Where to find the delete cache option in Internet Explorer

In Internet Explorer, the cache deletion tool is in the Safety menu at the top of the window. Click Safety, then select Delete Browsing History. A dialog box will open with several checkboxes for different types of data stored on your computer.

The box labeled Temporary Internet Files and Website Files is your cache. This is where Internet Explorer stores images, scripts, and other page elements so websites load faster when you visit them again. Checking this box and clicking Delete will remove those stored files.

If you do not see the Safety menu, your menu bar may be hidden. Press Alt on your keyboard to make it visible, then follow the steps above.

Key Takeaways

  • Cache in Internet Explorer is called Temporary Internet Files and Website Files, found under Safety > Delete Browsing History.
  • You can delete cache once, or set Internet Explorer to delete it automatically every time you close the browser.
  • Deleting cache frees up disk space and can fix problems where pages display incorrectly or load outdated versions.
  • The process takes less than a minute and does not affect your saved passwords or bookmarks unless you specifically check those boxes too.

What gets deleted when you clear the cache

When you check Temporary Internet Files and Website Files and click Delete, Internet Explorer removes the cached copies of web pages, images, and media files stored on your hard drive. These are files the browser saved automatically as you browsed, not files you downloaded on purpose.

The dialog box also offers other options you can check or leave unchecked. Cookies and website data stores login information and site preferences. Download history is a list of files you downloaded. Browsing history is the list of websites you visited. You control which of these get deleted — checking only the cache box leaves the others untouched.

Delete cache one time or set it to happen automatically

To delete cache right now, check Temporary Internet Files and Website Files, make sure nothing else is checked unless you want to delete it too, and click Delete. The process usually finishes in a few seconds.

To make Internet Explorer delete cache automatically every time you close the browser, open the Delete Browsing History dialog again and look for a checkbox at the bottom that says Delete browsing history on exit. Check this box and click OK. From then on, your cache will clear whenever you close Internet Explorer completely.

Why you might want to delete cache

Cache speeds up browsing by storing page elements locally, so the browser does not have to download them again. Over time, cached files can take up several hundred megabytes of disk space. Deleting cache frees that space without affecting how Internet Explorer works.

Clearing cache also fixes certain display problems. If a website looks wrong, loads an old version of a page, or shows broken images, deleting cache and reloading the page often solves it. The browser will download fresh copies of everything instead of using outdated stored files.

Cache versus cookies and browsing history

Cache, cookies, and browsing history are three separate things that Internet Explorer stores. Cache is the actual page files — images, scripts, stylesheets. Cookies are small text files websites use to remember you, store login information, and track preferences. Browsing history is the list of websites you visited, which appears in the back button menu and the history sidebar.

You can delete any of these independently. Many people delete cache regularly but keep cookies so they stay logged into websites. Others delete all three for privacy. The Delete Browsing History dialog lets you choose exactly what goes.

What happens after you delete cache

After you delete cache, websites will load slightly slower the first time you visit them, because Internet Explorer has to download all the page elements fresh instead of using stored copies. Subsequent visits to the same site will be fast again as new cache builds up.

You will not lose any saved passwords, bookmarks, or settings unless you specifically checked those boxes in the delete dialog. Your browsing experience continues normally — the only change is that pages may take a few extra seconds to load on your first visit after clearing cache.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will deleting cache log me out of websites?

Not unless you also delete cookies. Cache and cookies are separate. If you only check Temporary Internet Files and Website Files and leave Cookies and website data unchecked, you will stay logged in to your accounts.

How much space does cache usually take up?

Cache size varies depending on how much you browse and how long since you last cleared it. It can range from 50 megabytes to several hundred megabytes. Clearing it occasionally keeps your disk space available, though for most people it is not a major concern unless storage is very limited.

Can I delete cache without closing Internet Explorer?

Yes. Open the Delete Browsing History dialog while the browser is running, select what you want to delete, and click Delete. You do not need to close Internet Explorer first. If you have set it to delete on exit, it will also clear cache automatically when you do close the browser.

What if the Safety menu is not visible?

Press Alt on your keyboard to show the menu bar. If you still do not see Safety, check that you are using Internet Explorer and not another browser. The menu bar layout is different in Edge, Chrome, and Firefox.

Does deleting cache improve browser speed?

Deleting cache does not make Internet Explorer run faster overall. It frees disk space and fixes display problems, but the browser itself operates at the same speed. The first load of a website after clearing cache may be slightly slower because the browser has to download everything fresh.