Where to find the delete cache option in Internet Explorer

Open Internet Explorer and look for the gear icon in the top right corner of the window. Click it and select "Internet Options" from the dropdown menu. A window will open with several tabs across the top — click the "General" tab if it is not already selected.

In the General tab, you will see a section called "Browsing history" near the top. Click the "Delete" button. A new window appears with checkboxes for different types of data Internet Explorer has stored. Make sure the box next to "Temporary Internet files and website files" is checked — this is your cache. You can also check "Cookies and website data" if you want to clear those at the same time.

Click "Delete" at the bottom of this window. Internet Explorer will clear the selected data and show you a message when it is finished. The whole process takes a few seconds to a minute depending on how much data you have stored.

Key Takeaways

  • Cache lives in Internet Explorer's Internet Options menu under the General tab, in the "Browsing history" section.
  • You must check the box for "Temporary Internet files and website files" before clicking Delete, or that data will not be removed.
  • Clearing cache does not delete your passwords or saved form information unless you also check those boxes.
  • You can set Internet Explorer to delete cache automatically every time you close the browser if you prefer not to do it manually.

What cache actually is and why you might clear it

Cache is a folder where Internet Explorer stores copies of images, scripts, and other files from websites you visit. When you return to that site, your browser loads the stored copy instead of downloading it again, which makes pages load faster. Over time, this cache folder grows and can take up several gigabytes of disk space.

You might clear cache if a website is not displaying correctly — sometimes an old cached version of a page is causing the problem. Clearing cache also frees up disk space and removes records of which websites you have visited, though it does not delete your browsing history separately. If you share a computer, clearing cache is a quick way to remove traces of the sites you visited without affecting other users' saved passwords or preferences.

Setting Internet Explorer to clear cache automatically

If you want Internet Explorer to delete cache without you having to do it manually each time, you can set it to clear on exit. Go back to Internet Options (gear icon, then "Internet Options"), stay on the General tab, and look for the "Browsing history" section again.

Check the box that says "Delete browsing history on exit." From now on, every time you close Internet Explorer completely, it will automatically delete the cache files you selected. This does not affect your saved passwords or form data unless you also checked those boxes in the Delete window.

The difference between cache, cookies, and browsing history

These three things are stored separately, and clearing one does not clear the others. Cache holds the actual files — images, stylesheets, videos — that make pages load faster. Cookies are small text files that websites use to remember you, store your login information, or track what you looked at. Browsing history is the list of URLs you visited, which appears in your History menu.

When you click Delete in Internet Options, you can choose which of these to remove. If you only want to clear cache and leave your passwords intact, uncheck "Cookies and website data." If you want to erase all three, check all the boxes. The choice depends on what you are trying to accomplish — clearing cache alone solves most display problems, but clearing cookies will log you out of websites you are signed into.

When clearing cache does and does not help

Clearing cache fixes problems where a website looks broken, loads slowly, or shows outdated information. If a page is displaying a banner from three months ago or a button is in the wrong place, the cached version is often the culprit. Reload the page after clearing cache, and the browser will read the current version.

Clearing cache will not fix problems with your internet connection, your computer's speed in general, or websites that are actually down. It also will not remove malware or viruses — that requires antivirus software. If you clear cache and a problem persists, the issue is somewhere else, and you may need to try a different browser or contact the website's support team.

How much space cache actually takes up

The amount of space cache uses depends on how long you have been using Internet Explorer and how many websites you visit. For most people, cache grows to between 500 megabytes and 2 gigabytes over several months. If you have not cleared it in years, it could be larger.

You can see how much space your cache is using before you delete it. In Internet Options on the General tab, the "Browsing history" section sometimes shows the current size. If it does not, you can estimate by checking your disk space before and after clearing cache. On most computers, clearing cache frees up enough space to notice only if your hard drive was nearly full to begin with.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache delete my saved passwords?

No, unless you specifically check the box for "Passwords" in the Delete window. Passwords are stored separately from cache. You can clear cache alone and stay logged into your email, bank, and other accounts.

Do I need to close Internet Explorer before clearing cache?

No, you can clear cache while Internet Explorer is open. However, if you have set it to delete on exit, the cache will not actually be removed until you close the browser completely. Closing and reopening it ensures the deletion finishes.

What if I clear cache and a website still does not work?

Try clearing cookies as well — some websites need both to reset properly. If that does not work, try a different browser like Chrome or Firefox to see if the problem is specific to Internet Explorer. If the site works in another browser, the issue is with Internet Explorer's cache or settings, not the website itself.

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

Internet Explorer does not have a built-in option to clear cache for a single site. You have to clear all cache at once. If you want to keep most cached files but remove one site's data, you would need to use a different browser or clear everything and accept that you will reload all sites once.

How often should I clear cache?

There is no set schedule. Clear cache when a website is not displaying correctly, when you are running low on disk space, or if you share a computer and want to remove traces of your browsing. If you set it to delete on exit, you do not need to think about it at all.