What clearing your cache actually does
Your cache is a folder on your computer where Microsoft Edge stores copies of images, scripts, and other files from websites you visit. The next time you go back to that site, Edge loads these stored copies instead of downloading them again — which makes pages load faster. Clearing your cache deletes these stored files.
When you clear the cache, websites will load slightly slower the first time you visit them after clearing, because Edge has to read everything fresh. But you gain back storage space on your computer, and you remove the record of which sites you've visited recently. Some people clear their cache regularly for privacy reasons. Others do it when a website is acting broken or slow — sometimes a corrupted cached file is the culprit.
Key Takeaways
- Clearing your cache deletes stored website files from your computer and removes the record of recent sites you've visited.
- You can clear your cache in Edge by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows or Command+Shift+Delete on Mac, which opens the clearing window directly.
- Choose what time period to clear — "All time" removes everything, while "Last hour" or "Last 24 hours" clears only recent visits.
- You can select exactly what to delete: cached images and files, browsing history, cookies, or all of them together.
How to open the cache clearing window in Edge
The fastest way is to use a keyboard shortcut. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete all at once. On Mac, press Command+Shift+Delete. This opens the "Clear browsing data" window directly.
If the keyboard shortcut does not work, you can reach the same window through the menu. Click the three horizontal lines (called the menu button) in the top right corner of Edge. Select "Settings" from the dropdown. On the left side, click "Privacy, search, and services". Under "Clear browsing data", click the "Choose what to clear" button.
Selecting what time period to clear
At the top of the clearing window, you will see a dropdown menu that says "Time range". Click it to choose how far back to go. Your options are usually "All time", "Last hour", "Last 24 hours", "Last 7 days", "Last 4 weeks", and "Last month".
"All time" deletes everything Edge has cached since you installed it. "Last hour" clears only the past 60 minutes. Pick the time period that matches what you need — if a website broke today, clearing the last 24 hours is usually enough. If you want a thorough privacy clean, use "All time".
Choosing which types of data to delete
Below the time range dropdown, you will see checkboxes for different types of data. Cached images and files is the actual cache — the stored website pieces that make pages load faster. Browsing history is the list of sites you visited. Cookies are small files that websites use to remember you (your login, your preferences, what you put in a shopping cart).
Most people leave all three checked when they clear. But you can uncheck any of them if you want to keep that data. For example, if you want to delete your browsing history but stay logged into your email, uncheck "Cookies" and check only "Browsing history".
Completing the clear and what happens next
Once you have chosen your time range and selected the types of data you want to delete, click the blue "Clear now" button at the bottom right of the window. Edge will delete the selected data when ready — usually in less than a second.
After clearing, the window closes and you are back to your normal browsing. The next time you visit a website, Edge will read its files fresh instead of using cached copies, so the first load may be slightly slower. After that, Edge will start caching again automatically.
Setting Edge to clear cache automatically when you close it
If you want Edge to clear your cache every time you close the browser, you can set that up. Click the menu button (three lines) in the top right, then "Settings". Go to "Privacy, search, and services" on the left. Scroll down to "Clear browsing data".
Toggle on the switch that says "Choose what to clear every time you close the browser". A new set of checkboxes will appear below it — select which types of data you want cleared automatically (cached images and files, history, cookies, or all of them). From that point on, Edge will delete your selected data every time you fully close the browser.
When clearing cache does not fix a broken website
Sometimes a website stays broken even after you clear the cache. If that happens, try these steps in order: first, close Edge completely and reopen it. Second, try visiting the site in an InPrivate window (click the menu button, then "New InPrivate window") — this window does not use any cached files or cookies, so it tests whether the problem is really the cache.
Third, if the site works in InPrivate but not in your normal window, the problem is likely a corrupted cookie rather than a corrupted cached file. In that case, go back to the clearing window and clear only cookies instead of everything. This keeps you logged into other sites while removing the broken cookie from the problematic site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing my cache log me out of websites?
Only if you also clear cookies. Cookies are what websites use to keep you logged in. If you clear only cached images and files, you will stay logged in. If you clear cookies too, you will be logged out of most sites and will need to sign back in.
Does clearing cache free up a lot of storage space?
It depends on how much you browse and how long it has been since you last cleared. For most people, the cache is between 100 megabytes and 1 gigabyte. If your computer is running low on storage, clearing cache helps a little, but deleting old files or videos usually frees up much more space.
Can I clear cache for just one website instead of all of them?
Edge does not have a built-in way to clear cache for a single site. Your options are to clear all cache for your chosen time period, or to use an InPrivate window when visiting that site in the future so nothing gets cached at all.
What is the difference between clearing cache and clearing cookies?
Cache is the stored website files (images, scripts, stylesheets) that make pages load faster. Cookies are small text files that websites use to remember you — your login, your preferences, items in your cart. Clearing cache makes sites load slower the first time. Clearing cookies logs you out and removes your saved preferences.