What cache and cookies do, and why you might clear them
Cache is a folder on your computer where your browser stores copies of web pages, images, and files you have visited. Cookies are small text files that websites save to remember information about you — your login status, preferences, items in your shopping cart. Both speed up browsing by letting your browser load pages faster without downloading everything fresh each time.
You might clear them if a website is not loading correctly, if you want to remove your browsing history before sharing your computer, or if you are having trouble logging into an account. Clearing cache and cookies does not delete your passwords (unless you specifically choose to), but it will log you out of most websites and remove any saved preferences.
The steps differ slightly depending on which browser you use — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge — but the principle is the same on all of them. The process takes less than a minute once you know where to look.
Key Takeaways
- Cache stores copies of pages and images; cookies store login information and preferences — clearing both can fix loading problems and remove browsing history.
- In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data and select the time range and data types you want to remove.
- In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data and click Clear Data.
- In Safari, go to History > Clear History and choose how far back to clear.
- In Edge, go to Settings > Privacy > Clear Browsing Data and select what to remove.
Clearing cache and cookies in Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu that appears. On the left side, click Privacy and Security, then click Clear Browsing Data.
A window will pop up with options. At the top, you will see a dropdown that says Time Range — this controls how far back to clear. Choose All Time to remove everything, or pick a specific range like Last Hour, Last 24 Hours, or Last 7 Days. Below that, make sure the boxes next to Cookies and Other Site Data and Cached Images and Files are checked. Click the blue Clear Data button at the bottom right.
Chrome will clear the selected data in a few seconds. You will be logged out of most websites, and the next time you visit them, they will load fresh from the internet rather than from your cache.
Clearing cache and cookies in Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (the menu button) in the top right corner. Click Settings. On the left side, click Privacy & Security. Scroll down to the section labeled Cookies and Site Data.
You will see a button that says Clear Data. Click it. A small window will appear with two checkboxes: Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content. Make sure both are checked, then click Clear. Firefox will remove the data when ready.
If you want to clear only the cache but keep cookies, uncheck the Cookies and Site Data box before clicking Clear. If you want to clear only cookies but keep cached files, uncheck Cached Web Content instead.
Clearing cache and cookies in Safari
Open Safari. At the top of the screen, click History in the menu bar. A dropdown will appear with an option that says Clear History. Click it.
A dialog box will open asking how far back you want to clear. The dropdown menu shows options like The Last Hour, Today, Today and Yesterday, and All History. Select the time range you want, then click Clear History. This action clears both cache and cookies at the same time in Safari — you cannot clear them separately from this menu.
If you need more control over what gets cleared, you can go to Safari > Settings (or Preferences on older versions), click the Privacy tab, and click Manage Website Data to see a list of all stored data and remove specific sites.
Clearing cache and cookies in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top right corner. Click Settings. On the left side, click Privacy, Search, and Services. Under the Clear Browsing Data section, click Choose What to Clear.
A window will appear with a dropdown for Time Range at the top. Select All Time or a specific period. Below that, check the boxes next to Cookies and Other Site Data and Cached Images and Files. Click the blue Clear Now button.
Edge also offers a faster shortcut: press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows to open the clear browsing data window directly without going through Settings.
What happens after you clear cache and cookies
Once you clear cache and cookies, you will be logged out of most websites. The next time you visit a site, it will load from the internet instead of from your computer's stored copy, which may take a few seconds longer on the first visit. After that, your browser will start building a new cache and storing new cookies as you browse.
Clearing cache and cookies does not remove your saved passwords, browsing history, or autofill information unless you specifically checked those boxes during the clearing process. If you want to remove those as well, look for separate checkboxes in the same window — they are usually labeled Passwords, Browsing History, and Autofill Form Data.
Common reasons to clear cache and cookies
A website may not load correctly or may show outdated information if your browser is using an old cached version. Clearing the cache forces your browser to read a fresh copy. This is often the first step to try if a page looks broken or a button is not working.
If you are having trouble logging into an account, clearing cookies can help because cookies store your login session. Removing them forces you to log in fresh, which can resolve authentication problems. If you are sharing your computer with others and want to remove your browsing history and login information before handing it over, clearing cache and cookies is a quick way to do that — though for more thorough privacy, you might also want to clear your browsing history and autofill data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing cache and cookies delete my passwords?
No. Passwords are stored separately from cache and cookies. When you clear cache and cookies, your saved passwords remain on your computer. If you want to remove passwords as well, you must check the Passwords box in the same clearing window — it is usually unchecked by default.
Why is my website still not working after I cleared the cache?
If clearing cache does not fix the problem, try a hard refresh: press Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows or Cmd + Shift + R on Mac. This forces your browser to reload the page without using any cached files. If the problem persists, the issue may be with the website itself or your internet connection, not your cache.
How often should I clear my cache and cookies?
There is no set schedule. Most people clear cache and cookies only when they encounter a problem or want to remove browsing history. If you are concerned about privacy, you can set your browser to clear cache and cookies automatically every time you close it — look for an option in Settings called Clear Browsing Data on Exit or similar.
Can I clear cache for just one website instead of all websites?
Yes. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can right-click on a website and select an option like Delete or Remove to clear data for that site only. In Safari, go to Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data, find the site in the list, and click Remove.
What is the difference between clearing cache and clearing browsing history?
Cache stores copies of files and images from websites. Browsing history is a list of URLs you have visited. Clearing cache removes stored files; clearing history removes the list of sites. You can clear one without clearing the other — they are separate options in the clearing window.