Waze is a popular GPS navigation app used by millions of drivers worldwide. As with any frequently used app, over time Waze can accumulate cached data and offline maps taking up storage space. Clearing this data improves performance and frees up space. This article provides step-by-step instructions for Android and iPhone users to clear cache and delete offline maps in the Waze app.
Table of Contents
Clearing Cache on Android
Follow these steps to clear the cache on Android:
- Open Settings on your Android device
- Tap on Apps or Application Manager
- Locate and tap on Waze in the list of apps
- Tap Storage
- Tap Clear Cache
This will delete all temporary cached data stored by Waze and free up space.
Clearing Cache on iPhone
To clear the Waze cache on iPhone:
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
- Find Waze and tap on it
- Tap Offload App to temporarily delete Waze and clear cached data
- Reinstall Waze from the App Store to use the app again
Alternatively, you can delete and reinstall Waze to wipe the cache.
Deleting Offline Maps
Waze does not officially support offline maps. However, it does cache map data as you navigate. To delete offline map data:
On Android
- Go to Waze app settings
- Tap Map Display
- Turn off Save Map Data
- Clear app cache
On iPhone
- Offload or delete the Waze app
- Reinstall Waze
This will remove all saved offline map data.
When to Clear Cache and Delete Offline Maps
Here are some common reasons to clear the Waze cache and offline maps:
- Waze is slow or laggy
- Error messages appear frequently
- Trouble connecting to GPS or mobile data
- Experiencing Bluetooth issues
- Traffic reports not showing correctly
- Waze is taking up a lot of storage space
Generally, clearing the cache and offline maps improves performance and fixes bugs. It’s a good first troubleshooting step for many Waze issues before reinstalling the app or contacting support.
Improving Waze Performance
In addition to clearing cache and offline maps, here are some tips to keep Waze running smoothly:
- Update to the latest Waze version
- Allow Waze to always access location services
- Ensure Android battery optimization is not enabled for Waze
- Restart your phone occasionally
- Check for Waze server outages if issues persist
Following these best practices will prevent performance problems over time.
If you find Waze is still not performing well for your needs after troubleshooting, consider alternative navigation apps with offline maps support:
- Google Maps – Saves maps for offline access
- Here WeGo – Full offline navigation app
- Maps.me – Extensive offline map capabilities
- Sygic – Robust paid offline navigation
While not as community-driven as Waze, these apps excel at offline navigation if needed.
Conclusion
Keeping Waze running smoothly is important for safe, efficient driving directions. By regularly clearing cached data and offline maps, fixing performance issues, and understanding offline alternatives, you can optimize your navigation experience. Follow the instructions in this guide to clear cache and delete offline maps on Android and iPhone when using the powerful Waze GPS navigation application.