What cache is and why you might delete it

Cache is a folder on your computer where Chrome stores copies of images, scripts, and other files from websites you visit. When you return to a site, Chrome loads these stored copies instead of downloading them again, which makes pages load faster. Over time, cache builds up — sometimes to several gigabytes — and can slow down your computer or cause a website to display an outdated version of itself.

You might delete cache if a website looks broken or won't load properly, if you want to free up disk space, or if you are concerned about what information Chrome has stored about your browsing. Clearing cache does not delete your saved passwords or payment methods unless you specifically choose to clear those too.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome stores cache in a dedicated folder that you can clear through the Settings menu without affecting your passwords or bookmarks.
  • You can delete all cache at once or choose a specific time range — for example, just the last hour or the last week.
  • Clearing cache on exit can be turned on so Chrome automatically deletes cache every time you close the browser.
  • If a website displays incorrectly, clearing cache is often the first troubleshooting step and usually takes less than one minute.

How to clear all cache at once

Open Chrome and look at the top right corner. Click the three vertical dots (called the menu button) and select Settings from the dropdown. On the left side of the Settings page, click Privacy and security, then click Clear browsing data.

A window will pop up with several checkboxes. Make sure Cached images and files is checked — this is the cache folder. The time range dropdown at the top defaults to "All time", which deletes everything. If you only want to clear cache from the last day or week, click the dropdown and choose a different range. Then click the blue Clear data button at the bottom right.

Chrome will delete the cache in a few seconds. You will not see a confirmation message — the window straightforward closes. Your cache folder is now empty, though it will start filling again as you browse.

Clearing cache for a specific time period

Sometimes you only want to delete recent cache, not everything from the past year. When you open the Clear browsing data window, the time range dropdown at the top offers several choices: Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, and All time.

Choose the range that matches what you need. For example, if a website started displaying incorrectly this morning, select Last 24 hours to clear only today's cache. If you are troubleshooting a problem that started last week, try Last 7 days. This approach keeps older cache intact, which can speed up loading for sites you have not visited recently.

Setting Chrome to delete cache automatically when you close it

If you want Chrome to clear cache every time you close the browser, you can turn on a setting that does this automatically. Open Chrome, click the three dots in the top right, and go to Settings. Click Privacy and security on the left, then look for the section labeled Clear browsing data.

You will see a toggle switch next to the text "Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome". Turn this toggle on (it will turn blue). Now, every time you close all Chrome windows, the browser will automatically delete cache, cookies, and site data. Your passwords and bookmarks will remain because they are stored separately.

If you want to be more selective about what gets deleted automatically, click the toggle to turn it on, then click Manage exceptions below it. You can add websites to a list that will keep their cache and cookies even after you close Chrome — useful for sites where you want to stay logged in.

What else gets deleted when you clear browsing data

The Clear browsing data window shows several checkboxes, and by default only some are checked. Cached images and files is checked, which is the cache. Cookies and other site data is also checked by default — this includes login information for websites, which means you may have to sign in again after clearing.

Other options include Browsing history (your list of visited sites), read history, and Autofill form data (addresses and names you have typed into forms). You can uncheck any of these if you want to keep them. For example, if you only want to clear cache and not your login cookies, uncheck Cookies and other site data before clicking Clear data.

Troubleshooting when a website still looks wrong after clearing cache

If you cleared cache and a website still displays incorrectly, try a hard refresh. Hold down Ctrl (on Windows) or Command (on Mac) and press Shift and R at the same time. This forces Chrome to reload the page without using any stored cache, even if you did not clear it.

If the problem persists, the issue may not be cache. Try opening the website in a different browser to see if it displays correctly there. If it does, the problem is specific to Chrome — try disabling extensions (click the three dots, go to More tools, then Extensions, and toggle off each extension one at a time) or creating a new Chrome user profile to test in a clean environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache delete my passwords?

No. Passwords are stored separately from cache. When you clear browsing data, passwords remain unless you specifically check the box for "Passwords and other sign-in data" — which is unchecked by default. If you want to clear cache but keep your passwords, make sure that box stays unchecked.

How much space does cache usually take up?

Cache size varies widely depending on how much you browse and which sites you visit. It can range from a few hundred megabytes to several gigabytes. If your computer is running slowly or you are low on disk space, clearing cache can free up noticeable room. You can check how much cache you have by going to Settings, Privacy and security, and looking at the storage information displayed.

Can I clear cache for just one website?

Chrome does not have a built-in option to clear cache for a single site. You can clear cache for a time period (like the last hour) and then revisit only that site, or you can use the hard refresh method (Ctrl+Shift+R on Windows, Command+Shift+R on Mac) to reload just that page without cache. Some extensions also offer per-site cache clearing if you need this often.

What is the difference between clearing cache and clearing cookies?

Cache stores images and files to make pages load faster. Cookies store login information, preferences, and tracking data from websites. Clearing cache does not log you out of sites, but clearing cookies does. Both are checked by default in the Clear browsing data window, so both get deleted unless you uncheck one.