How to clear app cache and app data on Google Pixel Watch

If your Pixel Watch’s performance isn’t what it used to be or a particular app isn’t working well or is sluggish, clearing an app’s cache can fix those speed and performance issues and free up storage space too.

Related reading

• How to force restart (reboot) a Google Pixel Watch to fix issues
• How to disable unused built-in apps like YouTube Music or Fitbit on Google Pixel Watch
• Forgot Google Pixel Watch screen lock pin or pattern or it’s not recognized and locked you out? How to fix it

What are the app cache and app data on my Pixel Watch?

App caching allows your watch apps to store temporary files to reduce their load times, which improves your experience using the app. Most apps, including third-party apps, save cached data.

When an app caches data, it also saves time so that the app doesn’t have to download all the app’s data at once.

The downside of cached data is that it can slow down your watch’s performance and speed. And over time, cached files can take up a significant amount of storage on your watch.

Apps also store your personal user information, like your specific app settings, login information, account information, app files, app history, and the app’s databases. All this personal info is called app data.

When you clear the app data from your Pixel Watch, it clears out all app information, including the cache and your personal info from the watch. Clearing the app data is like starting the app from the start (factory defaults settings)!

When should I clear an app’s cache?

If your watch or a particular app isn’t performing well, is slow and sluggish, or has other issues with speed, we recommend you clear the app cache.

The app cache contains only temporary files that are not essential to the app working on your watch. So deleting an app’s cache often improves the app’s performance by getting rid of files your watch no longer needs.

When you clear the app cache, it does not remove any of your personal data, so your history, login info, personalized settings, and other user information remain intact.

Since clearing the cache removes temporary files, some apps might open slower the next time you use them as they recreate these temp files.

When should I clear an app’s data?

If an app won’t launch, isn’t working, is crashing, or has significant problems that impact your ability to use the app, we recommend you clear the app data. 

When you clear the app data for an app, it removes all your personal information and the cache and leaves just the app operating files.

How to clear an app’s cache on Google Pixel Watch

You cannot clear an app’s cache using the Google Watch app. You must clear the cache on the watch itself.

1. Open the Settings app on your watch.
2. Select Apps & notifications.
3. Choose App info.
4. Locate your app under App info and tap it.
   1. If you don’t see the app you want to clear there, open System Apps and then tap your app. Apps like Fitbit, YouTube Music, and Google apps are located in System Apps since they are built-in apps.
5. Scroll to the bottom and tap App Info.
6. Under the app’s info, scroll down, and you will see information about the app, including how large the app cache currently is.
7. Scroll further down and tap Clear cache.
8. You should see a message that the cache was cleared.

How to clear an app’s data on Google Pixel Watch

1. Open the Settings app on your watch.
2. Select Apps & notifications.
3. Choose App info.
4. Locate your app under App info and tap it.
   1. If you don’t see the app, you want to clear there, and open System Apps. Apps like Fitbit, YouTube Music, and Google apps are located in System Apps since they are built-in apps.
5. Scroll down and tap App Info.
6. Under the app’s info, scroll down and see information about the app, including version, storage, data, and cache.
7. Scroll further down and tap Clear data.
8. On the confirmation screen, scroll down and tap the checkmark button to delete the app’s data.

What to do if the Google Pixel Watch app isn’t working, crashes, or doesn’t load data

The steps above so you how to clear an individual app’s cache or data. But if the problem is with the Watch app on your phone and not on the watch itself, you want to follow a different approach.

Instead of clearing out the app cache and data on your watch, you want to open your Phone’s Settings app and clear the Watch app.

1. On your paired phone, open its Settings app.
2. Choose Apps.
3. Locate and tap the Google Pixel Watch app.
4. Select Storage & cache.
5. To clear those temporary cache files, choose Clear cache.
6. To clear the watch’s app data, select Clear storage. If you do this, you will need to pair your watch to the Watch app again. So don’t do this unless nothing else worked.
   1. When you delete the Google Pixel Watch app’s data, it deletes all its files and settings.

Use your watch’s Fastboot menu to clear the watch’s cache

Outside of apps, your watch contains its own operating system that builds its own system cache.

A corrupt system cache can cause a host of problems, from slow performance, apps closing unexpectedly, lag in user interactions, random issues and failures that don’t make sense, and in the worse case, the black screen of death where it seems your watch is completely useless and won’t turn on!

Wiping the cache partition on your Pixel Watch removes all the temporary files and logs from your watch that might cause performance problems.

In particular, wiping the cache partition ensures that your watch does not use outdated system files or data. It’s particularly useful after you update your watch to the latest firmware.

When you clear the cache partition, it does not affect any of your personal files and settings on the watch.

1. Turn off your Pixel Watch and wait 30 seconds.
2. After 30 seconds, turn your watch back on.
3. When the watch screen displays the white G icon, tap the upper-left and lower-right corners on the watch face screen simultaneously until you see Fastboot on the screen.
   1. If the watch shows your watch face, repeat from step 1.
4. Press the side button next to the crown to scroll down the Fastboot options.
5. Continue pressing the side button and highlight Recovery Mode then press the crown.
6. When you see No Command on the watch face, press and hold the crown and swipe up on your screen simultaneously to open the Fastboot Recovery mode options.
7. Swipe down on the screen to highlight options. 
8. Choose Wipe cache partition. If you passed it, swipe up on the screen.
9. Swipe right on Wipe cache partition.
10. Swipe down on the screen to select Yes.
11. Swipe right again to confirm you want to wipe the cache.
12. You should see a message that your watch is wiping the cache. Once done, it returns to the main Fastboot Recovery menu.
13. Choose Reboot system now and swipe right on it.
14. Wait for your watch to reboot and show you your normal watch face.

Final thoughts

While we hope you don’t have to clear your watch’s or app’s cache or app data very often, it’s good to know just in case your watch begins to slow or show other performance problems.

Wiping your app or watch cache system deletes temporary data to help your apps or watch perform quickly and efficiently. It does not remove any of your data and is pretty simple and easy to do.

If your apps continue not to work well or at all, removing app data might be your best option. However, when you delete app data, you remove your personal data, including login and account information and any app history stored on the watch.

• Clear cache: Deletes temporary data.
• Clear data storage: Permanently deletes all app data. 

For these reasons, we always recommend clearing your app’s cache before clearing its data.