What clearing your cache does and why you might want to
Your browser cache is a folder on your computer where Chrome stores copies of images, scripts, and other files from websites you visit. The next time you return to that site, Chrome loads these stored files instead of downloading them again — which makes pages load faster. Over time, this cache grows and can take up gigabytes of storage space.
Clearing your cache removes these stored files and frees up disk space. It also removes cookies and other data Chrome uses to remember your login information, site preferences, and browsing history. Most people clear their cache when their browser feels sluggish, when they want to free up storage, or when they're about to sell or give away their computer.
One practical reason to clear cache: if a website looks broken or loads incorrectly, clearing cache often fixes it because Chrome will download fresh copies of the files instead of using outdated stored versions.
Key Takeaways
- You can clear your cache in Chrome by opening Settings, selecting Privacy and Security, clicking Clear Browsing Data, and choosing what time range and data types to delete.
- Clearing cache removes stored website files and frees disk space, but also logs you out of most websites and removes saved passwords unless you specifically exclude them.
- You can set Chrome to automatically clear your cache every time you close the browser by turning on "Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome" in Settings.
- Clearing cache does not delete your browsing history — you must check the "Browsing history" box separately if you want to remove that record.
How to manually clear your cache right now
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu that appears.
On the left side of the Settings page, click Privacy and security. Then click Clear browsing data.
A window will pop up with options. At the top, you'll see a dropdown menu that says "All time" — this controls how far back Chrome deletes. You can choose "All time" to clear everything, or pick a shorter range like "Last hour", "Last 24 hours", "Last 7 days", "Last 4 weeks", or "Last 4 weeks".
Below that, you'll see checkboxes for different types of data. By default, "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" are checked. Leave these checked. If you also want to remove your browsing history, check "Browsing history". If you want to keep your saved passwords, make sure "Passwords and other sign-in data" stays unchecked. When you're ready, click the blue Clear data button.
What gets deleted and what stays
When you clear cache with the default settings, Chrome removes cached images and files, cookies, and site data. This means websites will load slightly slower the next time you visit them because Chrome has to download everything fresh. You'll also be logged out of most websites — the next time you visit Gmail, Facebook, or your bank, you'll need to enter your password again.
Your browsing history stays intact unless you specifically check the "Browsing history" box. Your saved passwords stay intact unless you check "Passwords and other sign-in data". Your bookmarks are never affected by clearing cache — they're stored separately.
If you clear cache but don't check "Browsing history", Chrome still knows you visited those websites; it just deleted the stored files from them. This is useful if you want to free up space without erasing the record of where you've been.
Set Chrome to clear cache automatically when you close it
If you want Chrome to delete your cache every single time you close the browser, you can automate this. Open Chrome Settings and go to Privacy and security.
Look for the toggle that says Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome and turn it on. From that point forward, every time you close all Chrome windows, the browser will automatically delete cookies and cached files.
This is useful if you share a computer or use Chrome in a public place and want to leave no trace of your browsing. Keep in mind that you'll be logged out of websites each time you close Chrome, and websites will load slightly slower because Chrome can't use cached files.
Clear cache for a single website
You don't have to clear all your cache at once. If one website is loading incorrectly, you can clear cache just for that site. Visit the website, then click the lock icon or information icon next to the web address in the address bar. Click Cookies and site data or Manage. You'll see a list of stored data for that site. Click the trash icon or the X next to each item to delete it, or look for a "Clear all" option.
This approach is faster than clearing your entire cache and keeps you logged into other websites. It's the first thing to try when a single website looks broken or won't load properly.
Clearing cache on mobile Chrome
On an Android phone or tablet, open Chrome and tap the three vertical dots in the bottom right corner. Tap Settings, then Privacy and security, then Clear browsing data. Choose your time range and make sure "Cookies and site data" and "Cached images and files" are checked. Tap Clear data.
On an iPhone or iPad, open Chrome and tap the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner. Tap Settings, then Privacy, then Clear browsing data. Check the boxes for the data you want to delete and tap Clear browsing data at the bottom.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cache delete my passwords?
No, unless you specifically check the box for "Passwords and other sign-in data" in the Clear Browsing Data window. By default, that box is unchecked, so your saved passwords stay. If you do check it, Chrome will delete all saved passwords and you'll need to re-enter them the next time you log into a website.
Does clearing cache delete my bookmarks?
No. Bookmarks are stored separately from cache and are never affected by clearing browsing data. Your bookmarks will still be there after you clear cache.
Why is a website still loading slowly after I cleared cache?
Slow loading after clearing cache usually means the website itself is slow or your internet connection is slow, not a cache problem. Cache only speeds up repeat visits to sites you've been to before. If a site is slow the first time you visit it, clearing cache won't help.
Can I undo clearing my cache?
No. Once you clear cache, those stored files are gone permanently. You can't recover them. This is why it's useful to clear cache only for specific websites if you're not sure whether you want to clear everything.
How much storage space does cache usually take up?
This varies widely depending on how much you browse and which sites you visit. Cache can range from a few hundred megabytes to several gigabytes. If you're running low on storage space, clearing cache is one of the quickest ways to free up room on your computer.