Clearing Browser Cache and Cookies

What does it mean to clear your cache and cookies? What does it do?

Clearing your cache and cookies is a great way to troubleshoot if a web page is acting moody, or if you’re struggling with the functionality of a website. When you clear your cache and cookies, you’re telling your browser to forget saved information and settings for a website so it starts working like it was the first time you used it. You can think of it as restarting your browser or turning on and off the internet.

How do I clear my cache and cookies?

The way you clear your cache and cookies depends on the type of device and the browser you’re using, so we’ve put together a list of instructions on how to do this from the most common access points.

Mobile Browsers

Android

Go to Settings and select Apps or Application Manager
Swipe to the All tab
Select your web browser in the list of installed apps, then click clear data and then, clear cache
Exit out of any previous browser windows, and then reopen the browser.

Chrome for Android

Go to Chrome Menu and then Settings
Click (advanced) Privacy
Click the Time Range drop-down menu and select All Time
Check Cookies and Site Data and Cached Images and Files
Select Clear Data
Exit out of all browser windows and then re-open the browser.

Safari for iOS

Open your Settings app.
Click Safari
Click Clear History and Website Data and confirm
Exit all browser windows and re-open the browser.

Chrome for iOS

Click Chrome Menu and then Settings
Choose Privacy
Then click Clear Browsing Data
Choose the data type you want to clear.
Click Clear Browsing Data
Exit out of all browser windows and re-open the browser.

Desktop Browsers

Chrome

In the URL bar, enter: chrome:// settings/clearbrowserdata
At the top of the Clear Browsing Data window, choose Advanced
Select Browsing History, Download History, Cookies and Other Site Data, and Cached Images and Files
Choose All Time from the Time Range drop-down menu
Select Clear Data
Exit all browser windows and re-open the browser.

Firefox

Go to History
Select Clear Recent History
If the menu bar is hidden, press ALT to make it appear.
Go to the Time Range to Clear drop-down menu
Select Everything to clear your entire cache
Next to Details use the down arrow to select all the items you want to clear from your history
Click Clear Now
Exit any existing browser windows and then re-open the browser.

Microsoft Edge

Go to the top right of your browser and click the star with three horizontal lines (the Hub icon)
Click the clock, and then select Clear All History
Choose Browsing History
Select Cookies and Saved Website Data
Select Cached Data and Files
Click Clear and wait for the All Clear! pop up
Exit any existing browser windows and re-open the browser.

Internet Explorer

Click on Tools
Click Safety
Select Delete Browsing History
If the menu bar is hidden, press ALT to make it appear
Unselect Preserve Favorites Website Data and then select Temporary Internet Files or Temporary Internet Files and Website Files, Cookies or Cookies and Website Data, History
Click Delete.
Once the process is finished, you’ll see a confirmation at the bottom of the window.
Exit any existing browser windows and re-open the browser

Opera

Go to the Opera menu
Select Settings
Select Privacy and Security
Select Clear Browsing Data
Select The Beginning of Time from the drop down menu in the dialogue box that opens
Select Browsing History, Download History, Cookies and Other Site Data, and Cached Images and Files
Click Clear Browsing Data
Exit any existing browser windows and re-open the browser

Safari 8 and Later

Go to the Safari menu
Select Clear History or Clear History and Website Data
Select the desired time range
Click Clear History
Go to Safari then Quit Safari to exit the browser
Re-open the browser