Cache is the pile of files your browser saves so sites load faster next time. Useful — until a site looks broken, a login won't stick, or an old version of a page won't go away. Here's the fix, for every major browser and device.
A local copy of images, scripts, and page data a site sent you before. Your browser reuses those copies instead of re-downloading them, which is why sites feel snappier on repeat visits.
A stale cached file can make a page look outdated, break a layout after a site update, or hang onto a broken script. Clearing it forces a clean redownload of everything.
Tap a tab below. Each one has its own menu path — they all land in the same place.
Click the three dots in the top-right corner, top-right, then More tools.
Select Clear browsing data from the submenu, or just go straight there.
Choose All time for a full clean, or a shorter range if you only want to clear recent files.
Leave cookies checked too if you also want to sign out of everything.
Chrome clears it instantly — no restart needed.
Safari menu → Settings → Advanced → check Show features for web developers.
Click Develop in the menu bar.
Select Empty Caches. It clears with no confirmation dialog.
Use Safari → Settings → Privacy → Manage Website Data to remove specific sites, or Remove All.
Click the three lines in the top-right, then Settings.
Scroll down to the Cookies and Site Data section.
A dialog lets you check Cached Web Content separately from cookies.
Click Clear. Firefox applies it immediately.
Click the three dots, top-right, then Settings.
Find Clear browsing data and click Choose what to clear.
Check Cached images and files. Choose All time for a full clear.
Done instantly — Edge doesn't need a restart.
Scroll down and tap Safari.
Near the bottom of the Safari settings page.
Tap Clear History and Data in the pop-up. This signs you out of most sites too.
Open Chrome → tap ⋯ → Settings → Privacy and Security → Clear Browsing Data.
Tap the three dots, top-right, then History.
Switch to the Basic tab.
Uncheck cookies if you want to stay signed in.
Confirm in the pop-up. Applies immediately.
Go to Settings → Apps → Chrome → Storage → Clear Cache. Works for any app, not just the browser.
Only if you also clear cookies — they're usually offered as a separate checkbox. Cache alone (images, scripts, page data) doesn't sign you out of anything.
No. Passwords, bookmarks, and browsing history are stored separately from cache and aren't touched unless you check those boxes too.
Try a hard refresh first — Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + R on desktop — which reloads the current page ignoring cache. If that doesn't work, the issue is likely on the site's end, not your browser.
Sometimes — cache can grow into the gigabytes on a browser you use daily. On a phone that's low on space, clearing it is often the fastest way to reclaim room.
Occasionally the problem isn't the cache at all. Use the Talk to a tech expert button in the corner and someone can walk through it with you directly.