If a page looks broken, shows an old price, or loads a design that was updated last week, the problem is often sitting on your own machine. Your browser saved a copy of that page and keeps serving it back to you. Learning how to clear browser cache takes about fifteen seconds once you know the menu path, and it solves a surprising number of "the website is down" moments that are not actually the website’s fault.
This guide gives you the exact clicks and keyboard shortcuts for every major browser on Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone and iPad. It also covers the part most tutorials skip: what you lose when you clear, and when clearing the cache does absolutely nothing so you stop wasting time on it.
The 10-second answer
On a desktop browser, press this keyboard shortcut from any open tab:
- Windows / Linux:
Ctrl + Shift + Delete - macOS:
Cmd + Shift + Delete(works in Chrome, Edge and Firefox; Safari is different, see below)
That opens the delete/clear dialog in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave, Opera and Vivaldi. Pick a time range, tick Cached images and files, confirm. Done.
If you only want to fix one stubborn page and keep everything else, skip the cache clear entirely and do a hard refresh instead: Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac). More on that further down, because it is usually the smarter first move.
Keyboard shortcut cheat sheet
| Browser | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Ctrl + Shift + Delete | Cmd + Shift + Delete |
| Firefox | Ctrl + Shift + Delete | Cmd + Shift + Delete |
| Edge | Ctrl + Shift + Delete | Cmd + Shift + Delete |
| Safari | Not available | Option + Cmd + E (empty cache only, needs Develop menu) |
| Hard refresh (all) | Ctrl + Shift + R or Ctrl + F5 | Cmd + Shift + R |
What actually gets deleted (and what you lose)
The clear dialog lumps several very different things together, and ticking everything is why people end up locked out of half their accounts. Here is what each checkbox really does.
| Item | What it is | What you lose if you delete it |
|---|---|---|
| Cached images and files | Saved copies of logos, scripts, stylesheets, fonts, images | Nothing personal. Sites reload a bit slower once, then speed back up |
| Cookies and other site data | Login sessions, shopping carts, language and consent choices, local storage | You get signed out everywhere, carts may empty, cookie banners come back, 2FA "trust this device" is reset |
| Browsing history | List of visited URLs | Address bar autocomplete gets worse. No effect on page loading |
| Autofill / form data | Saved addresses, card details, form entries | You retype everything. Rarely needed for troubleshooting |
| Passwords | Saved credentials | Permanent loss if not synced. Leave this unticked |
Rule of thumb: for a broken layout or an outdated page, tick cached images and files only. For a login loop, a checkout that will not proceed, or a site that insists you are logged in when you are not, you also need cookies and site data for that specific site.
How to clear cache in Google Chrome
Chrome on Windows and Mac
- Click the three dots in the top right corner.
- Go to Delete browsing data (older builds call it Clear browsing data, under History).
- Choose a Time range. Use All time if you are troubleshooting.
- Tick Cached images and files. Add Cookies and other site data only if you need it.
- Click Delete data.
Full path: Menu > Delete browsing data > Basic tab > Cached images and files > Delete data. Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + Delete. You can also paste chrome://settings/clearBrowserData into the address bar.
Chrome on Android
- Tap the three dots (top right).
- Tap Delete browsing data (or History > Delete browsing data).
- Set the time range, tick Cached images and files.
- Tap Delete data.
Chrome on iPhone and iPad
- Tap the three dots at the bottom right.
- Tap Delete Browsing Data.
- Select Cached Images and Files, choose the time range.
- Tap Delete Browsing Data and confirm.
Heads up on sync: if you are signed in to Chrome with sync enabled, clearing cookies can sign you out of the browser itself on some setups. Your bookmarks and passwords stay in your Google Account, but you will need to sign back in.
How to clear cache in Mozilla Firefox
Firefox on Windows and Mac
- Open the hamburger menu (three lines, top right) and choose Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security.
- Scroll to Cookies and Site Data and click Clear Data.
- Tick Temporary cached files and pages. Leave Cookies and site data unticked unless you want to be logged out.
