How to Clear the Cache in Google Drive and Docs
Google Drive and Google Docs (including sheets and slides) can often not work properly. It can be either problems related to the proper functioning of your files and documents, or a simple case of failure to load web applications. And for the majority of problems, emptying the cache is often the best solution.
However, removing the entire cache in Chrome (the recommended browser for Drive and Docs) is not the best way to go, because it would mean deleting data from each visited site. It's really annoying to register almost anywhere from scratch.
For most problems, emptying the cache is often the best solution
That's why you need to know how to clear Google Drive and Google Docs web app caches in Chrome. Let's see how.
If you're coming from Android, you'll also see the exact steps you need to clear the caches for the Google Drive and Docs Play Store apps.
Clear the cache of drives and documents in Chrome
On Google Chrome, removing caches in Drive and Docs is extremely simple, as long as you know how to do it. You can easily do this in cases where you have problems trying to make the files available offline, or for just about any other anomalies where Web applications are not working normally. For problems with poorly cached documents, it is often wise to clear the caches for Drive and Docs.
However, a word of caution; Make sure all the offline files you were working on are synchronized online before proceeding. The best way to do this is to briefly open the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides web applications. However, if you experience connectivity issues, you may want to take other steps, such as copying and pasting your work elsewhere. Otherwise, you will lose your job.
For problems with poorly cached documents, it is often wise to clear caches for both drives and documents.
Now that everything is in order, let's start. There are actually two ways to clear the cache for each web application.
The fastest way to clear the cache in Google Drive or Docs is to first load the web application into Chrome. Then simply click on the padlock symbol in the upper left corner of the address bar. In the menu that appears, click Site Settings.
You will then be directed to a special page in the Chrome Settings panel associated with the Drive or Docs web applications. Under the Usage section, click Clear Data. Then click on Clear Data again to confirm. This should clear all cached content locally, including cookies, for the particular web application.
Note: Clearing the cache for Google Docs will also clear the cache for leaves and slides.
Another way is to insert the following URLs into the address bar, then press Enter:
Google Drive
chrome://settings/cookies/detail?site=drive.google.com
Google Docs, slides and sheets
chrome://settings/cookies/detail?site=docs.google.com
You will come across a screen that lists all the content cached locally and linked to the web application. Click Delete All.
After clearing the cache of Drive or Docs (or both), simply reload the web application and you can start again. You do not have to sign in to these web apps again because they use a universal set of Google cookies for the connection.
Clear the cache – Android
On Android, the Google Drive and Google Docs apps have built-in options that allow you to clear their document caches quite easily. Do it whenever you have problems accessing or working on documents. Before you empty the caches, make sure that you are connected to the Internet before any offline work that you have done is synchronized with the cloud.
In addition to the built-in cache compensation mechanisms, you can also use the Android-based cache removal controls to troubleshoot issues related to the applications themselves – crashes, strange anomalies of the interface user, etc.
Clear the document cache
The procedure for emptying document caches is the same for Google Drive, Docs, Slides, and Sheets.
Step 1: Open Google Drive, Docs, Slides or Sheets apps. Then open the application menu (tap the three-column lines in the upper-left corner), then tap Settings.
S2nd step: Under the Document Cache section, tap Clear Cache. Then press OK to confirm.
Clear the application cache
The steps needed to empty the app caches are slightly different for different types of Android devices. However, the following steps should help you get an idea.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your Android device. Then tap Apps & notifications, then tap Apps.
S2nd step: Tap Drive, Docs, Sheets, or Slides apps. Follow this by pressing Storage.
SStep 3: Tap Clear cache. The entire cache of the Google app is now cleared. You can start the application and it will start caching new data from scratch.
What about iOS?
iOS is very effective for managing application caches for installed applications. So you will not find any flip system to manually empty the caches of applications as in Android. Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps do not have built-in ways to remove their respective document caches.
This does not mean that you have no problems with iOS and that some applications have their cache erasure mechanisms. For example, OneDrive offers the ability to clear its cache. Google is still catching up.
However, forcing the closure of a problematic Google application, followed by a restart of your iPhone or iPad, will solve most of the problems. If you still have persistent problems after this, you should consider removing and reinstalling the application.
Taking out the trash
The suite of Google productivity apps is simply amazing to use. However, obsolete and redundant files accumulated over long periods of use are often the reason behind most problems. Therefore, emptying the cache is often a simple and practical solution.
Then: Now that Google Drive and Google Docs are working smoothly again, here are some amazing additions you can use right now to boost your productivity.