What clearing cache does and why you might need to
Cache is temporary data your browser stores on your computer — images, scripts, and page layouts from websites you visit. When you return to a site, your browser loads these files from your hard drive instead of downloading them again, which makes pages load faster. Over time, cache can build up and take up disk space, or outdated cached data can cause a website to display incorrectly or behave strangely.
Clearing cache solves three common problems: a website that looks broken or won't load properly, a page that keeps showing old information even after you refresh it, or freeing up storage space on your computer. You might also clear cache for privacy reasons — it removes a record of which sites you visited and what you downloaded.
The steps differ depending on which browser you use and whether you want to clear everything or just data from a specific time period. Most browsers let you choose what to delete: cookies, cached images and files, browsing history, or all of it together.
Key Takeaways
- Cache is temporary website data stored on your computer that makes pages load faster, but outdated cache can cause websites to display incorrectly.
- Most browsers let you clear cache through a settings menu, and you can choose to delete everything or just data from the last hour, day, or week.
- Clearing cache on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge takes two to three steps and takes less than a minute.
- If a website still does not work after clearing cache, try clearing cookies separately or using your browser's private browsing mode.
How to clear cache in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
A window will open with options. At the top, use the dropdown menu to choose what time period to clear — All time will delete everything, while Last hour, Last 24 hours, or Last 7 days let you be more selective. Make sure the box next to Cached images and files is checked. You can also check Cookies and other site data if you want to clear those too. Click Clear data when you are ready.
How to clear cache in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (the menu button) in the top right corner. Click Settings, then select Privacy & Security from the left sidebar. Under the Cookies and Site Data section, click Clear Data.
A small window appears. Make sure Cached Web Content is checked. You can also check Cookies and Site Data if needed. Click Clear to finish. If you want more control over the time period, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Delete (or Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac) instead — this opens the full history clearing tool where you can choose to clear the last hour, day, week, or everything.
How to clear cache in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Click Clear History. A dropdown menu appears asking how far back to clear — choose all history to delete everything, or pick a specific time period like the last hour or today. Click Clear History to confirm.
This clears both history and cache together in Safari. If you want to clear only cookies without clearing history, go to Safari > Settings, click the Privacy tab, and click Manage Website Data. You can select specific websites and click Remove, or click Remove All to clear everything.
How to clear cache in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left side, click Privacy, search, and services. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
A window opens with checkboxes for different data types. Use the dropdown at the top to select your time period — All time, Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, or Last 4 weeks. Check the box for Cached images and files. You can also check Cookies and other site data if you want to remove those. Click Clear now when finished.
What to do if clearing cache does not fix the problem
If a website still does not work correctly after clearing cache, the issue may be with cookies instead. Cookies are small files that store login information and site preferences — they are different from cache. Try clearing cookies separately using the same steps above, but check only the Cookies or Cookies and Site Data box instead of cached files.
Another option is to use your browser's private or incognito mode, which does not store cache or cookies at all. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, press Ctrl+Shift+N (or Cmd+Shift+N on Mac). In Safari, click File > New Private Window. Visit the website in private mode — if it works there, the problem is definitely with your stored data. You can then clear cache and cookies normally and the site should work in regular mode too.
Clearing cache on mobile browsers
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, scroll down and tap Safari, then tap Clear History and Website Data. Choose how much history to clear from the popup menu. This removes cache, cookies, and browsing history together.
On Android, open Chrome and tap the three dots in the top right. Tap Settings > Privacy > Clear browsing data. At the top, select your time period, make sure Cached images and files is checked, and tap Clear data. The process is the same in Firefox for Android — tap the menu button, go to Settings > Privacy, and tap Clear data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cache delete my passwords or log me out of websites?
Clearing cache alone will not log you out or remove passwords — those are stored in cookies, which are separate. If you clear both cache and cookies together, you will be logged out of most sites and will need to sign in again. Passwords saved in your browser are usually stored separately and will remain even after clearing cache and cookies.
How often should I clear my cache?
There is no set schedule. Clear cache when a website is not displaying correctly, when you notice your browser is running slowly, or when you want to free up storage space. Some people clear it weekly, others only when they notice a problem. If you browse privately and do not want any record of your activity, you can clear cache after each browsing session.
Does clearing cache make my computer faster?
Clearing cache frees up disk space and can help if your hard drive is very full, but it will not make your computer noticeably faster in most cases. It may make websites load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing, since your browser has to download all the files again instead of using stored copies.
Can I clear cache from just one website instead of everything?
Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can visit a specific website, open the developer tools with F12, right-click the refresh button, and select Empty cache and hard refresh. In Safari, go to Develop > Empty Caches (you may need to enable the Develop menu first in Settings). This clears cache only for that site without affecting others.
What is the difference between clearing cache and clearing cookies?
Cache stores images, scripts, and page layouts to make websites load faster. Cookies store login information, site preferences, and tracking data. Clearing cache fixes display problems and frees space. Clearing cookies logs you out of websites and removes saved preferences. Most browsers let you clear them separately or together.