What clearing your cache does

Your browser stores copies of websites you visit — images, text, videos, login information — in a folder called the cache. The next time you visit that site, your browser loads the stored copy instead of downloading everything fresh. This makes pages load faster. But over time, the cache grows large, takes up disk space, and can cause problems: a site might show you outdated information, a login might stick when you want to sign out, or a page might load incorrectly because your browser is using an old version of it.

Clearing the cache deletes these stored copies. Your browser will read fresh versions of websites the next time you visit them, which takes a few seconds longer but fixes most display and login problems. Clearing the cache also frees up storage space on your device — sometimes several gigabytes, depending on how long it has been since you last cleared it.

You do not need to clear your cache often. Most people clear it once every few months, or when a website stops working correctly. If you are running low on storage space or preparing to sell or give away a device, clearing the cache is one of several quick steps that helps.

Key Takeaways

  • Clearing your cache removes stored website data and frees up storage space, but does not delete your passwords or browsing history unless you specifically choose those options.
  • The steps differ slightly between Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, but all browsers let you clear the cache in settings within two or three clicks.
  • You can set your browser to clear the cache automatically every time you close it, which prevents it from growing large in the first place.
  • If a website is showing old information or not loading correctly, clearing the cache is usually the first thing to try before contacting support.

Clearing cache in Chrome

Open Chrome and look for the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Click them, then click "Settings" from the menu that appears. On the left side, click "Privacy and security," then click "Clear browsing data."

A window will pop up with checkboxes. Make sure only "Cached images and files" is checked — do not check "Cookies and other site data" unless you want to log out of websites, and do not check "Browsing history" unless you want to delete your history. The time range at the top should say "All time" if you want to clear everything, or "Last 7 days" if you only want to clear recent cache. Click the blue "Clear data" button.

Chrome will clear the cache in a few seconds. You can close the settings window and continue browsing. The next time you visit a website, it will load fresh.

Clearing cache in Firefox

Open Firefox and click the hamburger menu — three horizontal lines — in the top right corner. Click "Settings," then click "Privacy & Security" on the left side. Under "Cookies and Site Data," click the red "Clear Data" button.

A window will appear. Make sure "Cached Web Content" is checked and "Cookies and Site Data" is unchecked, unless you want to log out of websites. Click "Clear." Firefox will clear the cache when ready.

If you want to clear only recent cache instead of everything, go back to the hamburger menu, click "History," then click "Clear Recent History." Choose your time range and make sure only "Cache" is checked, then click "Clear Now."

Clearing cache in Safari

Open Safari and click "Safari" in the menu bar at the very top of your screen. Click "Settings" (or "Preferences" on older Macs), then click the "Privacy" tab. Click "Manage Website Data," find the websites you want to clear, and click "Remove." To clear all cached data at once, click "Remove All."

Safari does not have a single "clear cache" button like Chrome and Firefox do. If you want to clear the cache automatically when you close Safari, go back to Settings, click the "General" tab, and check the box next to "Remove history items" — then choose "when Safari quits" from the dropdown menu.

Clearing cache in Microsoft Edge

Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Click "Settings," then click "Privacy, search, and services" on the left side. Under "Clear browsing data," click "Choose what to clear."

A window will pop up. Make sure only "Cached images and files" is checked. The time range at the top should say "All time" to clear everything. Click the blue "Clear now" button. Edge will clear the cache in a few seconds.

Setting your browser to clear cache automatically

If you want your browser to clear the cache every time you close it, you can turn on automatic clearing. This prevents the cache from growing large and means you never have to remember to clear it manually.

In Chrome, go to Settings, click "Privacy and security," then click "Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome" to turn it on. In Firefox, go to Settings, click "Privacy & Security," scroll down to "Cookies and Site Data," and check "Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed." In Edge, go to Settings, click "Privacy, search, and services," and turn on "Clear browsing data." In Safari, go to Settings, click "General," and check "Remove history items" with "when Safari quits" selected.

Once you turn this on, your browser will automatically clear the cache every time you close it completely. Note that this does not clear your passwords or bookmarks — only the cached website data.

When to clear your cache and what it does not do

Clear your cache if a website is loading slowly, showing outdated information, or not displaying correctly. It is also worth clearing if you are running low on storage space or if you share your device with other people and want to remove traces of websites you visited. Clearing the cache takes less than a minute and fixes most website problems without any downside.

Clearing the cache does not delete your passwords, bookmarks, or browsing history — those are stored separately. It does not log you out of websites unless you also clear cookies, which is a different option. It does not affect your internet speed going forward, though pages may load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing the cache, because your browser has to read fresh copies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing my cache delete my passwords?

No. Passwords are stored separately from the cache. When you clear the cache, you only remove stored website images and files. If you want to delete saved passwords, you have to go to your browser's password settings and remove them individually. Most browsers ask you to confirm before clearing passwords.

How much storage space will I free up?

It depends on how long it has been since you last cleared the cache and how much you browse. For most people, clearing the cache frees up between 100 megabytes and 2 gigabytes. If you have not cleared it in years, it could be larger. You can see how much space the cache is using before you clear it — most browsers show this in the clear data window.

Why does a website still look wrong after I cleared the cache?

If clearing the cache does not fix the problem, the issue is usually something else — a problem with your internet connection, an outdated browser, or a problem on the website itself. Try refreshing the page by pressing Ctrl+R (or Command+R on Mac), or try visiting the site in a different browser to see if the problem happens there too.

Can I clear cache for just one website instead of all of them?

Yes, but it is easier in some browsers than others. In Chrome and Edge, you can go to Settings, click "Privacy and security," click "Cookies and other site data," find the website in the list, and click the X next to it. In Safari, you can click "Manage Website Data" and remove individual sites. In Firefox, it is faster to just clear all cache since the option to remove one site is buried deeper in the settings.