Your browser's cache is a collection of web pages, including the text, images, and most other media contained on them, that is stored on your hard drive.

Having a local copy of a web page makes for very quick loading on your next visit because your computer doesn't have to download from the Internet all of that same information again.

There are times when you might want to clear your browser cache. Firstly, clearing your cache forces your browser to retrieve the newest copy available from the website, something that should happen automatically but sometimes does not. This means that if images and other files have been updated, this will clear the stored files and download the new ones.


Read on to find out how to clear your cache in your browser. If you can't find your browser on this list, a quick Google search should help you.



Chrome


  1. Click the Chrome menu Chrome menu on the browser toolbar.
  2. Select Tools.
  3. Select Clear browsing data.
  4. In the dialog that appears, select the checkboxes for the types of information that you want to remove.
  5. Use the menu at the top to select the amount of data that you want to delete. Select beginning of time to delete everything.
  6. Click Clear browsing data.



Firefox


  1. Open Mozilla Firefox.

  2. Click the Menu button (aka the "hamburger button" - the one with three horizontal lines) and then choose Options.

    If Options is not listed in the menu, click Customize and drag Options from the list of Additional Tools and Features over to the Menu.

    Note: If you're using the menu bar, choose Tools and then Options instead.

    Firefox for Mac: On a Mac, choose Preferences from the Firefox menu and then continue as instructed below.

  3. With the Options window now open, click the Privacy tab.

  4. In the History area, click the clear your recent history link.

    Tip: If you don't see that link, change the Firefox will: option to Remember history. You can change it back to your custom setting when you're done.

  5. In the Clear Recent History window that appears, set the Time range to clear: to Everything.

  6. In the list at the bottom of the window, uncheck everything except for Cache.

    Note: If you wish to clear other kinds of stored data, feel free to check the appropriate boxes. They will be cleared with the cache in the next step.

    Tip: Don't see anything to check? Click the button next to Details.

  7. Click on the Clear Now button.

  8. When the Clear Recent History window disappears, all of the files saved (cached) from your Internet browsing activities in Firefox will have been removed.

    Note: If your Internet cache is large, Firefox may hang while it finishes removing the files. Just be patient - it will eventually finish the job.



Internet Explorer


  1. Open Internet Explorer 11.

  2. On the very right-hand side of the browser, click on the gear icon, also called the Tools icon, followed by Safety, and finally Delete browsing history...

    Note: If you have the Menu bar enabled, you can instead click Tools and then Delete browsing history....

  3. In the Delete Browsing History window that appears, uncheck all options except the one labeled Temporary Internet files and website files.

  4. Click the Delete button.

  5. The Delete Browsing History window will disappear and you may notice your mouse icon go busy for a few moments.

    As soon as your cursor returns to normal, or you notice the "fished deleting" message at the bottom of the screen, consider your temporary Internet files deleted.



Safari


Choose Safari > Empty Cache, and then click Empty.