Why Clearing Your Browser Cache Matters
Your browser stores copies of websites you visit — images, CSS files, JavaScript — to load pages faster. Over time this cache can become outdated, causing pages to look broken, show old content, or behave strangely. Clearing the cache forces your browser to download fresh copies of everything.
Clear Cache in Chrome (Windows & Mac)
Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+Delete (Mac) to open the Clear browsing data dialog. Select Cached images and files, choose your time range, and click Clear data. For a quick cache-only clear without affecting cookies, use the Advanced tab and uncheck everything except cached files.
Clear Cache in Firefox
Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete to open the Clear Recent History dialog. Uncheck everything except Cache, then click OK. Firefox also has an automatic cache clearing option under Privacy & Security settings that clears cache when Firefox closes.
Clear Cache in Safari (Mac)
Go to Safari > Settings (or Preferences) > Advanced and enable the Develop menu. Then go to Develop > Empty Caches. Alternatively, press Cmd+Option+E for a quick empty cache without opening menus.
Clear Cache on iPhone and iPad
For Safari: Go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. Note this also clears history and cookies — there is no Safari-only cache clear on iOS. For Chrome on iPhone: Tap the three-dot menu > Settings > Privacy > Clear Browsing Data.
Clear Cache on Android
In Chrome: Tap the three-dot menu > Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear browsing data. Select Cached images and files. You can also clear individual app caches by going to Settings > Apps > Chrome > Storage > Clear Cache.
Clear Cache in Microsoft Edge
Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete to open Clear browsing data. Select Cached images and files and click Clear now. Edge also allows you to schedule automatic cache clearing under Privacy, search, and services settings.
When to Clear Your Cache
- After a website update when you see old content
- When a site looks broken or unstyled
- When you are troubleshooting login issues
- When a developer asks you to verify their changes
- Periodically as general browser maintenance (every 1-3 months)
Does Clearing Cache Delete Passwords?
No — unless you specifically check the Passwords or Cookies options. Cached images and files is separate from saved passwords and form data. Your saved logins stay intact when you only clear the cache.
Keyboard Shortcuts Summary
Chrome, Firefox, Edge: Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) / Cmd+Shift+Delete (Mac)
Safari Mac: Cmd+Option+E (empty caches)
Hard refresh (bypass cache for one page): Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) / Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)