Clear a Browser's Cache & Cookies

In most browsers, you can use the shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+DELETE to bring up the menu with the options for clearing cache, cookies, and temporary files. Please note that some options/wording may be different as browsers have regular updates that may change some settings.

Chrome

  1. Click the Chrome icon (or three horizontal lines icon) in the upper right corner.
  2. Click on Settings, then scroll down to the bottom and click on Show advanced settings...
  3. Under the Privacy heading, click on Clear browsing data...
  4. For the time frame drop-down menu, choose the beginning of time
  5. Check the boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files
  6. Click Clear data button
  7. When finished, restart your Chrome browser

Firefox (Windows)

  1. Click the menu button in the upper right corner
  2. Click Options, then select the Privacy & Security tab.
  3. In the Cookies and Site Data section, click Clear Data...
  4. Select Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content.
  5. Click Clear

Internet Explorer 11

  1. Click the Tools "gear" icon in the upper right corner. 
  2. From the Safety menu in the upper right, click Delete Browsing History…
  3. Uncheck Preserve Favorites website data and check Temporary Internet files and website files, and Cookies and website data
  4. Click Delete

Microsoft Edge

  1. Click the Settings and more (three dot icon) upper right corner. 
  2. Click Settings
  3. Click on Privacy & security
  4. In the Clear browsing data section, click on Choose what to clear
  5. Uncheck Browsing history, and check Cookies and saved website data and Cached data and files
  6. Click Clear

Firefox (Mac OS)

  1. From the Tools menu, select Clear Recent History... .
  2. From the Time range to clear: drop-down menu, select the desired range. To clear your entire cache, select Everything.
  3. Click the down arrow next to Details to choose what history elements to clear. Click Clear Now.

Safari

  1. From the Safari menu, select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Privacy tab.
  3. Click the Remove All Website Data button.
  4. Click Remove Now.

Opera

  1. Click the menu button on the upper-left hand corner ( three lines). 
  2. Scroll to "Clear Browsing Data" and click Clear browsing data.
  3. Check Cookies and other site data and Caches images and files boxes.
  4. Click Clear Data.
Print Article

Related Articles (1)