Clear your cache in Internet Explorer through the Delete Browsing History window

Open Internet Explorer and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on your keyboard. This opens the Delete Browsing History window. Check the box next to "Temporary Internet Files and website files" — this is your cache. You can leave the other boxes checked or unchecked depending on what else you want to clear. Click "Delete" at the bottom of the window.

If the keyboard shortcut does not work, you can reach the same window through the menu. Click the gear icon in the top right corner, select "Internet options", then click "Delete" in the Browsing history section. This opens the same Delete Browsing History window.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to open the Delete Browsing History window in Internet Explorer.
  • Check "Temporary Internet Files and website files" to clear your cache specifically.
  • You can also reach this window by clicking the gear icon, selecting Internet options, and clicking Delete.
  • Clearing cache can free up disk space and sometimes fix loading problems on websites.

What cache actually is and why you might clear it

Your cache is a folder on your computer where Internet Explorer stores copies of images, scripts, and other files from websites you visit. The browser keeps these files so that the next time you visit the same website, it can load faster by using the stored copy instead of downloading everything again.

Over time, your cache folder grows large and can take up several gigabytes of disk space. Clearing it frees up that space. Some people also clear cache when a website is not loading correctly — occasionally a corrupted cached file causes display problems, and clearing cache forces the browser to download a fresh copy.

Choose what time period to clear

In the Delete Browsing History window, you will see a dropdown menu at the top that says "Time range to clear". The default is usually "All" — this clears everything in your cache. You can also choose "Last hour", "Last day", "Last week", or "Last month" if you only want to clear recent cache.

Choosing a specific time period is useful if you want to keep cached files from websites you visit regularly but clear out older files. For most people, clearing all cache works fine and does not cause problems.

What happens after you clear cache

After you click Delete, Internet Explorer removes the cached files. Websites will load slightly slower the next time you visit them because the browser has to download all the files fresh. After you visit a site once, it caches those files again and subsequent visits load normally.

Clearing cache does not delete your browsing history, passwords, or saved form data unless you specifically check those boxes in the Delete Browsing History window. It only removes the stored website files.

Clear cache automatically when you close Internet Explorer

If you want Internet Explorer to clear your cache every time you close the browser, you can set this up in Internet options. Click the gear icon, select "Internet options", then go to the "General" tab. Under "Browsing history", check the box that says "Delete browsing history on exit". Make sure "Temporary Internet Files and website files" is checked below that.

With this setting turned on, you do not have to manually clear cache — it happens automatically. This is useful if you share your computer with others or if you want to keep your disk space free without thinking about it.

Troubleshooting if the delete window does not appear

If pressing Ctrl + Shift + Delete does nothing, Internet Explorer may be running in a mode that blocks this action. Close all Internet Explorer windows completely and open it again. If you have multiple tabs or windows open, the shortcut sometimes does not work.

If it still does not work, try the menu route instead: click the gear icon, select "Internet options", go to the "General" tab, and click "Delete" under Browsing history. This method works even when the keyboard shortcut does not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache delete my passwords or saved usernames?

No. Cache only stores website files like images and scripts. Passwords and usernames are stored separately. If you want to delete those, you would check different boxes in the Delete Browsing History window — specifically "Passwords" or "Form data".

How often should I clear my cache?

There is no set rule. If your computer is running low on disk space or a website is not loading correctly, clear it. If you have plenty of disk space and websites load fine, you do not need to clear cache regularly. Some people clear it monthly, others only when they notice a problem.

Does clearing cache make Internet Explorer faster?

Clearing cache does not make the browser faster overall. It frees up disk space, but websites load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing because the browser has to download files fresh. After that first visit, they cache again and load normally.

Can I clear cache from just one website?

Internet Explorer does not have a built-in way to clear cache for a single website. The Delete Browsing History window clears cache for all websites or for a time period. If you only want to clear one site's cache, you would need to clear all cache or use a third-party tool.