There are multiple reasons why you might want to clear the cache and delete the cookies from your computer. Maybe your browser is running slow and you need a pick-me-up, maybe you are trying to ensure that you see the latest version of a website, or maybe…just maybe you want to keep obsession with cooking television shows hidden from the rest of the world. Whatever the case may be, below you will find instructions on how to clear your cache and remove cookies from every major web browser currently out.
Note: If you are trying to clear the cached data for a single site you are currently browsing, simply hitting Ctrl+F5 or Shift+F5 for PC and Cmd+Shift+R for Mac while in the web browser will do the trick.
Google Chrome (Desktop and Laptop)
As Google Chrome is undoubtedly the most widely used web browser on the market, it only makes sense to list it first. There are multiple ways to clear the cache and cookies in Google Chrome. Here are the Most common:
The easiest and quickest option is to press Ctrl + Shift + Del (Cmd + Shift + Del on Mac)
Secondly, you can just visit the URL: chrome://settings/clearBrowserData in your browser.
The final options may be the most user friendly but honestly requires the most steps. Go to the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner of the browser and then you will have 3 options:
- Settings > Advanced > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data
- History > History > Clear browsing data
- More tools > Clear browsing data
FireFox
Firefox is definitely next on the list as far as popularity goes. As there are so many version of Firefox, we are only going to cover the latest series of versions in this tutorial.
Go to the ‘hamburger menu’ or the icon with three lines in the top right corner of the browser. Then click Options > Privacy & Security and you’ll be taken to a page that contains all the settings for removing cache and updating your cookie storage and caching.
Internet Explorer and Edge Browser
As the installed by default browser on all Microsoft operating systems, IE and Edge are utilized by many users and maintain a foothold amongst the popular browsers.
To clear cached data and cookies in Internet Explorer or Edge, click the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner and select Settings > Privacy & security. In the next menu, click the button that says ‘Choose what to clear’.
Opera
As Opera is built off the same engine as Chrome (the Chromium Engine), it shares a lot of similarities with Google’s powerhouse browser. Clearing the cache and cookies is therefore very similar.
In the left navigation bar, click the clock icon to enter history. This page will look almost exactly like the Chrome interface and you can just click the ‘Clear browsing data’ button to clear cookies and cached data.
Safari
As the default browser for all iOS and macOS devices, Safari is a popular browser option. Clearing your website data on Safari is easy: click ‘Clear History’ in the History menu and then pick a time frame for how long you want to delete history. This will take out all cookie data and cached data from the time frame selected.
