This article explains how to delete temporary internet files and website data such as login passwords and cookies using the various versions of the most popular browsers. Performing this procedure often results in an overall performance boost on both computer and mobile device.
Steps
Method 1 of 9: Safari (iPhone version)
Step 1. Launch the Settings app
It features a gray gear icon. Normally you can find it directly on the Home of the device.
Step 2. Scroll down the menu that appeared and select Safari
It is listed in the middle of the "Settings" menu.
Step 3. Scroll down the "Safari" menu and choose the Clear website and history data option
It is displayed at the bottom of the "Safari" menu.
Step 4. Press the Clear Data and History button when prompted
It is located at the bottom of the screen. This way all temporary files stored within Safari will be deleted from the iPhone.
Method 2 of 9: Google Chrome (Desktop Version)
Step 1. Launch Google Chrome
It features a red, green, and yellow circular icon with a blue sphere in the center.
Step 2. Click on the ⋮ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the Google Chrome window.
If you are using an outdated version of Chrome, you will need to click on the ☰ button to access the main program menu
Step 3. Select the History item
It is listed at the top of the appeared menu.
Step 4. Click on the History option
It is visible at the top of the secondary menu that appeared to the left of the main Chrome menu.
Step 5. Click on the item Clear browsing data
It is listed in the left panel of the page.
Step 6. Select the check button for all the types of data you want to delete
All selected items will be deleted from the Chrome cache, while unselected items will be kept. Here is the list of options you have available:
- Browsing history - this is the list of all the web pages you have visited. Websites you have visited using the incognito mode are not included;
- Download history - represents the list of all the files you have downloaded from the web;
- Cookies and other site data - are all small files and other information that are stored by the browser in order to load the pages you usually visit faster;
- Cached images and files - these are the traditional "temporary internet files". These elements are an integral part of the whole series of web pages that you have viewed and of the data that you have downloaded from the web;
- Password - are all the passwords for accessing web services that you have stored on Chrome;
- Data from the automatic filling of forms - the data you entered in the online forms (for example your name and surname);
- Hosted app data - the data stored by the Chrome apps you used;
- Multimedia licenses - digital certificates that allow apps and add-ons to have access to Chrome features.
Step 7. Click the Clear Data button
It is located in the lower right part of the "Clear Browsing Data" dialog. All selected data will be deleted from Chrome.
Method 3 of 9: Safari (Desktop Version)
Step 1. Launch Safari
It features a blue compass icon.
Step 2. Click on the Safari menu
By default it is displayed in the upper left of the screen. If you moved the menu bar, it will be where you repositioned it.
Step 3. Click on the Preferences item
It is one of the options listed in the "Safari" drop-down menu.
Step 4. Click on the Privacy tab
It is listed at the top of the "Preferences" window.
Step 5. Click the Remove All Website Data button
It is displayed in the center of the "Privacy" tab.
Step 6. Click the Remove Now button when prompted
This will delete all data stored in Safari's cache, including your browsing history.
Method 4 of 9: Google Chrome (Mobile Version)
Step 1. Launch the Chrome app
It features a red, green, and yellow circular icon with a blue sphere in the center.
Step 2. Press the ⋮ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 3. Select the Settings option
It is visible at the bottom of the appeared menu.
Step 4. Tap the Privacy item
It is listed at the bottom of the screen.
Step 5. Press the Clear Browsing Data button
It is displayed at the bottom of the page.
Step 6. Select all the types of data you want to delete
All types of data marked with a check mark will be deleted from Chrome. Here is the list of options you have available:
- Browsing history - this is the list of all the web pages you have visited;
- Cookies and site data - are all small files and other information that are stored by the browser in order to load the pages you usually visit faster;
- Cached images and files - these are the traditional "temporary internet files". These elements are an integral part of the whole series of web pages that you have viewed and of the data you have downloaded from the web;
- Passwords saved - are all the passwords for accessing web services that you have stored on Chrome;
- Data from the automatic filling of forms - are the data you have entered in the online forms (for example your name and address).
Step 7. Press the Clear Data button
It is displayed at the bottom of the page.
Step 8. Press the Clear Data button when prompted
In this way the selected data will be deleted both from the current device and from all mobile devices synchronized with the same account.
Method 5 of 9: Android Native Internet Browser
Step 1. Launch the native Android browser
It typically features a blue globe icon.
