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Easily clear the cache on Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, & iPad
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While your browser cache usually helps websites load faster, it can sometimes prevent you from seeing the most up-to-date version of a webpage. In some cases, an old or corrupted cache can even cause a webpage to load improperly or prevent it from loading at all! Fortunately, it's easy to clear your browser cache on any platform, whether you're using a computer, phone, or tablet. This tutorial will teach you the easiest ways to clear the cache on all popular browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.
Things You Should Know
- In Chrome on a computer, go to â‹® > More Tools > Clear browsing data. Select "All time," choose "Cached images and files," and click "Clear data."
- In the Chrome mobile app, go to â‹® > History > Clear Browsing Data. Select "Cached images and files" and tap "Clear Browsing Data."
- In Safari on a Mac, you'll need to enable the Develop menu to clear your browser cache.
Steps
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Click the three-dot menu in Chrome â‹® . You'll see this three vertical dots at the top-right corner of your Chrome browser window. A menu will appear. [1] X Research source
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Click Clear browsing data… . It's in the menu. This opens a window with data-clearing options. [3] X Research source
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Select a time range. To clear your entire cache, select All Time . Otherwise, you can choose a different time period from the menu. [4] X Research source
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Check the "Cached images and files" box. If the box is already checked, you're good to go.
- If you only want to clear the cache and not your cookies or browsing history, uncheck both other options before you continue.
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Tap the three-dot menu in Chrome. If you're using Chrome on your Android, tap the three vertical dots â‹® at the top-right. On an iPhone or iPad, tap the three horizontal dots … at the bottom-right.
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Tap History on the menu. If you're using an iPhone or iPad, you may have to swipe across the icons to find this option. [6] X Research source
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Tap Clear browsing data… . It's in the lower-left corner of the screen on an iPhone or iPad, and at the top of the screen on an Android. [7] X Research source
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Select Cached Images and Files to check it. If there's already a checkmark next to this option, you can skip this step. [8] X Research source
- If your cache is the only thing you want to clear, remove the checkmarks from all other options.
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Tap Clear Browsing Data . It's at the bottom of the screen.
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Select a time frame. To clear your whole cache, select All Time . Otherwise, select your preferred time range from the menu. [9] X Research source
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Tap Clear Data or Clear Browsing Data . This clears your browser cache for Chrome. [10] X Research source
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Enable the Develop menu in Safari. If you already see a "Develop" menu in the menu bar at the top of the screen you can skip this step. Otherwise, here's how to enable this menu in Safari: [11] X Research source
- Click the Safari menu.
- Click Settings .
- Click Advanced . [12] X Research source
- Check the box next to "Show Develop menu in the menu bar."
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Click the Develop menu. Now that you've enabled it, it's in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
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Click Empty Caches . This deletes your Safari cache on your Mac without clearing your cookies and other browsing data. [13] X Research source
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Open your iPhone's Settings . To clear your browser cache on Safari, you'll need to clear your entire browsing history and cookies. Start by opening the Settings app from your Home screen or App Library. [14] X Research source
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Scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data . You'll find this blue link near the middle of the page. [16] X Research source
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Tap Clear History and Data to confirm. Doing so will clear all of your iPhone's Safari data, including the cached files and pages. [17] X Research source
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Click the three-dot menu in Edge ••• . You'll see it at Edge's top-right corner. [18] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
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Click Settings . It's on the menu.
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Click Privacy, search, and services . This is in the left panel. [19] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
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Click Choose what to clear . This is a button in the right panel next to "Clear browsing data now."
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Choose a length of time. Select how much data to clear from the "Time range" menu at the top. To clear your entire cache, select All time . [20] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
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Check the box next to "Cached images and files." If you only want to clear your cache and not cookies and other data, make sure none of the other boxes are checked.
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Click Clear now . This deletes your Edge browser cache. [21] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source
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Click the menu in Firefox ☰ . It's the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner of the window. [22] X Research source
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Click the Clear Data button. It's under "Cookies and Site Data" in the right panel.
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Choose what to delete. You'll definitely want to check the "Cached Web Content" checkbox, but everything else is optional. [25] X Research source
- If you only want to clear the cache, uncheck "Cookies and Site Data."
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Tap the three-dot menu in Firefox. It's at the top-right corner of your web browser. [27] X Research source
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Choose what to delete. To delete just the cache, check the box next to "Cached images and files" and remove the other checkmarks.
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Tap the menu in Firefox ☰ . It's the three horizontal lines at the bottom-right corner. [32] X Research source
- In Firefox for iOS, you can only clear the cache by deleting all of your private browsing data. This means you'll also be deleting any saved cookies and your browsing history.
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Tap OK when prompted. Doing so will clear the cached files from your Firefox browser.
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Tap the three-line menu in Samsung Internet. You'll see it at the bottom-right corner of your browser. [36] X Research source
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Tap Delete browsing data . It's near the top of the page.
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Select "Cached images and files." If you don't want to clear other data, such as your browsing history or cookies, remove the checkmarks from other options.
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Tap Delete data . It's at the bottom of the screen. Your Samsung Internet browser cache is now clear. [39] X Research source
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Community Q&A
Search
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QuestionHow can I figure out which version of Firefox I have installed?Community AnswerRight click the top of the Firefox window, click Menu Bar, click Help, About Firefox. Under the Firefox logo, it will say Firefox and then a number. That is the version you have.
