How to Clear Cache on Any Browser and Device
Clearing your browser cache fixes loading issues, frees up storage space, and ensures you’re seeing the latest versions of websites. Whether pages aren’t displaying correctly, a site isn’t reflecting updates, or your browser feels sluggish, clearing the cache is often the first fix to try. Here’s how on every major browser and device in 2026.
What Is Browser Cache and Why Clear It?
Your browser cache stores copies of web pages, images, scripts, and other files locally on your device so websites load faster on repeat visits. Over time, this cache can grow to several gigabytes, take up valuable storage space, and sometimes serve outdated versions of sites. Clearing it forces your browser to download fresh copies of everything.
How to Clear Cache in Google Chrome
Desktop: Click the three-dot menu in the top right, then Delete browsing data (or press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows, Cmd + Shift + Delete on Mac). Select a time range — choose All time for a complete clear. Check Cached images and files (and Cookies if you also want to sign out of sites). Click Delete data.
Android: Open Chrome, tap the three-dot menu, tap Delete browsing data. Select your time range, check Cached images and files, and tap Delete data.
iPhone: Open Chrome, tap the three-dot menu, tap Delete Browsing Data. Select Cached Images and Files, choose your time range, and tap Delete Browsing Data.
How to Clear Cache in Safari
Mac: Click Safari in the menu bar and select Settings (or Preferences). Go to the Privacy tab and click Manage Website Data. Click Remove All to clear all cached data. Alternatively, press Cmd + Option + E to empty the cache directly.
iPhone/iPad: Open Settings > Safari. Tap Clear History and Website Data. Choose the time period and tap Clear History. Note this also clears your browsing history — Safari doesn’t separate cache clearing from history clearing on iOS.
How to Clear Cache in Firefox
Desktop: Click the hamburger menu (three lines) and select Settings. Go to Privacy & Security and scroll to Cookies and Site Data. Click Clear Data, check Cached Web Content, and click Clear. Or press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + Delete (Mac) for quick access.
Android: Tap the three-dot menu > Settings > Delete browsing data. Check Cached images and files and tap Delete browsing data.
How to Clear Cache in Microsoft Edge
Click the three-dot menu and select Settings. Go to Privacy, search, and services. Under "Clear browsing data," click Choose what to clear. Or press Ctrl + Shift + Delete for quick access. Select your time range, check Cached images and files, and click Clear now.
How to Clear Cache on iPhone (All Apps)
To clear cache for all apps at once, there’s no single button in iOS. For individual apps, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Tap any app to see its cache size. You can Offload App to remove the app but keep its data, or Delete App to remove everything. Reinstalling the app gives you a fresh start with cleared cache. For Safari specifically, use the Settings method described above.
How to Clear Cache on Android (All Apps)
Go to Settings > Storage > Other apps (varies by manufacturer). Tap any app and hit Clear Cache to remove cached data without losing app settings. On Samsung phones, go to Settings > Apps, tap an app, tap Storage, then Clear Cache. To clear cache for all apps at once on older Android versions, go to Settings > Storage > Cached data > OK.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Quick Cache Clearing
Chrome (Windows): Ctrl + Shift + Delete. Chrome (Mac): Cmd + Shift + Delete. Firefox (Windows): Ctrl + Shift + Delete. Firefox (Mac): Cmd + Shift + Delete. Edge: Ctrl + Shift + Delete. Safari (Mac): Cmd + Option + E for cache only. For a quick "hard refresh" that bypasses cache for the current page only, press Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac).
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing my cache log me out of websites? Only if you also clear cookies. If you only clear cached images and files, your logins are preserved.
How often should I clear my cache? Every 1-3 months is a good routine, or whenever you notice websites loading incorrectly or your browser feeling slow.
Will clearing cache delete my saved passwords? No, saved passwords are stored separately. Clearing cache and cookies won’t remove passwords saved in your browser’s password manager.
Does clearing cache delete bookmarks? No, bookmarks are stored separately and are unaffected by clearing cache.