- Click Clear.
Shortcut version: Ctrl + Shift + Delete opens the Clear browsing data and cookies dialog directly, where you can pick a time range such as Last hour or Everything.
Clear cache for one single website in Firefox
This is Firefox’s best feature and worth knowing, because it saves every other login:
- Open the problem site.
- Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
- Choose Clear cookies and site data and confirm.
Alternative: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Manage Data, search for the domain, select it, click Remove Selected.
Firefox on Android and iOS
- Android: Menu (three dots) > Settings > Delete browsing data > tick Cached images and files > Delete browsing data.
- iOS: Menu > Settings > Data Management > toggle Cache on > Clear Private Data.
Both platforms also offer Delete browsing data on quit, which clears automatically every time you close the app.
How to clear cache in Microsoft Edge
Edge on Windows and Mac
- Click the three dots > Settings.
- Select Privacy, search, and services.
- Under Delete browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
- Pick the time range, tick Cached images and files.
- Click Clear now.
Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + Delete. Direct URL: edge://settings/clearBrowserData.
Edge also has "Choose what to clear every time you close the browser" on the same settings page, which is handy on shared or public computers.
Edge on Android and iOS
- Tap the three dots in the bottom bar.
- Tap Settings > Privacy and security (iOS: Privacy and security too).
- Tap Clear browsing data.
- Select Cached images and files and confirm.
How to clear cache in Safari
Safari splits things differently from the others, which is why generic guides confuse people.
Safari on Mac: cache only (keeps you logged in)
- Open Safari > Settings (or Preferences on older macOS).
- Go to the Advanced tab.
- Tick Show features for web developers (older versions: Show Develop menu in menu bar).
- Close Settings, then in the menu bar choose Develop > Empty Caches.
Once the Develop menu is enabled, the shortcut is Option + Cmd + E. This wipes cached files and does not log you out of anything. It is the cleanest option on Mac.
Safari on Mac: cache, cookies and history together
- Menu bar: History > Clear History.
- Choose a range (last hour, today, today and yesterday, all history).
- Click Clear History.
Be aware that this removes cookies and site data too, so you will be signed out.
Safari on Mac: one site only
Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data, search the domain, select it, click Remove.
Safari on iPhone and iPad
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Apps, then Safari (on older iOS versions, Safari is listed directly in the main Settings list).
- Tap Clear History and Website Data.
- Choose the time range and the profile, then confirm.
To remove data for a single site only: Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data, swipe left on the domain and delete.
The better first move: hard refresh instead of clearing everything
Nine times out of ten you do not need to nuke the whole cache. You need one page to re-download its files. A hard refresh forces exactly that.
- Windows:
Ctrl + Shift + RorCtrl + F5 - Mac:
Cmd + Shift + R - Safari Mac: hold
Shiftand click the reload button - Mobile: no hard refresh shortcut exists, so use the clear data steps above or open the page in a private tab
The nuclear single-page option (Chrome and Edge)
- Press
F12to open developer tools. - Right-click the reload button in the toolbar.
- Choose Empty Cache and Hard Reload.
This clears that site’s cached assets and reloads, without touching any other site. It is the fastest way to test whether caching was really the problem.
When clearing the cache genuinely fixes things (and when it does nothing)
This is the part that saves you time. Clearing the cache is not a general-purpose fix and it is not a speed booster. It is a correctness fix.
| Symptom | Will clearing cache help? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Page layout broken, text stacked, missing styles | Yes | Hard refresh, then clear cached files |
| Site shows an old version, old price or old banner | Yes | Hard refresh first |
| Stuck in a login loop or "session expired" | Yes, but cookies | Clear cookies for that one site, not the cache |
| Checkout or form submits and nothing happens | Often | Clear site data, disable extensions, retry |
| Browser feels slow and laggy overall | Usually no | Close tabs, audit extensions, update the browser, restart the device |
| Slow internet on every site and every device | No | Network, router or ISP issue |
| 500 / 502 / 503 error page | No | The server is the problem, wait or contact the site |
| Site unreachable after a domain or DNS change | Partially | Also flush DNS: chrome://net-internals/#dns > Clear host cache |
| Low disk space warnings | Slightly | Cache is typically a few hundred MB to a few GB |
So why do people say it speeds things up?
