How to Clear Video Cache in Kodi Without Risky Cleanup Tools

To clear Kodi's video cache, stop the stream and restart Kodi. Its normal playback buffer is temporary and is managed automatically; there is no built-in “Clear Video Cache” button you need to press. If a video repeatedly pauses or displays an “out of cache” warning, the cause is usually data arriving too slowly, not a pile of old video files that needs deleting.

For Kodi 21 Omega and later, you can review buffering options at Settings > Services > Caching. If you want to free up device storage instead, distinguish Kodi's video buffer from Android app cache and downloaded library artwork. These are different things, and deleting the wrong data can create extra problems.

What Kodi's video cache actually does

When you stream a video, Kodi keeps some upcoming content ready so brief connection slowdowns do not immediately interrupt playback. The usual video buffer lives in RAM and is discarded as Kodi uses it. Kodi's official cache explanation explicitly says that this buffer does not require routine manual cleaning.

That distinction matters: an “out of cache” warning generally means the source is delivering video too slowly for the buffer to cover the delay. Deleting thumbnails or installing a cleaning wizard will not speed up an overloaded streaming server.

How to refresh the video buffer and check cache settings

1. Stop playback and fully exit Kodi. Start Kodi again and try the same video. This ends the previous playback session and lets Kodi build a fresh temporary buffer. If the issue returns quickly, investigate the connection rather than repeatedly restarting.

   

2. Open Settings and choose the Advanced settings level. Select the gear on Kodi's home screen. In the Estuary interface, use the settings-level control near the bottom of the settings screen until it reads Advanced. This makes cache options visible.

   

3. Navigate to Services > Caching. In the Services settings, select the Caching category. The official Kodi caching settings reference documents this location for Kodi 21 and newer.

   

4. Review the settings without making extreme changes. Buffer Mode determines which sources Kodi buffers; Memory Size controls how much RAM is allocated; Read Factor affects how aggressively Kodi reads ahead; Chunk Size controls the size of individual reads. If you previously made aggressive changes, return toward the default settings and retest one stream. Change only one setting at a time so you can tell what helped.

   

Important: Setting Memory Size to 0 does not empty the buffer. It tells Kodi to use disk storage instead of RAM. Kodi warns that this can cause playback failure or crashes on devices with limited free storage, including many streaming sticks. Likewise, selecting No buffer disables buffering rather than clearing old files. Neither change is a general performance fix.

Clear Kodi's app cache on Android TV or Fire TV

If Kodi is crashing, the device reports low storage, or the application behaves abnormally, clearing its operating-system app cache may help. This is not the same as emptying the in-memory video buffer.

On many Android TV devices, open the device's Settings, find Apps, select Kodi, and look for Storage & cache > Clear cache. The wording differs by TV manufacturer and Android version. Google's Android storage guide explains that Clear cache removes temporary data, while Clear storage removes app data.

On Fire TV, start at Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications, choose Kodi, and use the available cache-clearing control. Amazon documents this app-management menu in its Fire TV documentation. Avoid Clear data, Clear storage, or uninstalling Kodi unless you have backed up your configuration and intend to reset the application.

Free up storage used by thumbnails and artwork

Kodi stores poster images, fan art, and other visual assets in its userdata/Thumbnails folder. Those files are a persistent artwork cache, not the playback video buffer. They can occupy storage as your library grows.

On Kodi 22 Piers prerelease builds that include the feature, Settings > Media > Library at the Expert level offers Clean image cache for old, unused images. See Kodi's library settings reference. This option is not present in Kodi 21, and it is not a video-buffer cleaner.

For persistent corrupt or missing artwork, Kodi documents a last-resort method involving the thumbnails folder and the texture database. Do not delete these casually: Kodi must rebuild cached images afterward, and artwork hosted at vanished source URLs might not return. Back up the Kodi data folder first and follow the official artwork-cache instructions only if you have an actual artwork problem.

What to try if buffering continues

• Compare another video or legal streaming source. If only one stream fails, the source may be slow or overloaded.
• Check network stability. Move closer to your Wi-Fi access point or test wired Ethernet where possible; a high-speed connection can still suffer intermittent drops.
• Reduce competing network activity. Pause large downloads and retest a lower-bitrate video before changing Kodi's buffer size.
• Check add-on-specific storage separately. Some add-ons create their own downloads or caches. Use their documented maintenance options rather than deleting unknown Kodi directories.

Do you need Ares Wizard or Simply Caz Wizard?

No. Old articles commonly recommended Ares Wizard and Simply Caz Wizard for cache cleaning, then supplied XML snippets to set Kodi's buffer. Those steps are not appropriate as a general current guide. Since Kodi 21, the former advancedsettings.xml cache tags are deprecated and ignored; Kodi's video-cache guide points readers to the settings interface instead. You do not need an unofficial repository or a third-party cleaning wizard to refresh a normal playback buffer.

Bottom line: Restart playback to refresh the temporary buffer, use Services > Caching only when there is a specific buffering problem, and clear app or artwork caches only when the corresponding storage issue calls for it.