone
