What clearing your cache does, and when you need to do it

Your Chrome cache is a folder on your computer where Chrome stores copies of web pages, images, and files you've visited. When you revisit a site, Chrome loads these copies from your hard drive instead of downloading them again — which makes pages load faster. But over time, the cache grows large and can slow your browser down, and sometimes a cached version of a page is outdated or causing problems.

Clearing the cache removes these stored copies and forces Chrome to download fresh versions the next time you visit those sites. You might clear your cache to free up storage space, fix a website that's displaying incorrectly, or remove browsing history before handing your computer to someone else. The process takes less than a minute and doesn't affect your saved passwords or bookmarks unless you specifically choose to delete those too.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome stores cached files in a folder on your computer; clearing it removes these copies but doesn't delete your passwords or bookmarks.
  • You can clear cache for all time or just the last hour, day, week, or month — choose the time range that matches what you need to remove.
  • The fastest way is to press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac) to open the clear browsing data window directly.
  • If a website looks broken or won't load correctly, clearing cache for just that site often fixes the problem without affecting the rest of your browsing history.

Clear all your cache at once

Open Chrome and press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows, or Command+Shift+Delete on Mac. This opens the "Clear browsing data" window directly. At the top, you'll see a dropdown menu that says "All time" — this is the time range. Leave it on "All time" if you want to delete everything, or click the dropdown to choose "Last hour," "Last 24 hours," "Last 7 days," "Last 4 weeks," or "Last 4 weeks" to delete only recent cache.

Below the time range, you'll see checkboxes for different types of data. Make sure "Cached images and files" is checked — this is your cache. You can leave the other boxes unchecked unless you also want to delete cookies, browsing history, or other data. Then click the blue "Clear data" button at the bottom right. Chrome will delete the selected cache and close the window.

Clear cache for just one website

If a single website is loading incorrectly or showing outdated information, you don't need to clear your entire cache. Visit that website in Chrome, then press Ctrl+Shift+I on Windows or Command+Option+I on Mac to open the Developer Tools panel on the right side of your screen. At the top of the Developer Tools, click the Application tab (or Storage tab on older Chrome versions).

On the left side, you'll see a list that includes "Cache Storage." Click the arrow next to it to expand the list, then right-click on the website's URL and select "Delete." This removes only that site's cached files. Close the Developer Tools by pressing the same keyboard shortcut again, then reload the website — Chrome will download a fresh copy.

Clear cache automatically when you close Chrome

If you want Chrome to delete your cache every time you close the browser, you can turn on a setting that does this automatically. Click the three-line menu button in the top right corner of Chrome, then select Settings. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.

Check the box next to "Clear cookies and other site data when you quit Chrome." From now on, Chrome will automatically delete cached images and files, cookies, and other browsing data each time you close all Chrome windows. Your passwords and bookmarks will not be deleted — only the cache and temporary data. If you want to choose which types of data to delete automatically, click "Sites that can always use cookies" to set exceptions for websites you want to stay logged into.

What happens after you clear cache

After you clear your cache, websites will load slightly slower the first time you visit them because Chrome has to download everything fresh. You'll notice this most on sites with large images or videos. Subsequent visits will be fast again as Chrome rebuilds the cache. Your login information, bookmarks, and saved passwords are not affected unless you specifically checked those boxes in the clear browsing data window.

If you cleared cache because a website wasn't working, reload the page after clearing — it should display correctly now. If the problem persists, the issue is likely not with your cache but with the website itself or your internet connection.

Clearing cache vs. clearing cookies and other data

Cache and cookies are different things, though Chrome groups them together. Cache is the copies of web pages and images Chrome stores to make sites load faster. Cookies are small files websites use to remember you — they store login information, preferences, and tracking data. Clearing cache won't log you out of websites, but clearing cookies will.

If you only want to delete cache and keep your login sessions active, uncheck the "Cookies and other site data" box in the clear browsing data window. If you want to log out of all websites and remove tracking cookies, check both boxes. The "Cached images and files" box is your cache; the "Cookies and other site data" box is everything else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache delete my passwords?

No. Passwords are stored separately from cache. Clearing cache won't affect them unless you specifically check the "Passwords and other sign-in data" box in the clear browsing data window. By default, that box is unchecked.

How much storage space does cache usually take up?

It varies widely depending on how much you browse and which sites you visit. Cache can range from a few hundred megabytes to several gigabytes. You can see how much space Chrome is using by going to Settings > About Chrome — Chrome will show you the size of your profile, which includes cache.

Why is a website still showing old information after I cleared cache?

The website itself might be caching content on its servers, not just in your browser. Try clearing your cache again, then hold Ctrl (or Command on Mac) and press F5 to do a "hard refresh," which tells the website's server to send you the newest version instead of a cached copy.

Can I clear cache without clearing cookies?

Yes. In the clear browsing data window, check only the "Cached images and files" box and leave "Cookies and other site data" unchecked. This removes cache but keeps you logged into websites.

Does clearing cache speed up Chrome?

It can, especially if your cache has grown very large. A smaller cache means Chrome uses less storage space and memory. However, the speed improvement is usually noticeable only if your cache is several gigabytes in size. For most users, clearing cache is more about fixing broken websites than improving speed.