Step 2. Press the ⋮ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the screen.
Step 3. Choose the Settings option
It is listed at the bottom of the drop-down menu that appeared.
Step 4. Select the Privacy and security item
It is visible in the upper left of the screen.
Step 5. Choose the Empty Cache option
It is displayed at the top of the screen. This way all the data stored in the browser cache will be deleted from the device.
Method 6 of 9: Microsoft Edge
Step 1. Launch Microsoft Edge
It features a blue icon depicting the white letter "e".
Step 2. Click on the "button
..".
It is located in the upper right corner of the program window.
Step 3. Click on the Settings option
It is listed at the bottom of the menu that appeared.
Step 4. Click the Choose what to delete option
It is displayed in the "Clear Browsing Data" section located along the right side of the page.
Step 5. Select the check button of all the data you want to delete
The items you select will be deleted from the browser cache, while the unselected ones will be kept.
- Browsing history - represents all the web pages you have visited with Microsoft Edge;
- Cookies and other site data - are all the files stored in the browser with the aim of speeding up the loading of the pages you visit most frequently;
- Cached images and files - these are the traditional "temporary internet files". These elements are an integral part of the whole series of web pages that you have viewed and of the data that you have downloaded from the web;
- Download history - contains the complete list of all the files you have downloaded from the web;
- Automatic filling of form data - are the data you have entered in the online forms (for example your name or telephone number);
- Passwords saved - are all the passwords for accessing web services that you have stored on Edge;
- You can click on the item Show details to view the list of other items, such as notification permissions or location data settings.
Step 6. Click the Delete button
It's displayed at the bottom of the list of data you can clear from Edge. By clicking on the button Cancel all selected data will be deleted from the Microsoft Edge cache.
Method 7 of 9: Internet Explorer
Step 1. Launch Internet Explorer
It features a blue icon of the letter "e" with a yellow circle.
Step 2. Click on the ⚙️ icon
It is located in the upper right corner of the program window.
Step 3. Click on Internet Options
It is listed at the bottom of the drop-down menu that appeared.
Step 4. Select the check button for the data you want to delete
All the elements you choose will be deleted from the Internet Explorer cache, while the unselected ones will be kept.
- Keep data on favorite websites - all the data of the websites present in the favorites list (characterized by the star icon) will be kept;
- Temporary Internet files - these are temporary internet files stored in the browser;
- Cookies - the files that are saved to improve the general performance of the websites you visit frequently;
- Chronology - the list of all the web pages you have visited;
- Download history - the list of all the files you have downloaded from the web;
- Form data - the data that you normally enter in the forms you fill out online (for example, name, surname, address and so on);
- Password - all the passwords you have chosen to memorize;
- Tracking protection data, ActiveX Filtering and DNT (Do Not Track) - all the data of the websites that do not fall within the previous cases.
Step 5. Click the Delete button
It is displayed at the bottom of the "Delete Browsing History" dialog box.
Step 6. Click the OK button
It is located at the bottom of the "Internet Options" window. At this point, all the Internet Explorer temporary files you have selected have been deleted.
Method 8 of 9: Firefox (Mobile Version)
Step 1. Launch the Firefox app
It features an orange fox and blue globe icon.
Step 2. Press the ☰ button
It is visible at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3. Choose the Settings item
It is located at the bottom right of the screen.
Step 4. Scroll down the menu that appeared to be able to select the Delete personal data option
It is located in the "Privacy" section of the menu.
Step 5. Press the Delete Personal Data button
It is the last item on the menu that appeared.
To keep the data of some of the items listed in the menu, simply deactivate the corresponding slider by moving it to the left
Step 6. Press the OK button when prompted
All selected data will be removed from the Firefox app.
Method 9 of 9: Firefox (Desktop Version)
Step 1. Launch Firefox
It features an orange fox and blue globe icon.
Step 2. Click on the ☰ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the browser window.
Step 3. Click on the Options item
It is visible about halfway through the pop-up menu that appeared.
Step 4. Click on the Advanced tab
It is listed at the bottom of the left pane of the window.
Step 5. Click on the Network tab
It is displayed at the top of the "Advanced" menu.
Step 6. Click the Delete Now button
It is located on the right side of the page, next to the "Cached Web Content" section. All temporary internet data stored within Firefox will be deleted.
