Clearing Your Browser Cache

Web browsers cache pages, images, and scripts to make repeat visits faster, but a stale cache can hide changes to a website or cause loading issues. This article shows you how to clear your browser's cache, cookies, and history across the most common desktop and mobile browsers.

When to clear your browser cache

Clear your cache when troubleshooting site display issues, after a website redesign, when login or form data is not behaving as expected, or when instructed by support. For a one-off check, you can also open the page in a private or incognito window — this bypasses the cache without changing your normal browser settings.

Before you begin

• A keyboard shortcut to try first. Most desktop browsers open the clear-cache menu with Ctrl-Shift-Delete (Windows/Linux) or Command-Shift-Delete (macOS).
• A backup of any open work. Clearing cookies signs you out of most websites — save anything in progress first.

Desktop browsers

Google Chrome

1. In the address bar, enter chrome://settings/clearBrowserData and press Enter.
2. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
3. From the Time range drop-down, choose how far back to clear. To clear everything, select All time.
4. Click Clear data.
5. Quit and reopen the browser.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open the menu and select History > Clear recent history. (If the menu bar is hidden, press Alt to reveal it.)
2. From the Time range to clear drop-down, choose the desired range. To clear everything, select Everything.
3. Select the items you want to clear, including Cookies and Cache.
4. Click OK (or Clear Now).
5. Quit and reopen the browser.

Microsoft Edge

1. Click the ... menu in the top right and select Settings.
2. Go to Privacy, search, and services.
3. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
4. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, and Cached images and files.
5. Click Clear now.
6. Quit and reopen the browser.

Safari (macOS)

1. From the Safari menu, select Clear History.
2. Choose the time range you want to clear.
3. Click Clear History.
4. Quit Safari (Safari > Quit Safari or Command-Q) and reopen it.

Opera

1. Open the Opera menu and select Settings > Privacy & security.
2. Under Privacy, click Clear browsing data.
3. Select the items to clear, including Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
4. Click Clear data.
5. Quit and reopen the browser.

Mobile browsers

Android (default browser)

1. Open Settings > Apps (or Application Manager).
2. Find and tap your browser in the list.
3. Tap Storage, then tap Clear cache. To also remove cookies and history, tap Clear data.
4. Close and reopen the browser.

Chrome for Android

1. Open the Chrome menu and tap Settings.
2. Tap Privacy and security > Clear browsing data.
3. Choose the time range and data types, then tap Clear data.
4. Close and reopen the browser.

Safari (iOS)

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll to and tap Safari.
3. Tap Clear History and Website Data and confirm.
4. Close and reopen Safari.

Chrome for iOS

1. Open the Chrome menu and tap Settings.
2. Tap Privacy > Clear Browsing Data.
3. Choose the data types to clear and tap Clear Browsing Data.
4. Close and reopen the browser.

Next steps

• Reload your site. Visit the page again after clearing the cache and confirm the latest version loads.
• Continue troubleshooting. If the issue persists, see Troubleshooting Website Loading Issues.

Questions? Contact Exact Hosting Support.