How Do You Clear Cache and Cookies on Common Web Browsers?

Overview

Clearing your browser’s cache and cookies can help resolve loading or formatting issues, protect your privacy, and free up storage space. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for clearing cache and cookies on popular web browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari.

Prerequisites/Requirements

Access to the browser(s) you want to clear cache and cookies for.
Knowledge that clearing cookies will log you out of most websites, as it removes stored login information.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Google Chrome (Desktop)

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
Scroll down and click Privacy and security in the left pane.
Click Clear browsing data.
In the pop-up, choose a time range (e.g., Last 24 hours, All time).
Check the boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
Click Clear data to confirm.

Mozilla Firefox (Desktop)

Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Select Settings from the menu.
Click Privacy & Security in the left pane.
Scroll to Cookies and Site Data and click Clear Data.
Check Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content.
Click Clear to confirm.

Microsoft Edge (Desktop)

Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Select Settings from the dropdown.
Click Privacy, search, and services in the left pane.
Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
Choose a time range (e.g., Last hour, All time).
Check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
Click Clear now to complete.

Safari (Mac)

Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left menu bar.
Select Preferences.
Go to the Privacy tab.
Click Manage Website Data.
Click Remove All to clear all data, or select specific sites to clear data individually.
Confirm by clicking Remove Now.

Troubleshooting Tips / Common Issues

Pages Not Loading Correctly: After clearing cache and cookies, some websites may take longer to load the first time as they re-download necessary resources.
Logged Out of Websites: Clearing cookies will log you out of most sites, so be prepared to re-enter login credentials.
Specific Browser Settings Not Available: If you don’t see certain options, make sure your browser is updated to the latest version.

Additional Resources