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How to Clear Browser Cache
How to Clear Browser Cache

In this entry, we’ll show you how to clear the browser cache of most major browsers.

Scott MacLeod avatar
Written by Scott MacLeod
Updated over 3 months ago

How to Force Refresh a Single Page

Before you go straight to clearing your entire browser cache, one trick you can try is something called a “force refresh”. Normally, when you refresh a page, your browser still serves up the cached version of the page, rather than downloading all of the assets again. But you can actually bypass the cache and force a complete refresh by using some simple hotkeys:

  • Windows and Linux browsers: CTRL + F5

  • Apple Safari: SHIFT + Reload toolbar button

  • Chrome and Firefox for Mac: CMD + SHIFT + R

Again, this method only bypasses the cache for the specific page that you’re on. It leaves the rest of your browser cache untouched. Therefore, this option is great if you’re experiencing issues with just a single page. But if you want to completely reset your experience (say, across an entire site), you’re better off just clearing your entire browser cache.

How to Clear Browser Cache for Google Chrome

To clear the browser cache for Google Chrome, get started by clicking the Three Dots icon in the top right of your browser window. Then, find the More Tools option and select Clear browsing data… from the submenu:

Alternatively, you can also use the hotkey combination: CTRL + SHIFT + DEL. Chrome will open up a new tab with a popup window titled Clear Browsing Data. Make sure that only the Cached images and files box is checked. Otherwise, you might accidentally clear your browsing history, saved passwords, cookies, and more:

You can also change the timeframe at the top, though usually the default of 4 weeks is perfectly fine. Then, click the Clear browsing data button to clear your cache. And that’s it – your Chrome browser cache is now empty.

How to Clear Browser Cache for Mozilla Firefox

To clear the browser cache for Mozilla Firefox, get started by clicking the Hamburger icon in the top right and selecting History:

Then, in the menu that appears next, select Clear Recent History…

You can also access the menu by using the shortcut: CTRL + SHIFT + DEL. Firefox will then open a popup. In the Time range to clear: drop-down, select Everything. Then, make sure to only check the Cache box to avoid clearing important browsing data. Then, click Clear Now to clear your cache:

And that’s it! Your Firefox browser cache is now empty.

How to Clear Browser Cache for Safari

To clear the browser cache for Safari, you have two options. If you’re ok with clearing your entire browsing history (including cookies and visited pages), you can take the easy approach and just go to Safari → Clear History:

Again – this method takes a scorched earth approach. In addition to your browser cache, it will also clear your browsing history, cookies, etc. To only empty Safari’s browser cache, you’ll need to enable the Develop menu by going to Preferences → Advanced and checking the Show Develop Menu in Menu Bar box:

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Then, you can go to Develop → Empty Caches to clear Safari’s browser cache:

How to Clear Browser Cache for Internet Explorer

To clear the browser cache for Internet Explorer, get started by clicking the Gear icon in the top right to access the Tools menu. Then, find Safety and select Delete Browsing History…from the submenu:

You can also access the menu by using the shortcut: CTRL + SHIFT + DEL. Internet Explorer will open a popup. Make sure to only select the Temporary Internet files and website files box to avoid clearing important information. Then, click the Deletebutton at the bottom:

And your Internet Explorer browser cache is clear!

How to Clear Browser Cache for Microsoft Edge

To clear the browser cache for Microsoft Edge, click the Three Dots icon in the top right of your browser window.

Scroll down and click on Choose what to clear.

Make sure to only select the Cached data and files box to avoid clearing important information. You can also access the menu by using the shortcut: CTRL + SHIFT + DEL. Then, click the Clear button at the bottom.

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