Indexed databases are storage spaces your browser creates so websites can work faster and store information on your device
When a website wants to remember something about you — your shopping cart, your game progress, your login information — it can store that data in an indexed database. This is a small filing cabinet that lives on your computer, not on the website's server. The browser keeps it organized so the website can find what it needs quickly, without asking the internet every time.
Deleting indexed databases means erasing those filing cabinets. The website loses access to the information it stored locally on your device. Some websites will still work fine without this data — they'll just ask you to log in again or rebuild your cart. Others may load more slowly the first time you visit, because they have to download information they previously had stored nearby.
Key Takeaways
- Indexed databases are storage spaces websites create on your device to remember your preferences, login status, and other information.
- Deleting them erases that stored data, so websites lose quick access to information they previously saved locally.
- Most websites will still work after deletion — they'll just ask you to log in again or rebuild information like shopping carts.
- Deleting indexed databases is different from clearing cookies or cache, though all three are ways to erase what websites remember about you.
- You might delete indexed databases to free up storage space, improve privacy, or fix a website that's behaving strangely.
Why websites create indexed databases in the first place
Indexed databases let websites store larger amounts of information than older storage methods could handle. A website might store hundreds of items in your shopping cart, your entire message history, or detailed settings about how you like the page to look. This data stays on your device, so the website doesn't have to download it from the internet every time you visit.
This speeds things up. When you open a map application in your browser, for example, it can pull map tiles from an indexed database instead of waiting for them to download. When you use a note-taking app in your browser, it can save your work locally and sync it to the server later, so you don't lose anything if your internet cuts out.
What happens when you delete indexed databases
Deleting indexed databases removes all that locally stored information. The next time you visit the website, it won't find the data it left behind. Most of the time, the website simply rebuilds what it needs — it asks you to log in again, or it downloads your information fresh from its servers.
Some websites may load noticeably slower after deletion, because they have to download information they previously had stored on your device. A map application might take longer to display tiles. A game might take longer to load your progress. But the website itself still works. You haven't broken anything permanent.
If a website was behaving strangely — freezing, crashing, or showing outdated information — deleting its indexed database sometimes fixes the problem. The website gets a fresh start and rebuilds its local storage correctly.
How indexed databases differ from cookies and cache
Browsers have three main ways websites can store information on your device, and they work differently. Cookies are small text files that store simple information like your login token or your preferred language. Cache is a copy of images, scripts, and other files the website downloaded, so it doesn't have to download them again. Indexed databases are structured storage spaces that can hold much larger amounts of organized data.
When you clear your browser's data, you usually have the option to delete each of these separately. You might clear cookies and cache but leave indexed databases alone, or vice versa. Clearing all three removes the most information, but it also means websites have to rebuild everything from scratch the next time you visit.
When you might want to delete indexed databases
You might delete indexed databases to free up storage space on your device. If you use many web applications — note-taking apps, project management tools, offline maps — they can accumulate gigabytes of stored data over time. Deleting the databases reclaims that space.
You might also delete them for privacy reasons. If you share your device with other people, deleting indexed databases removes information about your browsing and activity. Or you might delete them if a website is malfunctioning — storing corrupted data, showing outdated information, or crashing repeatedly. A fresh start often fixes these problems.
Some people delete indexed databases as part of regular browser maintenance, the same way they might clear cache or cookies. This is optional — there's no requirement to do it, and most people never need to.
How to delete indexed databases in your browser
The process differs slightly depending on which browser you use. In Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, you access the option through the browser's settings or preferences menu, usually under a section called "Clear browsing data" or "Privacy and security."
In Chrome: Open Settings, select Privacy and Security, choose Clear Browsing Data, and check the box next to "Cookies and other site data." This removes indexed databases along with cookies and similar storage. You can choose a time range — last hour, last day, all time — to delete only recent data or everything.
In Firefox: Open Preferences, go to Privacy and Security, scroll to Cookies and Site Data, and click Clear Data. Check both boxes if you want to remove everything, or just the one for site data if you want to keep cookies.
In Safari: Open Preferences, go to the Privacy tab, and click Manage Website Data. You'll see a list of websites that have stored data. Select the ones you want to delete and click Remove.
In Edge: Open Settings, select Privacy, Search, and Services, choose Clear Browsing Data, and check "Cookies and other site data."
What you should know before deleting indexed databases
Deleting indexed databases is reversible in the sense that websites will recreate them the next time you visit. But any data stored locally that hasn't been synced to the website's servers will be lost permanently. If you were working on a document in a web app and hadn't saved it, deleting the indexed database could mean losing that work.
You won't lose data stored on the website's servers — your account, your posts, your files. Those live on the company's computers, not on your device. Deleting local storage only removes the copy your browser kept for speed.
If you delete indexed databases for a website you use frequently, expect it to run slightly slower the first few times you visit, while it rebuilds its local storage. This is temporary and usually unnoticeable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting indexed databases log me out of websites?
Not necessarily. Login information is usually stored in cookies, not indexed databases. However, some websites may store session data in indexed databases, so you might need to log in again on some sites. It depends on how each website is built.
Can I delete indexed databases for just one website instead of all of them?
Yes. In most browsers, when you view the list of websites that have stored data, you can select individual sites and delete only their data. This is useful if one website is misbehaving but you want to keep local storage for others.
Will deleting indexed databases speed up my browser?
Probably not noticeably. Indexed databases are designed to make websites faster, not slower. Deleting them might free up storage space if you have very little room left on your device, but it won't improve browsing speed. In fact, websites may load slightly slower at first while they rebuild their local storage.
Is it safe to delete indexed databases?
Yes, it's completely safe. You won't damage your browser or your device. The worst that happens is websites ask you to log in again or load a bit slower the next time you visit. There's no risk of permanent data loss for information stored on the website's servers.
How often should I delete indexed databases?
There's no set schedule. Most people never need to delete them. You might do it if you're running low on storage space, if a website is malfunctioning, or if you're concerned about privacy. Regular deletion isn't necessary for browser health.