What clearing your cache does

Your browser stores copies of images, scripts, and other files from websites you visit. This cache lets pages load faster the next time you visit — your browser uses the stored copy instead of downloading everything again. Clearing your cache deletes those stored files, forcing your browser to download fresh copies on your next visit.

Most people clear their cache for one of three reasons: to free up disk space, to troubleshoot a website that looks broken or loads incorrectly, or to remove browsing history that your browser has stored locally on your device. Clearing cache does not sign you out of websites or delete your passwords — those are stored separately.

Key Takeaways

  • Clearing your cache removes stored website files from your device but does not delete passwords, login information, or your browsing history unless you specifically choose those options.
  • The steps differ slightly between Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, but all are found in Settings or Preferences under a Privacy or History section.
  • You can set your browser to clear cache automatically when you close it, which removes the need to do it manually.
  • If a website looks broken or loads incorrectly, clearing cache is often the first troubleshooting step because it forces your browser to download fresh files.

Clearing cache in Chrome

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, choose the time range — "All time" clears everything, while "Last hour" or "Last 24 hours" clears only recent cache.

Make sure only "Cached images and files" is checked. If you also check "Cookies and other site data", you will be signed out of websites. If you check "Browsing history", Chrome will delete your history list. Click "Clear data" when you are ready. The process usually takes a few seconds.

Clearing cache in Firefox

Open Firefox and press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows or Command+Shift+Delete on Mac. The Clear Recent History window appears. Use the "Time range to clear" dropdown to choose how far back you want to go — "Everything" clears all cache, while "Last hour" clears only recent files.

Under "Details", make sure only "Cache" is checked. Unchecking the other boxes prevents Firefox from deleting cookies, browsing history, or saved passwords. Click "Clear Now" to finish. You can also access this through the menu: click the three horizontal lines, select Settings, then Privacy & Security, and scroll to "Cookies and Site Data" to clear cache from there.

Clearing cache in Safari

Safari does not have a dedicated cache-clearing shortcut, so you must use the menu. Click "Safari" in the top menu bar, then select "Clear History". A dropdown appears asking how far back to clear — choose "all history" to remove all cache, or pick a specific time range like "the last hour".

This action clears both history and cache together in Safari; you cannot clear one without the other. If you want to clear cache without losing your history list, you can instead go to Safari menu > Settings > Privacy, then click "Manage Website Data" and select "Remove All" — this clears cache but keeps your history intact.

Clearing cache in Edge

Open Edge and press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows. This opens the Clear Browsing Data window. At the top, choose your time range — "All time" clears everything, while "Last hour" or "Last 24 hours" clears only recent cache.

Check only "Cached images and files" unless you want to delete other data. Checking "Cookies and other site data" will sign you out of websites. Checking "Browsing history" will delete your history list. Click "Clear now" when you are ready. On Mac, use Command+Shift+Delete instead of Ctrl+Shift+Delete.

Setting your browser to clear cache automatically

If you want your browser to clear cache every time you close it, you can turn on automatic clearing. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data, then check "Clear cookies and other site data when you quit Chrome". In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll to "Cookies and Site Data", and check "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed".

In Safari, go to Preferences > Privacy and check "Remove history items" with a dropdown to choose "after one day" or another interval. In Edge, go to Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services, scroll to "Clear Browsing Data", and toggle on "Choose what to clear every time you close the browser". This setting makes your browser ask you what to delete each time you close it, or you can set it to clear automatically without asking.

When to clear your cache and what it actually fixes

Clear your cache if a website looks wrong — missing images, broken layout, or buttons that do not work — because your browser may be using outdated files. Refresh the page first by pressing F5 or Ctrl+R, which often fixes the problem without clearing cache. If that does not work, clear cache and try again.

You should also clear cache if you are running low on storage space, though the amount freed is usually small — typically 100 MB to 1 GB depending on your browsing habits. Clear cache before selling or giving away your device if you want to remove traces of sites you visited, though this does not delete your browsing history list. If you share a device with others and want to hide which sites you visited, clearing cache alone is not enough — you also need to clear your browsing history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing my cache sign me out of websites?

No, not unless you also clear cookies. Cache stores images and scripts; cookies store login information. When you clear cache, uncheck "Cookies and other site data" to stay logged in. If you accidentally clear cookies too, you will need to log back in to those websites.

Does clearing cache delete my passwords?

No. Passwords are stored separately from cache and cookies. Even if you clear everything, your saved passwords remain. You would need to go into your browser's password settings and delete them manually if you wanted them gone.

How often should I clear my cache?

Most people do not need to clear cache regularly. Clear it only when a website looks broken, when you are low on storage space, or when you want to remove browsing traces before giving away a device. Clearing cache frequently will not speed up your browsing — it actually makes pages load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing.

Can I clear cache for just one website?

Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can right-click on a website and select "Delete" or "Remove" from the cache options. In Safari, go to Develop menu > Empty Caches (you may need to enable the Develop menu in Preferences first). This removes cache for that site only without affecting other websites.

What is the difference between clearing cache and clearing browsing history?

Cache stores website files like images and scripts to make pages load faster. Browsing history is the list of websites you visited, shown in your History menu. Clearing cache does not delete your history list, and clearing history does not delete cached files. You can clear either one independently.