This article shows you how to clear the internet browser cache on both computers and smartphones. All the information that is stored in the cache is intended to speed up web browsing, but in some cases it can prevent you from accessing the most updated version of a site or page. In severe scenarios, the required content may be displayed incorrectly or may not be displayed at all. It is possible to clear the cache of all the most popular and used browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer and Safari.
Steps
Method 1 of 8: Google Chrome Desktop Version
Step 1. Launch Google Chrome by clicking the icon
It features a red, yellow and green circle with a small blue sphere in the center.
Step 2. Press the ⋮ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the program window. A drop-down menu will appear.
Step 3. Choose the item Other tools
It is located at the bottom of the drop-down menu that appeared. A submenu will be displayed.
Step 4. Select the Clear browsing data… option
A dialog box will appear from which you can delete the cached data.
Step 5. Select the time interval to review
Access the "Time Interval" drop-down menu, then choose the option All to make sure that all data in the cache will be deleted.
If you wish, you can also choose a different time period (for example Last hour).
Step 6. Select the "Cached images and files" checkbox
It is one of the options displayed in the center of the dialog box.
- If the indicated check button is already selected, skip this step.
- If you just need to clear Chrome's cache, you can deselect all other currently selected check buttons.
Step 7. Press the Clear Data button
It is blue in color and is located in the lower right corner of the window. This will clear the contents of the Chrome cache.
Method 2 of 8: Google Chrome Mobile Version
Step 1. Launch Google Chrome by clicking the icon
It features a red, yellow and green circle with a small blue sphere in the center.
Step 2. Press the ⋮ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the program window. A drop-down menu will appear.
Step 3. Choose the History item
It is located at the bottom of the drop-down menu that appeared.
Step 4. Tap the Clear Browsing Data… link
It is located in the lower left corner of the screen.
If you are using an Android device, the indicated option will be displayed at the top of the screen
Step 5. Select the item Cached images and files
You will see a blue check mark appear next to the indicated option.
- If the blue check mark is already there, skip this step.
- If you just need to clear Chrome's cache, you can deselect all other currently selected check buttons.
Step 6. Press the Clear Browsing Data button
It is located at the bottom of the screen.
If you are using an Android device, tap the entry Clear data.
Step 7. Press the Clear Browsing Data button when prompted
This will clear the Chrome cache.
If you are using an Android system, press the button Cancel when required.
Method 3 of 8: Firefox Desktop Version
Step 1. Launch Firefox
It features a blue globe icon wrapped around an orange fox.
Step 2. Press the ☰ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the window. The Firefox main menu will appear.
Step 3. Choose the Library option
It is located at the top of the drop-down menu that appeared.
Step 4. Select the History item
It is displayed at the top of the menu Bookshelf.
Step 5. Choose the option Clear recent history…
It is located at the top of the "History" menu. This will display a window for deleting the data stored in Firefox.
Step 6. Select the time interval to review
Access the "Time range to clear" drop-down menu, then choose the option All to make sure that all data in the cache will be deleted.
If you wish, you can also choose a different time period (for example today).
Step 7. Press the "Details" button
It is located in the lower left part of the dialog box. A box will be displayed containing the list of data that can be deleted.
Step 8. Select the "Cache" checkbox
Click the small white square on the left of the "Cache" entry.
- If the indicated check button is already selected, skip this step.
- If you only need to clear the Firefox cache, you can deselect any other check button in the "Details" box.
Step 9. Press the Clear Now button
It is located in the lower right part of the window. The Firefox cache will be completely emptied.
Method 4 of 8: Firefox Mobile Version
Step 1. Launch Firefox
It features a blue globe icon wrapped around an orange fox.
Step 2. Press the ☰ button
It is located in the lower right corner of the window. The Firefox main menu will appear.
If you are using an Android device, press the button ⋮ located in the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 3. Choose the Settings item
It is one of the options in the menu that appeared.
Step 4. Scroll through the list to locate and select the Delete Personal Data item
It is located in the "Privacy" section of the menu.
If you are using an Android device, the option Delete personal data will be visible in the center of the page.
Step 5. Activate the white "Cache" slider
It is placed in the center of the page. Tapping it will change color to indicate that the data in the cache will be cleared.
