Table of Contents
- What Is Your Cache?
- Why Clear Your Cache?
- Cookies v. Cache
- Clearing Cookies on Chrome
- Clearing Cookies on Safari
- Clearing Cookies on Mozilla Firefox
- Clearing Cookies on Microsoft Edge
Your cache is a space where your browser stores images, code, fonts, technical elements, and other files to avoid redownloading them every time you visit a site. Storing these files locally saves bandwidth and helps your browser run quickly!
Occasionally, there may be a difference between the version of a website stored on your device and the version you’re loading from the web, which can cause glitches. Clearing your cache can help speed up your browser. Regularly clearing your browser’s cache helps your device run optimally by flushing temporary files. If a website is loading slowly or you run into formatting issues on a webpage, try clearing your cache!
Your cache stores files downloaded directly from websites you visit, like fonts or images. Cookies store information based on your online activity. Cookies keep track of your login information, browsing activity, and more to make your experience more personal. Clearing cookies can solve similar technical issues to clearing your cache!
- Open Chrome and click the three-dot icon in the top-right corner of your browser window.
- Hover over “More tools.”
- Click “Clear browsing data.” This should open a new tab.
- From this menu, you can clear your browser history, cache, and cookies. Select a time range from the dropdown at the top of the menu.
- Select what data you would like to clear and click “Clear data.”
- Open Safari and click the “Safari” tab in the menu bar at the top of your screen.
- Select “Preferences” and navigate to the “Privacy” tab.
- Click the “Manage Website Data” box under “Cookies and website data.” This will open a list of the websites you’ve visited and where they are storing data.
- Select which websites you’d like to clear. Hold down the Command key to select multiple sites at once.
- Click “Remove.” You can also click “Remove All” to clear all website data. Click “Remove Now” when an additional prompt appears.
Clearing Cookies on Mozilla Firefox
- Open Firefox and click the three-line icon in the top-right corner of your browser window.
- Click the “Library” tab.
- Select the “History” tab.
- Click “Clear Recent History.” This will open a new box.
If you are unable to select this option, you may have the “Remember History” function disabled. To enable it, return to the main menu by clicking the three-line icon, select “Options,” and click “Privacy & Security.” Select “History,” then choose “Remember History” in the “Firefox will” drop-down menu. - Under “History,” check the boxes next to the data you would like to clear.
- Choose a time range from the drop-down menu at the top of the box and click “Clear Now.”
Clearing Cookies on Microsoft Edge
- Open Edge and click the three-dot icon in the top-right corner of your browser window.
- Click “Settings.” This should open a new tab.
- In the menu to the left, select “Privacy and services.” If you do not see this option, expand your browser window.
- Under “Clear browsing data” on the right side of the page, click “Choose what to clear.”
- Check the boxes next to the data you would like to clear.
- Choose a time range from the drop-down menu at the top of the box and click “Clear now.”
- If you’d like to regularly clear your data, click “Choose what to clear every time you close the browser.” Toggle the buttons next to the data you’d like Edge to clear every time you exit the browser.