Two reasons, and only one of them is real.
- The real one: a corrupted or oversized cache can make the browser spend longer validating junk entries than it would take to just download fresh files. Clearing it removes that friction and the browser rebuilds a clean, lean cache.
- The myth: an empty cache is not faster. The cache exists precisely to make sites load faster. Right after clearing, every site will load slower than before until it rebuilds. Clearing your cache weekly out of habit is counterproductive.
A smarter troubleshooting order
Before you clear anything, run this sequence. It takes two minutes and often identifies the real cause:
- Hard refresh the page (
Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + R). - Open the page in a private / incognito window. If it works there, your cache, cookies or an extension is the culprit. If it is still broken, the problem is on the server and clearing will not help.
- Try a different browser. Still broken? Not your machine.
- Disable extensions (ad blockers and privacy tools break checkouts and embedded players constantly).
- Clear data for that one site only.
- Only then clear the full cache for all time.
Should you clear your cache on a schedule?
No fixed schedule is needed for a personal device. Sensible triggers are:
- After a website you use daily gets redesigned and looks wrong
- When you are developing or testing a site and need to see changes
- Before handing a device to someone else, or after using a public computer
- When a password manager or banking site behaves strangely
- When your browser profile has clearly gone stale (frequent odd rendering bugs)
If privacy is the goal, use private browsing or the "clear on exit" settings in Edge and Firefox rather than manually wiping data every week.
Frequently asked questions
What data is stored in the browser cache?
Static files that a website asked your browser to keep: images, logos, CSS stylesheets, JavaScript files, fonts, and sometimes whole HTML pages. It also includes things like service workers and prerendered content. It does not contain your passwords or your history, those are stored separately.
Does clearing the cache delete my passwords and bookmarks?
Clearing cached files alone deletes neither. Bookmarks are never touched by the clear dialog. Passwords are only deleted if you explicitly tick the Passwords checkbox, which you should leave unticked.
Will I lose my shopping cart?
If you clear cookies and site data, yes, guest carts usually disappear. If you are logged in to an account, the cart is normally stored server side and will still be there after you sign back in. Clearing cached images and files only leaves carts alone.
How do I clear the cache for one specific website?
- Chrome / Edge: click the icon left of the URL > Cookies and site data > Manage on-device site data > delete.
- Firefox: padlock icon > Clear cookies and site data.
- Safari Mac: Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data > search > Remove.
- Safari iOS: Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data > swipe to delete.
How do I view my browsing history?
Press Ctrl + H (Windows) or Cmd + Y (Mac, Chrome and Safari). On mobile, open the browser menu and tap History.
Does clearing the cache log me out of everything?
Only if you also clear cookies and site data. Cache alone does not affect your sessions. This is the single most common mistake people make with the clear dialog.
I cleared the cache and the site is still wrong. What now?
The stale copy is probably not on your computer. It could be the website’s own server cache or its CDN, a caching plugin, or your DNS. Check the page in incognito and on your phone over mobile data. If it is wrong everywhere, contact the site owner, there is nothing you can fix from your end.
Is it safe to clear the browser cache?
Completely safe. The worst outcome is that sites load slightly slower the next time you visit them, and that you need to log in again if you cleared cookies too. No files on your computer are affected.
Key takeaways
- One shortcut covers most browsers:
Ctrl + Shift + DeleteorCmd + Shift + Delete. - Safari is the exception: use Develop > Empty Caches on Mac, and Settings > Apps > Safari > Clear History and Website Data on iPhone and iPad.
- Tick cached files only unless you have a login or checkout problem.
- Try a hard refresh first, it fixes the same problems without logging you out.
- An empty cache is not a fast cache. Clear it to fix broken or outdated pages, not as routine maintenance.