You wouldn’t let your computer sit there gathering dust. Just like cleaning your computer externally, cleaning it up internally by clearing your cache can save you from browsing errors, compromised user privacy and memory issues. Before answering how to clear the cache, let’s understand what it is.
Cache refers to information such as files, images or scripts stored in a computer or mobile device after users visit a website or open an application. This data helps load the webpage faster on future visits and saves users time. Depending on the number of websites you visit, you could have a lot of cached data slowing your device’s performance.
Clearing the cache improves the user experience and frees up space. Many systems come equipped with mechanisms that remove older data and keep track of storage. But when you run low on memory or want to speed up the device, you can clear it manually.
In this article, you’ll learn how to clear the cache on:
- iPhone
- MacBook
- Windows
- Google Chrome
- Firefox
- Microsoft Edge
- Safari on macOS
- Safari on iPhone/iPad
- Samsung Internet
- Opera
- Android
- Next Steps
iPhone
To clear app data on iPhone:
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. To clear data of unused apps, select Offload Unused Apps.
- To clear the cache of individual apps, scroll down to view them and offload them as required. Apple lists them in descending order; the one with the highest amount of cached data is listed first, the second-highest is second and so on.
Offload apps as required. Source
MacBook
The following instructions are for clearing your cache on a MacBook.
Step 1: Press shift-command-G on the finder.
Step 2: Copy and paste this command in the search box: ~/Library/Caches.
Clear the cache using this code. Source
Step 3: Clicking on Go will pull up a folder containing all cached files.
Step 4: Select all using command + A and delete using command + delete.
Press command+A and then command+delete to erase all cached files. Source
Step 5: An option asking you to confirm this action will pop up. Confirm to clear the cache.
Windows
Option 1 — Without Code: Press the windows button > Type Disk cleanup > Open the tool > Select required files > Click on Clean up system files.
Go to the “disk cleanup” tab and select “clean up system files.” Source
Option 2 – With Code: Press Windows + R > Type this code in the command box that opens: %temp% > Click OK to open temporary files > Select all using Ctrl+ A > Delete.
Open the “run” window and type the code in the command box. Source
Google Chrome
Step 1: Open Chrome browser > Select the three dots on the top right > Hover over More tools > Clear browsing data.
Click on “clear browsing data.” Source
Step 2: This shows two options; basic and advanced.
Step 3: Users can remove browsing history, cookies and cached images for a given timeline from the basic options. In the advanced options, they can change their password and form data and site settings.
Set a time range. Source
Step 4: Select a Time range and set it to All time in case you want to clear all cached files.
Step 5: Make sure to enable the Cached images and files checkbox. You can uncheck everything else if you want to remove only the cache.
Clear cache as needed. Source
Google Chrome on Mobile
Step 1: Open the Google Chrome app > Tap the three dots in the top right corner > Select History in the drop-down menu.
Step 2: Tap Clear browsing data. If you have iOS, it’s at the lower-left corner of the screen and the top in Android.
Tap on “clear browsing data.”
Step 3: Check the Cached images and files box. If there’s a blue tick next to the box, skip this step. Uncheck everything else if you only want to remove the cache.
Step 4: Tap Clear browsing data at the bottom of the screen. If using Android, tap Clear data at the lower-left corner.
Enable the “cached files and images” checkbox.
Step 5: You may get a pop-up asking if you want to clear data from websites you use frequently. Check the boxes if applicable.
Step 6: Tap Clear browsing data when prompted on iOS. For Android, tap Clear to confirm.
Tap on “clear” when prompted.
Firefox
Option 1: Tap on the three horizontal lines in the top right corner > Choose Settings > Select Privacy and Security. Under Cookies and site data, select Clear data to delete cookies or the cached web content as required. Tap on Clear to confirm.
Clear cache as required. Source
Option 2: To automatically clear cache, click the Menu button (the icon with three horizontal bars) > Select Settings > Choose the Privacy and security panel > Tap the History section.
