When you switch between pages in the Notion mobile app, the app keeps recent pages loaded in a background cache to make navigation faster. On devices with limited RAM, this cache can cause the app to crash, freeze, or run slowly because of memory pressure. This article explains why the background page cache triggers memory pressure and provides specific steps to reduce or disable the cache behavior on iOS and Android devices.
The root cause is that Notion stores full page data in memory for each tab you opened recently, and the app does not automatically purge old pages when memory gets low. By adjusting the app’s refresh behavior and limiting the number of cached pages, you can prevent memory pressure without losing your data.
Follow the steps below to clear the existing cache, reduce the cache size, and stop the app from keeping too many pages in memory.
Key Takeaways: Reduce Memory Pressure from Notion Mobile Cache
- Settings & Members > App Preferences > Clear Cache: Removes all locally stored page data and forces the app to reload fresh content, freeing RAM immediately.
- Settings & Members > App Preferences > Background Refresh: Turning this off prevents Notion from pre-loading pages in the background when you switch apps.
- iOS Offload App or Android Clear Storage: Removes the app’s entire local database and cache, which can fix persistent memory leaks on low-memory devices.
Why the Background Page Cache Causes Memory Pressure
Notion’s mobile app uses a background page cache to store the content of recently opened pages in RAM. When you tap a page, the app loads its blocks, images, and database views into memory so that returning to that page feels instant. The cache is designed to hold up to several dozen pages at once, depending on the device’s available RAM.
On devices with 3 GB of RAM or less, this cache can consume more than 1 GB of memory, especially if you have pages with large images, embedded files, or long database views. When the system needs RAM for other apps, it sends a memory warning to Notion. If Notion does not release the cached pages quickly enough, the operating system may kill the app entirely, causing a crash or forcing a full reload when you return.
The cache is not cleared automatically when you close a page. The app only purges old pages when the total cache size exceeds a threshold, which is often set too high for low-memory devices. This means the cache grows until a crash happens, rather than staying within safe limits.
Steps to Clear the Cache and Reduce Memory Pressure
Follow these steps in order. Start with the quickest option and move to the more thorough fix only if the problem returns.
Step 1: Clear the In-App Cache
- Open Notion and go to Settings
Tap your profile picture or the three-line menu icon in the top-left corner. Then tap Settings & Members. - Open App Preferences
Scroll down to the App Preferences section. On iOS, this is under General. On Android, it appears directly in the settings list. - Tap Clear Cache
Find the option labeled Clear Cache or Clear Local Data. A confirmation dialog appears. Tap Clear or OK. - Restart the app
Close Notion completely by swiping it away from your recent apps list. Open Notion again. The app reloads all pages from the server, which frees the RAM that was holding the old cached pages.
Step 2: Disable Background Refresh
- Open Settings & Members
Tap your profile picture or the menu icon, then tap Settings & Members. - Go to App Preferences
Scroll to the App Preferences section. - Turn off Background Refresh
On iOS, toggle Background App Refresh to Off. On Android, toggle Background Data to Off. This prevents Notion from loading new content into the cache when you switch to another app. - Force close and reopen Notion
Swipe Notion away from recent apps, then launch it again. The cache now only holds pages you explicitly opened in the current session.
Step 3: Offload or Clear App Storage (iOS and Android)
If the cache returns and memory pressure persists after steps 1 and 2, use the operating system’s app management tools to remove the entire local data store.
On iOS
- Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad
Tap the Settings app icon on your home screen. - Tap General > iPhone Storage
Scroll down and tap General, then tap iPhone Storage. - Find Notion in the app list
Tap Notion from the list of apps. The app’s data size appears next to Documents & Data. - Tap Offload App
Tap Offload App to remove the app but keep its documents and data. Then tap Reinstall App from the same screen. This clears the cache and resets the app’s internal storage without deleting your account.
On Android
- Open Settings
Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the gear icon. - Tap Apps > Notion
Tap Apps, then find and tap Notion in the list of installed apps. - Tap Storage & Cache
Tap Storage & Cache. You see the app’s total storage usage. - Tap Clear Storage
Tap Clear Storage or Clear Data. A confirmation dialog appears. Tap OK. This deletes all local data, including the cache, and resets the app’s storage to zero. You must sign in again after this step.
If Notion Still Shows Memory Pressure After the Fix
App Crashes Immediately After Opening
If Notion crashes as soon as you open it, the cache may have corrupted data. Use the operating system’s app management to clear storage (Step 3) instead of the in-app cache. On iOS, use Offload App. On Android, use Clear Storage. After clearing, reinstall the app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
Pages Take Too Long to Load After Clearing Cache
When the cache is empty, every page loads from the server, which can be slow on a weak internet connection. To speed up loading, open the pages you use most frequently while you have a strong Wi-Fi connection. Notion re-caches those pages as you view them, and subsequent visits will be faster. Do not open more than 10 pages in one session to avoid rebuilding a large cache.
Memory Pressure Returns After a Few Days
If the issue repeats, the app may be accumulating cache data again because you are opening many pages each day. To prevent this, limit the number of pages you open in a single session. Close pages by tapping the back arrow instead of switching directly to another page. On Android, you can also restrict the app’s background activity by going to Settings > Apps > Notion > Battery > Background restriction and enabling Restrict.
Notion Mobile App Cache Management: iOS vs Android
| Item | iOS | Android |
|---|---|---|
| In-app cache clear | Settings & Members > App Preferences > Clear Cache | Settings & Members > App Preferences > Clear Cache |
| Background refresh control | Settings & Members > App Preferences > Background App Refresh toggle | Settings & Members > App Preferences > Background Data toggle |
| Full storage reset | Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Notion > Offload App | Settings > Apps > Notion > Storage & Cache > Clear Storage |
| Cache size limit (default) | Up to 500 MB | Up to 500 MB |
| Memory warning behavior | App may freeze or crash | App may freeze or crash |
Clearing the in-app cache removes cached page data but keeps your login session. The full storage reset removes everything, including offline data and login tokens. Use the full reset only when the in-app cache does not resolve the memory pressure.
After clearing the cache, you can now navigate through Notion without crashes or freezes caused by the background page cache. To maintain performance, keep Background Refresh turned off and clear the in-app cache once a week if you use the app heavily. For the best memory management on low-RAM devices, use the iOS Offload App method every two weeks to reset the app’s internal storage without losing your account data.