How to Clear Cache in Every Major Browser
Clear Cache in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, IE, & Safari
Overview
In most web browsers, you can clear the cache from the Privacy or History area in the Settings or Options menu,
depending on the browser, of course. Ctrl+Shift+Del works with most browsers as well.
While that hotkey combo works in most non-mobile browsers, the exact steps involved in clearing your browser's
cache depend entirely on what web browser you're using.
Below you'll find some browser and device specific instructions.
What Exactly Is Cache?
Your browser's cache, pronounced like cash, is a collection of web pages, including the text, images, and most other media
contained on them, that is stored on your hard drive or phone storage.
Having a local copy of a web page makes for very quick loading on your next visit because your computer or device doesn't
have to download from the internet all of that same information again.
Cached data in the browser sounds great, so why do you ever have to clear it?
Why Do You Have to Clear Cache?
You certainly don't have to, not as a regular part of computer or smartphone maintenance, anyway. However, a few good
reasons to clear cache come to mind.
Clearing your cache forces your browser to retrieve the newest copy available from the website, something that
should happen automatically but sometimes does not.
You might also want to clear the cache if you're experiencing issues like “404 errors” or “502 errors” (among
others), sometimes indications that your browser's cache is corrupted.
Another reason to delete cache files is to recover disk space. The cache on some browsers can take up lots of space,
even in the gigabyte range.
This is especially helpful on mobile devices since they don't have as much storage as computers.
Regardless of why you might want to do it, clearing your cache is really easy to do in all the popular browsers in use
today.
Chrome: Clear Browsing Data
In Google Chrome, clearing the cache is done via the Clear browsing data area in Settings. From there,
check Cached images and files (as well as anything else you want to remove) and then tap or click the CLEAR
BROWSING DATA button.
Assuming you're using a keyboard, the quickest way to Clear browsing data is via the Ctrl+Shift+Del keyboard
shortcut.
Without a keyboard, tap or click the Menu button (the icon with three stacked dots) followed by More tools and
finally Clear browsing data....
Tip: Choose the beginning of time from the Clear the following items from option at the top of the Clear browsing
data window to make sure you get everything.
Chrome for iOS (mobile browser): 1. Touch Chrome menu > Settings; 2. Touch Privacy; 3. Choose the data type you want to
clear; 4. Touch Clear; 5. Exit/quit all browser windows and re-open the browser.