What website cache is and why you might want to clear it

Website cache is a folder on your computer where your browser stores copies of images, text, and other files from websites you visit. The next time you visit that site, your browser loads these stored copies instead of downloading them again, which makes pages load faster. This is useful most of the time — but sometimes a website shows you outdated information, or a page loads incorrectly, and clearing the cache fixes it.

Your browser keeps this cache to save time and bandwidth. But cache files add up over weeks and months, taking up disk space. Clearing cache is also one of the first troubleshooting steps when a website behaves strangely — the page looks broken, a form won't submit, or you see old content instead of new.

The process takes less than a minute and is safe to do. You will not lose passwords or saved information unless you specifically choose to delete those too.

Key Takeaways

  • Website cache is stored files your browser keeps to load pages faster, and clearing it fixes many display and loading problems.
  • In Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, you access the cache deletion tool through the settings or history menu, then select a time range and confirm.
  • Clearing cache does not delete your saved passwords, bookmarks, or browsing history unless you check those boxes separately.
  • If a website still looks wrong after clearing cache, try opening it in a private or incognito window to rule out cache as the problem.

How to clear 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. If that shortcut does not work, click the three-line menu in the top right, select Settings, then go to Privacy and Security on the left side and click Clear Browsing Data.

At the top of the window, you will see a dropdown that says "All time", "Last hour", "Last 24 hours", "Last 7 days", "Last 4 weeks", or "Last 90 days". Choose how far back you want to clear. Below that, make sure only "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" are checked. Leave the other boxes unchecked unless you want to delete passwords or history too. Then click the blue Clear Data button.

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

How to clear cache in Firefox

Open Firefox and press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows or Command+Shift+Delete on Mac. This opens the Clear Recent History window. If the shortcut does not work, click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right, select Settings, then go to Privacy & Security on the left and scroll down to Cookies and Site Data, then click Clear Data.

In the Clear Recent History window, the dropdown at the top shows time ranges. Select "Everything" to clear all cache, or pick a specific range. Below that, check "Cache" and uncheck everything else unless you want to delete more. Click the Clear Now button. Firefox will finish in a few seconds.

How to clear cache in Safari

Safari does not have a keyboard shortcut for clearing cache. Instead, click Safari in the top menu bar, then select Empty Cache. A small window will appear asking you to confirm — click Empty. This clears all cached files from all websites.

If you want more control over what gets deleted, go to Safari in the menu bar, select Preferences, click the Privacy tab, then click Manage Website Data. You will see a list of websites and how much space each one uses. You can select individual sites and click Remove, or click Remove All to clear everything at once.

How to clear cache in Microsoft Edge

Open Edge and press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows. This opens the Clear Browsing Data window. On Mac, click the three-dot menu in the top right, select Settings, go to Privacy, Search, and Services on the left, then click Clear Browsing Data.

Choose your time range from the dropdown at the top. Make sure "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" are checked. Leave other options unchecked unless you want to delete more. Click the Clear Now button. Edge will finish in a few seconds.

When to clear cache and what to expect

Clear your cache if a website looks broken, loads slowly, shows outdated information, or a form will not submit. It is also worth clearing if you notice your browser is using a lot of disk space. Many people clear cache once a month as routine maintenance, though it is not necessary unless you have a reason.

After you clear cache, the first time you visit a website will be slightly slower because your browser has to read all the files fresh. After that, pages will load normally and cache will build up again. If a website still does not work correctly after clearing cache, try opening it in a private or incognito window — this uses no cache at all and can tell you whether cache was the problem.

What does not get deleted when you clear cache

Clearing cache removes only the stored copies of website files. Your saved passwords, bookmarks, browsing history, and autofill information stay on your computer unless you specifically check those boxes before clearing. If you want to keep your passwords but clear everything else, make sure those boxes are unchecked.

If you are worried about privacy and want to delete your browsing history too, you can check that box in the same window. But history and cache are separate — clearing one does not affect the other.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache delete my saved passwords?

No. Cache and passwords are stored separately. When you clear cache, your saved passwords stay on your computer unless you check the box for passwords or login data in the same window. Make sure that box is unchecked if you want to keep your passwords.

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

If clearing cache did not fix the problem, try opening the website in a private or incognito window, which uses no cache at all. If it looks correct there, the issue was cache. If it still looks wrong, the problem is something else — try a different browser or contact the website's support.

How often should I clear my cache?

There is no set schedule. Clear it when a website behaves strangely, when your browser feels slow, or when you want to free up disk space. Some people do it monthly as routine maintenance. You do not have to clear it regularly unless you have a specific reason.

Does clearing cache make my browser faster?

Not when ready. Clearing cache actually makes the first visit to each website slightly slower because your browser has to read files fresh. But if your cache folder has grown very large, clearing it can free up disk space and make your computer run better overall.

Can I set my browser to clear cache automatically?

Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, you can go to settings and turn on an option to clear cache every time you close the browser. This is useful if you care about privacy, but it means every website will load slightly slower on your first visit after closing the browser.