What clearing the console network section does
The console network section stores cached data about network calls your game makes — things like server responses, connection logs, and debugging information. Clearing it removes this stored data so you start fresh, which helps when you're testing network features, troubleshooting connection problems, or preparing to ship a build. The exact steps depend on which game engine you're using.
Most developers clear this section when old cached responses are giving false results during testing, when you need to verify that your game actually fetches new data instead of relying on old cache, or when you're switching between different servers and want no leftover connection state.
Key Takeaways
- In Unity, you clear network cache through the Console window's network tab or by deleting PlayerPrefs data that stores network state.
- In Unreal Engine, network debugging data lives in the Output Log and can be cleared by restarting the editor or using console commands like stat net to reset counters.
- Godot stores network debugging in the Debugger panel, which clears when you stop the game or manually reset the profiler.
- Clearing network cache does not delete your actual game code or project files — it only removes temporary debugging and connection records.
- You should clear the network section before running final tests or builds to ensure you're not relying on cached data that won't exist on a player's machine.
Clearing the network section in Unity
Open the Console window in Unity by going to Window > General > Console. At the top of the Console panel, you'll see a row of buttons. Click the trash icon (or the button labeled "Clear") to remove all console messages, including network logs. This clears the display but not necessarily the underlying cached data.
To clear actual network cache that persists between play sessions, you need to clear PlayerPrefs. Add this code to a script and run it once in the editor:
PlayerPrefs.DeleteAll(); PlayerPrefs.Save();
This removes all stored player preferences, including any network state your game cached. If you only want to clear network-related data, you can use PlayerPrefs.DeleteKey("YourNetworkKeyName") to target specific entries instead. After running this, stop play mode and restart to see the effect.
Clearing the network section in Unreal Engine
In Unreal Engine, network debugging information appears in the Output Log. Open it through Window > Developer Tools > Output Log. Click the trash icon in the Output Log toolbar to clear all messages at once.
Network statistics counters (like packet counts and latency measurements) can be reset by typing stat net into the console command bar at the bottom of the Output Log. This toggles the network statistics display and resets the counters. To clear network state more thoroughly, stop the current play session and restart the editor — Unreal does not persist network cache between editor sessions by default.
If you're testing with a packaged build, network logs are written to the game's saved logs folder. On Windows, this is usually YourGame\Saved\Logs. Delete the log files in that folder to clear the record.
Clearing the network section in Godot
Godot's network debugging appears in the Debugger panel. Open it through Debug > Monitor or the Debugger tab at the bottom of the editor. The Profiler subtab shows network activity and memory use. When you stop the game (press the stop button or close the game window), the profiler data clears automatically.
If you want to manually reset profiler data while the game is still running, there is no built-in button — you must stop the game. For persistent network state stored in your game's data files, locate the user data folder (on Windows, %APPDATA%\Godot\app_userdata\YourGameName) and delete any files related to network cache or saved state.
When you should clear the network section
Clear the network section before running a final test build to make sure your game does not rely on cached responses that won't exist on a player's machine. If you're switching between a test server and a production server, clear the cache so old server responses do not interfere with new ones.
You should also clear it when debugging connection problems — old cached data can mask real network issues. If you're testing offline mode or connection loss scenarios, clearing the network section first ensures your game actually handles the offline state instead of falling back to cached data.
What does not get cleared
Clearing the console network section removes only temporary debugging data and cached network responses. It does not delete your game's source code, project files, or permanent game data like save files or settings. Your actual game logic and assets remain untouched.
If you're worried about losing something important, clearing the network section is safe — it only affects temporary records that your game can regenerate by making new network calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing the network section break my game?
No. Clearing the network section removes only temporary debugging records and cached responses. Your game code, assets, and permanent data stay intact. The game will simply make fresh network calls the next time it runs.
Do I need to clear the network section before shipping a build?
You should test with a clean network cache before shipping to make sure your game does not depend on cached data. However, the build process itself does not include debug console data, so clearing it in the editor does not directly affect what players see.
Where does the network cache actually live?
In Unity, it's in PlayerPrefs. In Unreal, it's in the Output Log and temporary memory. In Godot, it's in the Debugger panel. All of these are cleared when you stop play mode or restart the editor.
Can I clear only network data and leave other console messages?
In most engines, the console clear button removes all messages at once. If you need to keep some logs, take a screenshot or copy them to a text file before clearing. Some engines let you filter the console view to show only network messages, which you can then selectively clear.
What if I clear the network section by accident?
You can undo the action immediately with Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) in most editors. If you've already closed the editor, the data is gone, but you can regenerate it by running your game again and making the same network calls.