Clearing Your Cache

Clearing your web browser's cache

Each time you access a file through your web browser, the browser caches (i.e., stores) it. By doing this, the browser doesn't have to newly retrieve files (including any images) from the remote web site each time you click back or forward.

A cookie is a file created by a web browser, at the request of a web site, that is then stored on a computer. These files typically store user-specific information such as selections in a form, shopping cart contents, or authentication data. Browsers will normally clear cookies that reach a certain age, but clearing them manually may solve problems with web sites or your browser.

A browser's history is a log of sites that you visit. When you press a browser's back button, you are moving back one entry in the history log. Browsers will normally clear the history at regular intervals, but you may want to clear it manually for privacy.

Below are the instructions for clearing cache on computers using Windows and Mac operating systems and Mobile Devices.

Google Chrome - PC (Windows)

  1. In the top-right corner of the browser window, click the Chrome menu
  2. Click History and recent tabs > History.
  3. Click the button Clear browsing data. A dialog box will appear.
  4. From the drop-down menu, select how much history you want to delete. To clear your entire browsing history, select the beginning of time.
  5. Check the boxes for the data you want Chrome to clear, including “browsing history." Learn more about the types of browsing data you can delete.
  6. Click the button Clear browsing data.

Google Chrome - Android Device

  1. Open the Chrome menu. It could be an icon or a button. They look like this or this .
  2. Touch History.
  3. At the bottom, touch Clear Browsing Data.
  4. Check the box Clear browsing history. It may be checked by default.
  5. Uncheck any other boxes you don't want to delete.
  6. Touch Clear.

Google Chrome - iPhone/iPad

  1. Open the Chrome menu .
  2. Touch History.
  3. At the bottom, touch Clear Browsing Data.
  4. Touch Clear Browsing History.
  5. Confirm your choice.
  6. Touch Done.

Firefox - PC (Windows)

Delete browsing, search and download history on Firefox

Settings for privacy, browsing history and do-not-track

Firefox - Mac

Clear browsing history and cookies

Firefox - Android Device

Clear your browsing history and other personal data on Firefox for Android

Firefox - iSO

Clear browsing history in Firefox for iOS

Safari - Mac

  1. Choose Safari> Preferences
  2. click on Privacy Tab
  3. Click on Remove All Website Data
  4. Select Remove Now

Safari - Mobile Devices

  • To clear your history from Safari, tap Settings > Safari > Clear History
  • To clear all cookies from Safari, tap Settings > Safari > Clear Cookies and Data
  • iOS 5 or later: To clear other stored information from Safari, tap Advanced > Website Data > Remove All Website Data