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QuestionHow do I clear my cache on my iPad?Community AnswerSettings -> Safari -> Clear History and Website Data -> Clear History and Data.
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QuestionI am using Firefox 45, so how do I clear the Cache?Community AnswerFrom the History menu, select Clear Recent History. If the menu bar is hidden, press Alt to make it visible. From the Time Range to Clear: drop-down menu, select the desired range; to clear your entire cache, select Everything. Next to "Details", click the down arrow to choose which elements of the history to clear; to clear your entire cache, select all items. Click Clear Now. Exit/quit all browser windows and re-open the browser.
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Tips
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Thanks
- Your browser may load sites a little bit slower when accessing them for the first time after clearing the cache.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- On an iPhone, you can still clear your history. Pull up your history in Safari. There should be three tabs and the one on the right should be your browsing/search history. When you switch to the history tab, the “clear” button in the bottom right turns blue for half a second. Quickly switch to another tab and back to the history tab over and over and spam the “clear” button while doing so with your other hand until your history clears. This may take a couple of tries.
- Google Chrome: On a Windows or Linux computer, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete. On a Mac, press Command+Shift+Delete. This will open the "Clear browsing data" window. Select the desired time range from the dropdown menu (e.g., "the past hour"). Check the box next to "Cached images and files." You can also choose to clear other browsing data like cookies or browsing history. Click the "Clear data" button.
- Clear your web browser's cache regularly to improve browsing speed and ensure you see the latest content on websites.
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References
- ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
- ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
- ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
- ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
- ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
- ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
- ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
- ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
- ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
- ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
- ↑ https://oit.colorado.edu/tutorial/clear-web-browser-cache-safari
- ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/use-the-developer-tools-in-the-develop-menu-sfri20948/mac
- ↑ https://oit.colorado.edu/tutorial/clear-web-browser-cache-safari
- ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201265
- ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201265
- ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201265
- ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201265
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/view-and-delete-browser-history-in-microsoft-edge-00cf7943-a9e1-975a-a33d-ac10ce454ca4
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/view-and-delete-browser-history-in-microsoft-edge-00cf7943-a9e1-975a-a33d-ac10ce454ca4
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/view-and-delete-browser-history-in-microsoft-edge-00cf7943-a9e1-975a-a33d-ac10ce454ca4
- ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/view-and-delete-browser-history-in-microsoft-edge-00cf7943-a9e1-975a-a33d-ac10ce454ca4
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-clear-firefox-cache
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-clear-firefox-cache
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-clear-firefox-cache
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-clear-firefox-cache
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-clear-firefox-cache
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-your-search-history-firefox-android
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-your-search-history-firefox-android
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-your-search-history-firefox-android
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-your-search-history-firefox-android
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-your-search-history-firefox-android
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-browsing-history-firefox-ios
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-browsing-history-firefox-ios
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-browsing-history-firefox-ios
- ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-browsing-history-firefox-ios
- ↑ https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/mobile-devices/using-the-samsung-internet-app/
- ↑ https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/mobile-devices/using-the-samsung-internet-app/
- ↑ https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00086162/
- ↑ https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00086162/
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To delete the cache in Google Chrome on your computer, click the menu at the top-right corner of Chrome, select ""More tools,"" and then select ""Clear browsing data."" Choose how much data you want to delete from the drop-down menu, and make sure the ""Cached images and files"" box is checked. You can remove the other checkmarks if you only want to delete the cache. Click ""CLEAR DATA"" to delete the cache. If you want to clear the cache in Google Chrome on a phone or tablet, open Chrome, tap the menu at the top-right or bottom-right corner of the screen, select ""History,"" and then select ""Clear browsing data."" Tap ""Time Range"" to choose how much data to delete. If you just want to delete your cache, make sure ""Cached Images and Files"" is selected, and then remove the other checkmarks. Tap ""Clear Browsing Data,"" and then ""Clear Data"" to confirm. To clear the cache in Safari on your Mac, you'll have to enable the Develop menu. Open Safari, click the ""Safari"" menu, select ""Preferences,"" click the ""Advanced"" tab, and then check the box next to ""Show Develop menu in menu bar."" Now, click the new ""Develop"" menu in the menu bar, and then select ""Empty caches"" to delete your cache. To delete the cache in Safari on your iPhone or iPad, open the ""Settings"" app on your phone. Then, select ""Safari,"" and tap ""Clear History and Website Data."" Tap ""Clear History and Data"" to confirm. For tips on how to delete your browser’s cache if you’re using Safari or Internet Explorer, keep reading!
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Reader Success Stories
- "Use Chrome's setting's tab at top right of home screen. Be sure to log in first. My task was to clear cached browser data. This is accomplished via the "Advanced" section at bottom of Settings page. Clear all boxes leaving the Clear Cached Data." ..." more
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"Use Chrome's setting's tab at top right of home screen. Be sure to log in first. My task was to clear cached browser data. This is accomplished via the "Advanced" section at bottom of Settings page. Clear all boxes leaving the Clear Cached Data."
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"Edge was not holding web pages, had to reload. Hope this helps so I can download CCleaner. This Win 7 machine says upgrade to 10 was successful. Currently slow as molasses."
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"The step by step process was very informative with what symbols to look for and as to what everything does when clearing the cache on a phone or desktop."
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"Very specific details. If people would read more carefully, they would not have to ask so many questions. Good info. Very helpful. Thanks."
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"I am using a 3rd party web app and this helped clear the cache. I really only use Chrome. I didn't test any of the other browsers."
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