What clearing cache does and why you might want to

Cache is temporary data your computer stores to make programs and websites load faster the next time you use them. When you clear cache, you delete these stored files. Your computer will run slightly slower the first time you visit a website or open a program after clearing, because it has to read everything fresh instead of pulling it from storage.

Most people clear cache to free up disk space, speed up a sluggish computer, or remove browsing history. You might also clear cache if a website is displaying outdated information, if a program is crashing, or if you are selling or giving away your computer and want to remove personal data.

Cache lives in different places depending on what you are clearing — your web browser stores one kind, Windows or Mac stores another, and individual programs may store their own. This guide covers the most common places.

Key Takeaways

  • Browser cache is the easiest to clear and takes two to three minutes; the steps differ slightly between Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
  • Windows users can clear temporary files through Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files, which often frees up several gigabytes.
  • Mac users can manually delete cache folders in Library, or use the built-in Storage Management tool under System Settings > General > Storage.
  • Clearing cache is safe and will not delete passwords, bookmarks, or saved payment information unless you specifically choose those options.
  • If a website or program is misbehaving, clearing its cache is usually the first troubleshooting step to try.

Clearing browser cache in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge

Your web browser stores images, scripts, and other files from websites you visit. Clearing this cache is the fastest way to free up space and is safe — it will not delete your passwords or bookmarks unless you choose to delete them.

In Chrome: Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner, select "Settings," then click "Privacy and security" on the left. Choose "Clear browsing data." A window will open with a time range dropdown at the top — select "All time" to clear everything, or pick a specific date range. Check the boxes next to "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files," then click "Clear data." This takes about 30 seconds.

In Firefox: Click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top right, select "Settings," then click "Privacy & Security" on the left. Under "Cookies and Site Data," click "Clear Data." Check both "Cookies and Site Data" and "Cached Web Content," then click "Clear." Firefox will clear everything from all time by default.

In Safari: Click "Safari" in the menu bar at the very top of your screen, then select "Settings." Click the "Privacy" tab. Click "Manage Website Data," select all entries (or specific ones), and click "Remove." Alternatively, go to "History" in the menu bar and click "Clear History," then choose the time range and click "Clear History" again.

In Edge: Click the three dots in the top right, select "Settings," then click "Privacy, search, and services" on the left. Under "Clear browsing data," click "Choose what to clear." Select your time range, check "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files," then click "Clear now."

Clearing temporary files on Windows

Windows stores temporary files in a dedicated folder that can grow quite large over time. Clearing these files is safe and often frees up several gigabytes of space without affecting how your computer runs.

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then press Enter. Click System on the left sidebar, then scroll down and click Storage. Under "Storage," you will see a breakdown of what is using space on your drive. Click Temporary files. A new window will open showing what can be deleted — you will see checkboxes next to "Temporary files," "Recycle Bin," "Downloads," and other categories. Leave "Downloads" unchecked unless you want to delete files you have downloaded. Check "Temporary files" and any other categories you want to clear, then click Remove files at the bottom. Windows will delete the selected items, which usually takes one to three minutes depending on how much is there.

If you want to clear cache for a specific program on Windows, you can also navigate manually. Press Windows key + R, type %temp%, and press Enter. This opens your Temp folder. Select all files (Ctrl + A), then delete them. You may see a message saying some files are in use — click "Skip" for those and delete the rest.

Clearing cache on Mac

Mac stores cache in hidden folders within your Library directory. You can clear it manually or use the built-in Storage Management tool, which is simpler if you are not comfortable navigating hidden folders.

Using Storage Management (easier method): Click the Apple menu in the top left corner, select System Settings, then click General on the left. Click Storage. You will see a breakdown of what is using space. Click Manage in the bottom right. A new window opens showing recommendations — you will see options like "Empty Trash Automatically," "Delete Old Downloads," and "Reduce Clutter." You can also scroll down to see a list of large or old files. Select what you want to delete and click the delete button. This method is safer because macOS guides you through what is safe to remove.

