What browser cache and cookies do, and why you might want to clear them
Browser cache is a folder on your computer where your web browser stores copies of images, videos, and web pages you have visited. The next time you visit that page, your browser loads the stored copy instead of downloading it again — this makes websites load faster. Cookies are small text files that websites save to your computer to remember information about you: your login status, items in your shopping cart, your language preference, or your browsing history on that site.
Clearing cache and cookies serves different purposes. You might clear cache to free up disk space (cache can grow to several gigabytes over months), to fix a website that is displaying outdated information, or to remove data from your computer before selling it or handing it to someone else. You might clear cookies to log out of accounts on a shared computer, to stop a website from tracking your activity, or to reset a website's settings back to default.
The trade-off is that after you clear them, websites will load slightly slower the first time you visit (because your browser has to read everything fresh), and you will be logged out of accounts. Some websites may also forget your preferences until you visit them again and let them set new cookies.
Key Takeaways
- Cache is stored images and web pages that make sites load faster; cookies are small files that remember your login status and preferences.
- You can clear cache and cookies together or separately depending on what you want to accomplish.
- The steps differ slightly between Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, but all browsers have this option in their settings menu.
- You can set your browser to clear cache and cookies automatically every time you close it, or clear them manually whenever you choose.
- Clearing cookies will log you out of most websites, so plan to re-enter passwords for accounts you use regularly.
How to clear cache and cookies in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu. On the left side, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.
A window will open with three tabs: Basic, Advanced, and On exit. On the Basic tab, you will see checkboxes for different types of data. Check the boxes next to Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. At the top of the window, use the dropdown menu that says Time range to choose how far back you want to clear: All time will delete everything, while Last hour, Last 24 hours, or Last 7 days will delete only recent data. Click Clear data.
How to clear cache and cookies in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top right corner. Click Settings. On the left side, click Privacy & Security. Scroll down to the section labeled Cookies and Site Data. Click the button that says Clear Data.
A window will appear with two checkboxes: Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content. Check both boxes. Click Clear. Firefox will clear all cookies and cache when ready.
How to clear cache and cookies in Safari
Open Safari. In the menu bar at the top of your screen, click Safari (not in the browser window, but in the Mac menu bar). Click Settings or Preferences depending on your macOS version. Click the Privacy tab. Click the button that says Manage Website Data.
A list of websites will appear. To remove all of them at once, click Remove All. To remove specific websites, select them and click Remove. This clears both cookies and cached data. Click Done when finished.
How to clear cache and cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Click Settings. On the left side, click Privacy, search, and services. Under the section labeled Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
A window will open. Check the boxes next to Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. Use the Time range dropdown to select how far back to clear. Click Clear now.
Set your browser to clear cache and cookies automatically
Instead of clearing manually, you can tell your browser to delete cache and cookies every time you close it. This is useful if you share your computer or use public computers, because it means no one else can see your browsing history or access your logged-in accounts.
In Chrome: Go to Settings, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data. Click the On exit tab. Check the boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. From now on, these will clear every time you close Chrome.
In Firefox: Go to Settings, click Privacy & Security. Scroll to Cookies and Site Data and check the box that says Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed. This will clear cookies but not cache; to also clear cache, scroll up to Caching and uncheck the box that says Allow Firefox to store cache on your device.
In Safari: Go to Settings, click the Privacy tab. Check the box that says Remove all website data when quitting Safari.
In Edge: Go to Settings, click Privacy, search, and services. Toggle on the switch that says Clear browsing data. Then check the boxes for the data types you want cleared on exit.
What to do if a website is not working after you clear cache
Sometimes clearing cache causes a website to display incorrectly or load slowly. This usually fixes itself after a few minutes, because your browser will read fresh copies of the website's files. If the problem persists, try closing and reopening your browser, or try visiting the website in a different browser to see if the problem is specific to one browser.
If you cleared cookies and a website is asking you to log in again, you will need to enter your username and password. If you do not remember your password, use the website's "Forgot password" link to reset it. Some websites also offer the option to stay logged in by checking a box during login — if you want to avoid logging in repeatedly, you can check that box after you clear cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cache and cookies delete my saved passwords?
No. Passwords are stored separately from cookies and cache. When you clear cache and cookies, your saved passwords will remain. However, you will be logged out of websites, so you may need to enter your password again the next time you visit — but your browser should offer to fill it in automatically if you have saved it.
How much space does cache usually take up?
Cache typically grows to between 100 megabytes and 2 gigabytes depending on how much you browse and how long it has been since you last cleared it. If your computer is running low on storage space, clearing cache can free up noticeable room. You can check how much cache your browser is using in the Privacy and Security settings.
Can I clear cache and cookies for just one website instead of all of them?
Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can right-click on any website and select an option like "Delete cookies for this site" or "Clear storage for this site." In Safari, go to Manage Website Data and select the specific website before clicking Remove. This is useful if one website is misbehaving but you want to stay logged into others.
What is the difference between clearing cache and clearing browsing history?
Browsing history is a list of URLs you have visited that appears in your browser's history menu. Cache is the actual files (images, videos, web pages) stored on your computer. Clearing history removes the list but not the files; clearing cache removes the files but not the list. Most browsers let you clear both at the same time.
Do I need to clear cache and cookies regularly?
Not unless you have a specific reason — to free up space, to fix a website problem, or to remove tracking data. If you set your browser to clear on exit, you do not need to do it manually. If you do not clear them, the only downside is that your computer uses more storage space and websites can track your activity more easily.