What clearing cache does and why you might want to

Cache is temporary data that your browser stores on your computer — copies of web pages, images, scripts, and login information. When you revisit a site, your browser loads these stored copies instead of downloading everything fresh, which makes pages load faster. Over time, this cache builds up and can take up gigabytes of disk space, slow down your computer, or cause a website to display an outdated version of itself.

Clearing cache is straightforward and safe. It does not delete your passwords, bookmarks, or browsing history unless you specifically choose to clear those too. After you clear cache, websites will load slightly slower the first time you visit them again, because your browser has to download everything fresh — but then it caches them again and speeds up on repeat visits.

Key Takeaways

  • Cache is stored in a specific folder on your hard drive that you can access and delete directly through File Explorer.
  • The fastest way to clear cache is through your browser's settings menu, which takes about 30 seconds and clears everything at once.
  • You can choose to clear cache from a specific date range or clear everything, and you can exclude passwords and bookmarks from deletion.
  • If a website looks wrong or loads incorrectly, clearing cache is often the first troubleshooting step that fixes the problem.

Clearing cache in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge is the default browser in Windows 11 and Windows 10. Open Edge and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on your keyboard — this opens the Clear Browsing Data window directly. If that shortcut does not work, click the three-dot menu in the top right corner, select Settings, then Privacy, search, and services, then Clear browsing data.

A window will appear with checkboxes for different types of data. Make sure Cached images and files is checked — this is the cache. You can also check Cookies and other site data if you want to clear login information, though this will log you out of most websites. At the top, choose your time range: All time clears everything, while Last hour, Last 24 hours, or Last 7 days clear only recent cache. Click Clear now and wait a few seconds for the process to finish.

Clearing cache in Google Chrome

Open Chrome and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to open the Clear Browsing Data window. If the keyboard shortcut does not work, click the three-dot menu in the top right, select Settings, then Privacy and security, then Clear browsing data.

The window shows several tabs: Basic and Advanced. Stay on the Basic tab unless you need more options. Check Cached images and files. At the top, select your time range — All time clears everything since you installed Chrome. Click Clear data and the process completes in a few seconds.

Clearing cache in Mozilla Firefox

Open Firefox and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to jump to the Clear Recent History window. Alternatively, click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right, select Settings, then Privacy & Security, scroll down to Cookies and Site Data, and click Clear Data.

In the Clear Recent History window, set the time range at the top — Everything clears all cache, while Last Hour or Last 2 Hours clear only recent data. Make sure Cache is checked. Click Clear Now. If you use the Settings route instead, check Cached Web Content and click Clear.

Accessing cache files directly through File Explorer

If you want to see where cache is actually stored or delete it without opening your browser, you can navigate to the cache folder directly. Each browser stores cache in a different location. Open File Explorer and paste one of these paths into the address bar at the top, then press Enter.

For Microsoft Edge, paste: %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Cache. For Google Chrome, paste: %LocalAppData%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache. For Mozilla Firefox, paste: %AppData%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles — then open the folder with a name like xxxxxxxx.default-release, then open the cache2 folder inside.

Once you are in the cache folder, select all files (press Ctrl + A) and delete them (press Delete). You may see a warning that some files are in use — click Skip for those. The cache folder will refill automatically as you browse.

What to do if clearing cache does not fix the problem

If a website still looks wrong after clearing cache, try clearing cookies as well — these store login sessions and site preferences. Use the same steps as above, but also check the Cookies and site data or Cookies box. This will log you out of most websites, so have your passwords ready.

If the problem persists, try opening the website in a private or incognito window — this uses no cache or cookies at all. Press Ctrl + Shift + N in Chrome or Edge, or Ctrl + Shift + P in Firefox. If the site works in private mode, the problem is definitely cache or cookies on your main browser. If it still does not work, the problem is with the website itself or your internet connection, not your browser.

How often you should clear cache

There is no single right answer — it depends on how much you browse and how much disk space you have. If your computer is running slowly or you have less than 10 percent of your hard drive free, clearing cache can help. If you notice a website displaying outdated information, clearing cache is worth trying before contacting the website's support.

Many people clear cache once a month or once every few months as routine maintenance. Some people set their browser to clear cache automatically every time they close it — in Edge, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services and toggle Clear browsing data to On. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security and select Delete cookies and site data when you quit Chrome. In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security and set History to Firefox will use custom settings for history, then check Clear history when Firefox closes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache delete my passwords?

No, unless you specifically check the box for cookies or saved passwords. Cache and passwords are stored separately. When you clear cache through your browser's settings, passwords remain unless you also check Cookies and site data or Passwords. If you delete cache through File Explorer, passwords are not affected at all.

Why is my browser still slow after clearing cache?

Cache is usually not the main cause of browser slowness. If clearing cache does not help, try disabling browser extensions — click the extension icon in your address bar and toggle off extensions one at a time to see which one is causing the problem. You can also try restarting your browser or computer, or checking whether your hard drive is nearly full.

Can I clear cache for just one website?

Most browsers do not have a built-in way to clear cache for a single site. The easiest workaround is to open that website in a private or incognito window, which uses no cache. If you need to clear cache for one site regularly, try using a browser extension designed for that purpose, though this requires installing additional software.

What is the difference between cache and cookies?

Cache stores copies of web pages, images, and scripts so they load faster on repeat visits. Cookies store smaller pieces of data like login sessions, preferences, and tracking information. Both take up space and can cause websites to display outdated information, but clearing them has different effects — clearing cache makes sites load slower the first time, while clearing cookies logs you out of websites.