What is a browser cache?

Websites are collections of text, images, configuration files, and other resources that come together into a specific visualization of information. In order to load sites faster, your web browser caches some of these images, configuration files, and other resources locally on your computer. This is referred to as your browser cache. You can read more about browser caches here. 


Why should I clear my browser cache?

Sometimes the files that get stored locally on your computer hold outdated information. Companies may update their apps or websites and, for some reason, your browser may not properly detect that the files have changed and will not download the updated files. So, you may need to manually delete the files in order to force the browser to re-download the latest versions. 


How do I clear my cache?

Clearing your browser cache is typically pretty straightforward. However, the exact process differs from browser to browser. Below are some common browsers and instructions. If you’re using a browser that is not in the list below, you can search for specific instructions by looking up “How do I clear my cache in . . .” followed by your browser name. 


Chrome

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, click More More.
  3. Click More tools and then Clear browsing data.
  4. At the top, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All time.
  5. Next to "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files," check the boxes.
  6. Click Clear data.


Firefox

  1. Click the menu button Fx57Menu and select Preferences.
  2. Select the Privacy & Security panel.
  3. In the Cookies and Site Data section, click Clear Data…
  4. Remove the check mark in front of Cookies and Site Data.
  5. For more information about managing site data, see Manage local site storage settings.
  6. With Cached Web Content check marked, click the Clear button.
  7. Close the about:preferences page. Any changes you've made will automatically be saved.


Microsoft Edge

  1. Click on the edge menu menu button situated in the upper right corner.
  2. Click on Settings.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, click on Choose what to clear.
  4. Check the boxes next to Cookies and saved website data and Cached data and files.
  5. Click on Clear.