In the drop-down menu, select Use custom settings for history. Check the Clear history when Firefox closes box. Click the Settings button beside the box to open Settings for clearing history window.
Automatically clear your cache on Mozilla Firefox. Source
Enable the Cache checkbox. Check or uncheck other boxes according to your preferences. Click OK to finish.
Click “OK” to confirm. Source
Firefox on Android
Step 1: Open the Firefox app and tap the Menu(three dots) in the bottom-right corner.
Step 2: Go to Settings and tap Clear private data.
Step 3: Uncheck all the boxes except for Cache in the tab and tap the Clear data button.
Step 4: Close and reopen the Firefox app to finish.
Clear Mozilla Firefox cache on mobile. Source
Firefox on iPhone/iPad
Step 1: Open the Firefox app > Tap the Menu icon (three horizontal bars) at the bottom-right corner > choose Settings > Scroll down and select Data management.
Tap on “data management.” Source
Step 2: Tap the toggle bar next to the Cache. If the bar is blue, it’s selected; if it’s gray, it’s not. Select or deselect the rest of the options based on preferences.
Step 3: Tap on Clear private data at the bottom of the screen. Finally, tap OK to confirm.
Tap on “clear private data.” Source
Microsoft Edge
Step 1: Open Microsoft Edge > Click on the Menu (three dotted lines) on the top right > Settings > Privacy, Search and Services.
Go to privacy, search and services. Source
Step 2: Scroll down to Clear browser data and tap on Choose what to clear.
Choose what to clear as needed. Source
Step 3: In the pop-up window, choose a Time range to clear the cache of a particular time period. You can choose All time to clear your entire cache.
Step 4: Check the Cached files and images box and tap the Clear now button.
Set a time range and click the “clear now” button to finish. Source
Safari on macOS
Step 1: Click the Safari menu > Click on Advanced > Check the Show Develop menu in menu bar box at the bottom of the menu. If you already see a Develop menu in the menu bar, skip this step.
Enable the check box next to “show develop menu in menu bar.” Source
Step 2: Once you enable the Develop menu, tap on it and choose the Empty Caches option.
Click on the “empty caches” option to clear the cache. Source
Safari on iPhone/iPad
Step 1: Go to Settings > Scroll down and choose Safari > Tap Advanced at the bottom of the page > Tap on Website data.
Scroll down to find the “advanced” button. Source
Step 2: Remove the cache data of a specific website you prefer. You can also choose to Remove all website data and tap on Remove now to confirm.
Tap on “remove all website data.” Source
Samsung Internet
Step 1: Go to the Samsung Internet app > Tap on the three horizontal bars to open the menu > Choose Settings > Under the advanced section, select Privacy and security > Under personal data, tap on Delete browsing data.
Scroll down to “privacy and security.” Source
Step 2: Enable the checkbox for cache and uncheck or check the rest of the boxes according to preferences. Tap on the Delete command button to confirm.
Tap on the delete button to clear the cache. Source
Opera
Step 1: Select the History icon on the lower left side menu (it looks like a clock).
Click on the clock icon. Source
Step 2: Choose Clear browsing data. This shows two tabs — basic and advanced. The basic tab is for clearing cache, browsing history and cookies, whereas in the advanced tab, you can download history, passwords and more.
Step 3: In the basic tab, enable the Clear cached images and files checkbox and click the Clear data button.
Choose the “basic” tab and clear the cache as required. Source
Android
Step 1: Go to Settings, scroll down and select Apps.
The apps menu displays all the applications on your phone.
Step 2: Tap on the icon with a downward arrow and three horizontal bars to open a pop-up menu where you can sort your apps by size.
Sort apps by size, name or other preferences.
Step 3: Tap on the app you want to clear the cache from > Scroll down and choose Storage > Tap on the Clear cache icon at the bottom right.
Tap “clear cache” to finish.
Next Steps
Clearing your cache can seem like an overwhelming technical job, but it’s not once you know how it’s done! We hope our guide has been helpful and covers what you were looking for. Did we miss any method to clear your cache? Let us know in the comments!