- If the indicated cursor is already blue, skip this step.
- If you are using an Android system, you will need to select the "Cache" check button.
- If you only need to clear the Firefox cache, you can deselect any other check button or active slider on the screen.
Step 6. Tap the Delete personal data item
It is located at the bottom of the screen.
If you are using an Android system, press the button Clear data.
Step 7. Press the OK button when prompted
All data in the Firefox cache will be deleted from the device.
If you are using an Android device, skip this step
Method 5 of 8: Microsoft Edge
Step 1. Launch Microsoft Edge
It features a blue "and" icon.
Step 2. Press the ⋯ button
It is located in the upper right of the program window. A drop-down menu will appear.
Step 3. Choose the Settings item
It is located at the bottom of the drop-down menu that appeared. The "Settings" window will appear on the right side of the page.
Step 4. Press the Choose items to delete button
It is located within the "Clear Browsing Data" section.
You may need to scroll down the "Settings" menu to find the option indicated
Step 5. Select the "Cached data and files" checkbox
It is one of the options in the center of the menu.
- If the indicated check button is already selected, skip this step.
- If you just need to clear the cache, you can deselect all other currently selected check buttons.
Step 6. Press the Delete button
It is visible at the bottom of the menu. This will clear the Microsoft Edge cache.
Method 6 of 8: Internet Explorer
Step 1. Launch Internet Explorer
It features a light blue "e" icon surrounded by a yellow ring.
Step 2. Access the Internet Explorer settings by clicking the following icon
It is in the shape of a gear and is placed in the upper right corner of the window. A drop-down menu will appear.
Step 3. Choose the Internet Options item
It is located at the bottom of the menu. The "Internet Options" window will appear.
Step 4. Press the Delete… button
It is located within the "Browsing History" section of the "General" tab of the "Internet Options" window.
If the indicated button is not visible, go to the tab first General at the top of the window.
Step 5. Select the check buttons for Internet Explorer cached data
Make sure the "Temporary Internet files and website files" and "Cookies and website data" are both checked.
- If both check buttons are already selected, you can skip this step.
- If you just need to clear the cache, you can deselect all other currently selected check buttons.
Step 6. Press the Delete button
It is located at the bottom of the window. This will clear the Internet Explorer cache.
Step 7. Press the Apply buttons successively And OK.
Both are located at the bottom of the window. This will save the changes made to the settings and the "Internet Options" window will close.
Method 7 of 8: Safari Desktop Version
Step 1. Launch Safari
It features a blue compass icon that is normally located on the System Dock visible at the bottom of the screen.
Step 2. Access the Safari menu
It is located in the upper left corner of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
If the menu Development is already visible inside the bar on the upper side of the screen, select it directly and jump to the penultimate step of this method, where you are instructed to access the aforementioned menu.
Step 3. Choose the Preferences… option
It is one of the options displayed at the top of the menu Safari. The "Preferences" window will appear.
Step 4. Go to the Advanced tab
It is located in the upper right of the Safari "Preferences" window.
Step 5. Select the check button "Show" Development "menu in the menu bar"
It is located at the bottom of the "Preferences" window.
Step 6. Close the "Preferences" window
Now the menu Development it should be visible within the menu bar located at the top of the Mac screen.
Step 7. Go to the Development menu
It is visible on the top of the screen. A new drop-down menu will appear.
Step 8. Choose the option Empty the cache
It is one of the options contained in the menu Development.
If prompted, confirm your action by pressing the button Empty cache (or OK).
Method 8 of 8: Safari Version for Mobile Devices
Step 1. Launch the iPhone Settings app by tapping the icon
It is gray in the shape of a gear. This will display the "Settings" menu.
Step 2. Scroll through the list of options that appeared to locate and select the Safari item
It should be within the fourth group of settings starting from the top.
Step 3. Find and select the Clear History and Website Data option
It is visible at the bottom of the "Safari" screen.
Step 4. When prompted, press the Clear data and history button
In this way, all data stored by Safari in the iPhone memory will be deleted, including those in the cache.
Advice
- After deleting the data that the browser stores to speed up web browsing, it is always good to restart the program so that the deletion procedure can be considered complete.
- Clearing the cache of internet browsers is not the same as clearing cookies.
