How to clear browser cache in Firefox, Chrome, IE, safari and Opera

Is your web browser is running slow or it often crashes than ever before, then it’s time to delete your temporary internet files. Most of the problems that you face while surfing the web can be solved by clearing your browser cache. Usually clearing your browser cache will significantly enhance your browser’s speed and performance. Here we will see what is browser cache and how to delete or clear browser cache, in Firefox, Chrome, IE (Internet Explorer), safari and Opera.

Quick Links

• Clear cache in Internet Explorer
• Clear cache in Google Chrome
• Clear cache in Mozilla Firefox
• Clear cache in Opera
• Clear cache in Apple Safari

What is a browser cache?

Browsers connect to the web server, download files as per your request and display it to you. While performing such task, each web browsers stores temporary internet files in your hard disk which is knows as cache. A cache is a store for temporary internet files which is used to quicken the data retrieving process. Web browsers uses cache to store web pages, CSS, images and other downloaded files as a copy and when you revisit the web page it uses the copy to render that file.

For example you are visiting a web page for the first time which is retrieved from the web server. Now when you revisit or refresh the same page again the browser checks for the cache file and if it exists then instead of downloading the whole data again, it render most of the page data from its cache file.

The advantages of browser caching are; it delivers pages and other objects to you faster. It reduces web server loads. Browser cache saves you time and it significantly reduces bandwidth for you, the site owner and your service provider. So why to clear cache when there are so many good benefits.

Why to clear browser cache?

Most of the time in our web design and development tutorials we have mentioned you to clear your browser cache, why is it? There are many fair reasons to clear your browser cache.

1. All the cache files are stored in your computer. When you seamlessly browse several websites these cache files will jam your disk space which will slow down the computer performance.
2. Developers and designers – Most of the time you won’t see changes even after several modifications that you make in your website. It is because of the cached file, it is recommended that you clear cache during such occasion.
3. Clearing cache fixes pages that often crash, hangs, freezes and several online application that doesn’t responds properly.

How to clear browser cache in Firefox, Chrome, IE, Safari and Opera

To better improve your browsing experience all web browser offer several settings and clearing the cache varies on different browsers. Here comes the instruction to clear cache in different web browsers.

Clearing cache in Internet Explorer (version 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and above)

Step: 1 – Open settings

Open Internet Explorer, click on gear settings icon at the top right corner just below to the close button. Next click on internet options which opens a pop up screen, there in general settings you will see browsing history.

Step 2: Clear cache in IE

Just click on delete and you will see several options that are checked. Now except temporary internet files and data uncheck everything that is favorite’s websites data, cookies, website data, history and form data. Next hit delete at the bottom and you will see a message “Internet Explorer has finished deleting the selected browsing history”. That’s it!

Internet Explorer 7 and 8 – Launch IE browser, drop down tools and select internet options. Now in general tab click on delete files under browsing history and then delete temporary internet files.

Shortcut to clear cache in IE – In windows just presses CTRL + SHIFT + DEL and in Mac press command + shift + delete which will opens delete browsing history.  Choose temporary internet files and hit delete. This also works on Internet Explorer 7 and 8.

Clearing cache on Google Chrome

Step 1: Open settings

Launch your Google chrome web browser and now you will see three horizontal bars at the top right corner for controlling and customizing Google Chrome. Drop down the menu bar and click on settings at the bottom.

Now you will see several settings, just scroll down and click on show advanced settings

Step 2: Clearing browser cache

Now in advanced settings move on to privacy area and in there click on clear browsing data which will opens a popup screen. Now un-check everything and just select “cached images and files” and then choose obliterate the following items from “the beginning of time”. Next click on “clear browsing data”, that’s it.

Short way to clear cache in Google Chrome

In window press Shift + CTRL + Del and in Mac press command + Shift + delete which opens that pop up screen. Other than that you can also enter chrome://settings/clearBrowserData in your browser search bar which is a quick method.

How to clear browser cache in Firefox

Open your Mozilla Firefox browser and drop down Firefox at the left hand top corner. Now navigate to history tab and then click on clear recent history.

Next drop down details, uncheck everything except cache, choose the “time range to clear” and then click on clear now.

To see the cache file size in Firefox drop down Firefox at the top left corner, navigate to options tab and then select options. Now move on to advanced >> network and in there you can see the space occupied by the temporary internet files.

Clearing cache in Opera

Open your Opera web browser, drop down Opera at the top left corner just as same like Firefox. Now navigate to more tools at the very bottom and then select “clear browsing data”. Or else enter this one in your browser search bar opera://settings/clearBrowserData or else use the keyboard shortcut key (Windows – CTRL + Shift + Del) (Mac – Command + shift + delete).

Now uncheck everything, just select “empty the cache”, choose the time range and then click on clear browsing data.

How to clear cache in Safari web browser (Windows)

Launch Safari; drop down settings gear icon at the top right corner and then select reset safari. Now uncheck everything and then only check “remove all websites icon” and “remove all website data”. When done click reset, that’s it. In safari there is no shortcut key to clear cache.

Safari for Mac OS X

Click on safari at the left hand side upper corner in menu bar and then choose preferences. Next go to advanced tab and then select show developer menu in menu bar. Now you will see develop option in menu bar and in develop menu click on empty caches.

Remember: In all the above web browsers except safari you can use the keyboard short cut key that is. (For Windows – CTRL + Shift + Del) and (For Mac – Command + Shift + delete). Now when you reload or refresh your page the browser will grab the fresh content.

Hope this post helped you on how to clear browser cache in Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari and Opera.