How to Clear the Web Browser Cache

Sometimes your browser is just not behaving as it should. Images are not loaded, certain parts of a web application is not properly functioning even if you logout and log back in. The problem could be your "browser cache&quot,; a part of memory of your web browser that stores commonly used pieces of code and content like images and video.

image from endure.com.au

Here are several step by steps for various browser to clear your browser cache. You won't lose any stored information (like bookmarks) if you follow these steps:

 

Chrome:
– Go to chrome://chrome/settings/clearBrowserData in the address bar
– Check “Empty the Cache”
– Choose “From the Beginning of time”
– Click “Clear Browsing Data”

IE:
– Click the “Tools” menu bar.
– Choose “Internet Options”
– On the “General” tab, click “Clear History”
– When it asks “Delete all items in your History folder?”, click “OK”
– Click “OK”

Firefox on OSX:
– On the menu bar, click on the Firefox menu and select Preferences
– Select the Advanced panel
– Click on the Network tab
– In the Cached Web Content section, click “Clear Now”
– Close the Preferences window

Firefox on Windows:
– Go to Options (if you’re running recent versions of Firefox, you click the orange Firefox button, then go to options, and then options again)
– Click “Advanced”
– In the Cached Web Content Section, click Clear Now.

Safari on OSX:
– Click Safari
– Click Reset Safari
– Uncheck everything but “Remove All Website Data”
– Click Reset

Safari on Windows:
– Click the Cog on the right side of the search bar
– Click Reset Safari
– Uncheck everything but “Remove All Website Data”
– Click Reset

Opera:
– Click Opera
– Click Preferences
– Click Advanced
– Click History
– Click the “Empty Now” button in the same row as Disk cache

About the author

Alex is a pioneer in using the cloud to meet the needs of small and medium sized business (SMBs) and membership-based organizations. He has a BSc in computer science from the University of Michigan and has worked as a product manager at two Internet startups. Alex is a father of 2 and plays the trumpet for fun. He is the founder and the president of the University of Michigan Alumni Club of Toronto.