Clear your cache in Edge in three steps

Open Microsoft Edge and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows, or Command + Shift + Delete on Mac. This opens the Clear Browsing Data window directly. Select the time range you want to clear — "All time" removes everything, while "Last hour" or "Last 24 hours" clears only recent data. Check the box next to "Cached images and files," then click the blue "Clear now" button at the bottom right.

If the keyboard shortcut does not work, you can reach the same window through the menu. Click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of Edge, select "Settings," then choose "Privacy, search, and services" from the left sidebar. Under "Clear browsing data," click "Choose what to clear" and follow the same steps as above.

Your cache clears immediately. Edge will not ask you to confirm or show you a completion message — the window simply closes when the process finishes. You can close Edge and reopen it; the cache will stay cleared.

Key Takeaways

  • The fastest way to clear cache is pressing Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) or Command + Shift + Delete (Mac), then selecting "Cached images and files" and clicking "Clear now."
  • You can choose to clear cache from the last hour, last 24 hours, last 7 days, last 4 weeks, or all time — selecting "All time" removes your entire cache history.
  • Clearing cache frees up storage space on your device and can speed up Edge if it has accumulated a large amount of stored data.
  • You can also set Edge to clear cache automatically every time you close the browser by going to Settings and turning on "Clear browsing data" under the exit options.

What cache actually stores

Your browser cache is a folder on your computer that stores copies of images, scripts, and other files from websites you visit. When you return to a site, Edge loads these stored files instead of downloading them again, which makes pages load faster. Over time, this cache can grow to several gigabytes.

Cache also stores login information, passwords, and browsing history if you have not turned off those settings. Clearing cache removes the stored website files, but it does not automatically remove passwords or autofill data unless you specifically check those boxes in the Clear Browsing Data window.

When you should clear your cache

Clear your cache if Edge feels slow or if websites are not loading their newest versions. Cached files can sometimes be outdated, causing a site to display old content or broken layouts. Clearing cache forces Edge to download fresh files the next time you visit.

You should also clear cache if you are concerned about privacy on a shared computer, or if you are troubleshooting a website that is not working correctly. Some websites require a fresh cache to function properly, especially after major updates.

If you use Edge on a personal device and do not share it, clearing cache occasionally — once a month or every few months — is usually enough. You do not need to clear it every day unless you are dealing with a specific problem.

Set Edge to clear cache automatically

You can configure Edge to clear your cache every time you close the browser. Click the three-dot menu, go to "Settings," then select "Privacy, search, and services." Scroll down to the "Clear browsing data" section and toggle on "Choose what to clear every time you close the browser."

Once you turn this on, a new option appears below it: "Choose what to clear every time you close the browser." Click "Every time you close the browser" to see a list of data types. Check "Cached images and files" along with any other data you want cleared automatically. From that point forward, Edge will clear these items whenever you close the browser completely.

This setting does not affect your current browsing session — it only clears data when you fully exit Edge. If you close a tab or window but leave Edge running, the cache stays intact.

Difference between cache and cookies

Cache and cookies are related but separate. Cache stores large files like images and videos to speed up page loading. Cookies are small text files that store login information, preferences, and tracking data from websites.

When you clear cache, websites may load slightly slower the next time you visit because Edge has to download files again. When you clear cookies, you will be logged out of most websites and may lose saved preferences like language or theme settings. The Clear Browsing Data window lets you clear either one independently, so you can remove cache without removing cookies if you prefer to stay logged in.

Troubleshooting cache problems

If clearing cache through the settings window does not solve your problem, try clearing it while Edge is completely closed. Close all Edge windows, then reopen Edge and use Ctrl + Shift + Delete to clear cache again. Sometimes Edge cannot fully clear cache while it is running.

If a website still displays old content after clearing cache, try clearing cookies as well. Open the Clear Browsing Data window, check both "Cached images and files" and "Cookies and other site data," select "All time," and click "Clear now." Then reload the website.

On rare occasions, a corrupted cache file can cause Edge to crash or freeze. If Edge is crashing frequently, clearing cache is one of the first things to try. If the problem continues after clearing cache, you may need to reset Edge to its default settings through the Settings menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache log me out of websites?

Clearing cache alone will not log you out. Cache stores images and files, not login information. To stay logged in, make sure you do not check the "Cookies and other site data" box when clearing. If you clear both cache and cookies together, you will be logged out of most websites.

How much storage space does cache take up?

Cache size varies widely depending on how much you browse and which sites you visit. It can range from a few hundred megabytes to several gigabytes. You can see your cache size in Settings under "Privacy, search, and services" — it shows the total size of browsing data stored on your device.

Does clearing cache delete my passwords?

No. Passwords are stored separately from cache. When you clear cache, passwords remain saved unless you specifically check the "Passwords" box in the Clear Browsing Data window. Cache only stores website files like images and scripts.

Can I clear cache for just one website?

Edge does not have a built-in option to clear cache for a single website. You can only clear all cache or cache from a specific time period. If you need to clear cache for one site, clear all cache, or use Edge's InPrivate browsing mode for that site in the future to prevent caching.

What is the difference between clearing cache and clearing browsing history?

Browsing history is a list of websites you visited. Cache is the stored files from those websites. Clearing history removes the list but keeps the cached files. Clearing cache removes the files but does not erase the history list. The Clear Browsing Data window lets you clear either one independently.