In this guide, we’ll learn how to clear cache, history, and cookies from various desktop and mobile browsers. In addition, we will shortly overview what browser cache is and how it works.

What Is Browser Cache?

Browser cache refers to temporary storage aimed at making websites load quicker. It works by saving static files in the local computer memory. This reduces the number of requests sent to the webserver that holds the actual files and instead loads them from the local storage. Hence, by caching elements such as HTML, CSS, JS, and images, the browser dramatically reduces load time and resource usage.

What Is Cached Data?

Cache is a term used to describe temporary storage. Thus, cached data is the collection of items saved within the cache storage location. Whenever a browser is requested for a specific file, it first checks if the resource is available locally. If not found, the browser sends a request to the corresponding web server and saves it as cached data depending on the file type.

What Does Clearing Cache Do?

Clearing browser cache removes all the data kept within the temporary storage. As a result, once you first access a website after clearing all the cache, it will take additional time to load. This occurs because no resources can be retrieved locally and all of them will have to be delivered by the corresponding web server.

Why Clear Cache?

The files gathered within the browser cache can take up quite a big amount of disk space over time. This may result in your browser working slower than usual and utilizing additional resources. Furthermore, outdated resources within the cache may cause you to see incorrect content. For example, you may have difficulty viewing new changes and updates made on a website. Thus, clearing the browser cache from time to time may help prevent such outcomes.

How to Clear Browser Cache on Desktop Platforms

Clearing cache is a relatively easy task on most desktop browsers. Let’s see how it can be done on the most popular ones.

Google Chrome

1. Access the side menu bar and navigate to History › History section.
2. Select the Clear Browsing Data option.
3. Choose the time range. Select All Time to remove everything.
4. Pick what elements to clear – cached images and files, cookies, history.
5. Press the Clear Data button.

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Useful tip:

• Windows users can go to the clearing tab by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Delete.
• Mac OS users can use the shortcut by pressing Command+Shift+Delete.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open up the side menu bar and go to Library › History › Clear Recent History section.
2. Select the time range. To clear out everything, select the All Time option.
3. Choose which elements to clear – Cache, Cookies, History among a few others.
4. Click the Clear Now button.

Useful tip:

• Windows users can use Ctrl+Shift+Delete to quick-access the clearing tab.
• Mac OS can do the same by pressing Command+Shift+Delete.

Safari

1. Navigate to the History tab in the upper menu and select Clear History.
2. Choose the timeframe you want. To clear everything, select the All history option.
3. Safari removes history, cache, cookies without the option to choose only one.
4. Click the Clear History button.

Useful tip:

• Windows users can open the tab quicker by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Delete.
• Mac OS can perform the same action by pressing Command+Shift+Delete.

Opera

1. Click the History icon located on the left-side menu. (clock icon)
2. Hit the Clear Browsing Data button.
3. Choose the time range. To delete everything, pick All time.
4. Select which elements to remove – Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, Cached images and files.

Click the Clear Data button.

Useful tip:

• Windows users may click Ctrl+Shift+Delete on the keyboard for a shortcut.
• Mac OS can use the same shortcut by pressing Command+Shift+Delete.

Microsoft Edge

1. Navigate to the menu on the upper-right side and go to History.
2. Click Clear Browsing Data.
3. Choose the Time range you wish to delete, we recommend All Time.
4. Select the items you wish to delete from the list.
5. Click the Clear Now button and wait for the process to finish..

Useful tip:

• Windows users may click Ctrl+Shift+Delete on the keyboard for a shortcut.

How to Clear Browser Cache on Mobile Platforms

Mobile browsers utilize caching the same way as desktop browsers do. Therefore, let’s see how to clear cache on the most popular mobile device browsers.

Google Chrome (Android)

1. Access the menu in the top-right and select History.
2. Click on the Clear browsing data button.
3. Pick the Time range. To delete everything, choose the All Time option.
4. Select the elements you wish to clear – history, cookies, cache.
5. Click on the Clear Data button.

Mozilla Firefox (Android)

1. Go to the menu in the top-right corner and open up the History section.
2. Select the Clear Browsing History button at the bottom.
3. Confirm the pop-up message by pressing OK.

Opera Mini (Android)

1. Click the Opera icon at the bottom of the browser.
2. Choose the wrench icon, which will take you to the Settings.
3. Select the Clear browsing data option.
4. Pick the elements that you wish to clear – history, cookies, cache.
5. Confirm by pressing OK.

Safari (iOS)

1. Navigate to the Settings of your iOS device.
2. Find the section for Safari and open it.
3. Scroll down until you find the Clear History and Website Data section.
4. Confirm the pop-up screen to remove everything.

Google Chrome (iOS)

1. Access the side menu on the upper-right side and go to History.
2. Click the button that says Clear Browsing Data.
3. Select which elements to delete – history, cookies, cache.
4. Confirm by pressing Clear Browsing Data again.

Mozilla Firefox (iOS)

1. Open the side menu at the bottom-right side and go to Settings.
2. Scroll down until you find the Clear Private Data section.
3. Select the elements you wish to remove – cache, cookies, history.
4. Click the red button that says Clear Private Data to confirm.
5. Once you see the pop-up, click OK.