Manual method (for specific programs): Open Finder, click Go in the menu bar at the top, then click Go to Folder. Type ~/Library/Caches and press Enter. You will see folders for different programs. Find the folder for the program whose cache you want to clear (for example, "Google" for Chrome, "Firefox" for Firefox), open it, select all files inside, and delete them. Do not delete the folder itself, just the files inside. Then empty your Trash by right-clicking the Trash icon in the Dock and selecting "Empty Trash."

Clearing cache for specific programs

Some programs store their own cache separate from your browser or system cache. If a program is running slowly or displaying old data, clearing its cache can fix the problem.

Microsoft Office: Open any Office program, click "File," then "Options." Click "Trust Center," then "Trust Center Settings," then "Privacy Options." Check the box next to "Clear all cached files when closing the process," then click OK. The next time you close the program, cache will be deleted. To delete cache when ready, you can also navigate to your Temp folder (see Windows section above) and delete files with names starting with "~" or containing "Office."

Adobe Creative Cloud programs: Open the program, click "Edit" (Windows) or the program name (Mac) in the menu bar, select "Preferences," then look for "Cache" or "Performance." Click "Empty Cache" or "Clear Cache." Some Adobe programs also let you set cache to clear automatically when you close the program.

Spotify, Discord, and other apps: Most modern programs have a "Clear Cache" option in Settings or Preferences. Open the program, go to Settings, search for "cache," and click the button to clear it. If you cannot find it, you can also uninstall and reinstall the program, which will remove all its cached data.

What not to delete when clearing cache

When you clear cache, be careful not to accidentally delete things you want to keep. Passwords, bookmarks, autofill information, and saved payment details are separate from cache and will not be deleted unless you specifically check the box for them.

In most browsers, when you open the "Clear browsing data" window, you will see checkboxes for different types of data. Leave unchecked anything you want to keep. If you only want to delete cache and cookies, check only "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files." If you want to keep your browsing history but clear cache, make sure "Browsing history" is unchecked.

On Windows and Mac, clearing temporary files and cache folders is safe — these are files the system created and can recreate. The only exception is if a program is actively using a file in the Temp folder, in which case you will see a message saying the file is in use. Click "Skip" and leave that file alone.

How often to clear cache

There is no single right answer — it depends on how much you browse and how much free space you have. If your computer has plenty of free space (more than 10 percent of your total drive), you do not need to clear cache regularly. If you are running low on space or notice your computer is slow, clearing cache once a month is a reasonable habit.

If a website is showing outdated information or a program is crashing, clear cache when ready as a troubleshooting step. You can also set most browsers to clear cache automatically when you close them — in Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear cookies and site data when you quit Chrome, and toggle it on. Firefox and Safari have similar options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing cache delete my passwords and saved credit cards?

No, not unless you specifically check those boxes. Passwords and payment information are stored separately from cache. When you clear browsing data, you will see different checkboxes — only check the ones for cache and cookies if you want to keep everything else.

Why is my computer still slow after clearing cache?

Cache is usually not the main cause of slowness. If clearing cache did not help, the problem might be too many programs running at startup, a full hard drive, malware, or an aging hard drive. Try restarting your computer, checking your startup programs in Settings, or running a disk cleanup tool. If slowness continues, consider having a technician check your hard drive.

Can I clear cache without losing my browsing history?

Yes. When you open the "Clear browsing data" window in your browser, you will see a checkbox for "Browsing history" separate from the cache checkbox. Leave "Browsing history" unchecked and check only "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files."

What is the difference between cache and cookies?

Cache stores images, videos, and scripts from websites so they load faster next time. Cookies store small pieces of information like login status and preferences. Both are temporary and safe to delete, though deleting cookies means you may have to log back into websites.

Do I need to clear cache before selling my computer?

Clearing cache alone is not enough — it does not remove all personal data. Before selling, use your operating system's built-in reset tool: on Windows, go to Settings > System > Recovery and click "Reset this PC." On Mac, use Erase and Reinstall from System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset. These tools securely wipe everything and reinstall the operating system.