Clear Browser Cache

TL;DR

Your browser stores files (cache) to make websites load faster. Sometimes this cache can contain sensitive information. Regularly clearing your cache helps protect your privacy and security.

How to Clear Your Browser Cache

1. Understand What You’re Clearing: The cache includes images, scripts, and other files from websites you visit. Clearing it means those sites will reload everything next time, which might be a little slower but removes potentially stored data.
2. Choose Your Browser: The steps vary slightly depending on your browser. Here are instructions for popular browsers:
   • Google Chrome:
     1. Click the three dots (menu) in the top-right corner.
     2. Go to More tools > Clear browsing data…
     3. In the “Time range” dropdown, select All time.
     4. Check the boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. Uncheck any others you don’t want to clear (like Browsing history).
     5. Click Clear data.
   • Mozilla Firefox:
     1. Click the three horizontal lines (menu) in the top-right corner.
     2. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
     3. Under “Cookies and Site Data”, click Clear Data…
     4. Check both boxes: Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content.
     5. Click Clear.
   • Microsoft Edge:
     1. Click the three dots (menu) in the top-right corner.
     2. Go to Settings > Privacy, search and services.
     3. Under “Clear browsing data”, click Choose what to clear.
     4. Select a time range of All time.
     5. Check the boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
     6. Click Clear now.
   • Safari (macOS):
     1. Go to Safari > Preferences…
     2. Click the Privacy tab.
     3. Click Manage Website Data…. You can remove specific sites or click Remove All.
     4. To clear cache specifically, press

        Command + Option + E

        .

3. Check for Extensions: Some browser extensions can also store data. Review your installed extensions and disable or remove any you don’t trust.
4. Regularly Clear Your Cache: Make it a habit to clear your cache every few weeks, or more often if you suspect a security issue.

Why Clearing Helps

• Privacy: Removes potentially sensitive information stored by websites.
• Security: Reduces the risk of malicious code lingering in your cache.
• Performance: While initially slower, a clean cache can sometimes improve performance if corrupted files are removed.