Browser cache stored over time often creates trouble while visiting recently updated websites. If you are having issues with a website and need to clear your browser cache, cookies, and history, you are in the right place. This post will explain the step-by-step guide on how to clear browser cache, cookies, and history on Chrome, Mozilla, Opera, and Microsoft Edge.
What Exactly is Browser Cache?
When a browser loads any website, it downloads and stores a random database of files and different resources of this website. The downloaded files are mainly HTML, CSS, JavaScript, text, or images. These files are called browser or web cache. The browser needs to download fewer files to load this website faster when you visit it next time. That’s why you may notice that when you visit any webpage, it takes a while to load, but when you go to another webpage of this website or visit it next time, it takes less time and loads faster.
Why Do You Need to Clear Browser Cache?
The more frequently you visit any website, the more cache files your browser downloads to facilitate faster loading. That’s why any drastic change on the website doesn’t reflect immediately. It takes a while to show the changes. To see the rapid changes, you need to clear the cache.
Caching is good; the browser uses a caching tool to speed up the web page loading process. However, if the website changes, the browser cannot recognize the updated version; it loads from the cache. So you will get the wrong information. When you clear your browser cache, you will see the exact webpage without any trouble. Here, I will share how to clear browser cache, cookies, and history of significant computer browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Microsoft Edge.
How to Clear Browser Cache Chrome
Google Chrome is the fastest-growing web browser for computer and mobile devices. Most of the mobile devices have the default Google Chrome browser. If you use Chrome for a long time and find some websites don’t work correctly, you need to delete Chrome browser cache.
When you clear Chrome cache, it will delete browsing history, cookies, and log information. So after clearing the cache, you need to log in again to specific sites and Google. Here is the step-by-step process to clear the browser cache of Google Chrome.
Step 1: Open the Google Chrome browser.
Step 2: Click the three vertical dots from the top-right corner.
Step 3: Move your cursor to the “More Tools” option and select the “Clear browsing data” option. For a keyboard shortcut, press the Ctrl+Shift+Delete button. Or, Go to Chrome “Settings” and click the “Privacy and Security” from the left menu and click the “Clear browsing data” option from the middle.
Step 4: Choose a time range from “Last Hour” to “All time.”
Step 5: Select what browser data you want to clear. History, cookies, and cache files are selected default.
Step 6: Click “Clear data,” Chrome will delete all browsing history, cookies, and cache files.
What Browsing Data Chrome will Delete?
When you click “Clear data,” it will delete the following files.
Browsing history
Chrome deletes browsing history from all synced devices. That means it deletes all website links you have visited. Also, if you log in with the same Gmail account on another device, it will also delete browsing history from that device.
Cookies and other site data
Cookies are small codes used by the websites that are saved on your computer while visiting these websites to track and collect specific data from your device. When you clear Chrome browsing data, it will delete all cookies and other site data. Also, Chrome will log out from most websites, and you must sign in again when visiting those sites.
Cached images and files
Cached images and files are scattered resources Chrome downloads on your PC to speed up loading. When you clear the cache from Chrome, it will delete all saved cached files and images, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, image, and text files. After deleting cache files, you may experience slow-loading websites in your future visit.
Related: How To Make Google Chrome Faster
How to Clear Browser Cache Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is another famous web browser people widely use globally. It is the second-highest downloaded browser after Chrome. Mozilla requires fewer resources than Chrome and barely crashes. That’s why many computer users prefer Mozilla over Chrome.
If you use the Mozilla Firefox browser for a long time, it downloads and stores cache files and cookies to speed up the loading process. However, cache files may conflict with the updated website and change login data. If you face any of these issues, you need to clear the Mozilla Firefox cache. Like clearing the cache on Chrome, you may log out from all websites and social media. Follow the steps below to clear Mozilla Firefox cache, cookies, and browser history.
Step 1: Open the Mozilla Firefox browser and click the “Open Application Menu” or 3 horizontal lines from the upper-right corner.
Step 2: Go to “History” from the menu and select the “Clear Recent History” option.
Step 3: Select the time range to clear. The “Everything” option will be selected default. You can clear the cache for the last hour, two hours, four hours, or today.
Step 4: Select/deselect what kind of cache and history you want to delete. Everything will be selected by default. Suppose you want to keep logged in to some websites; you can deselect the “Active logins” option.
Step 5: Click the “Clear Now” button and your selected history, cache, cookies, and site settings. Your Mozilla Firefox browser will be brand new. You need to log in to all websites.
What Browser Data Mozilla will Delete?
Browsing and download history
When you clear the Mozilla browser cache, it will delete your Mozilla browsing and download history. All website links you have visited and download history will be deleted.
Cookies and cache files
All cache and cookies will be deleted when you press the “Clear now” button. After clearing the cache, you may experience slow loading of any website.
Active logins
Whenever you log in to any website, Mozilla remembers the login data. When you visit this website next time, you don’t have to log in again; Mozilla will log in to this website for you. After deleting the Mozilla browser cache, all active logins will be deleted, and you will have to log in to the websites again.
Form and search history
Auto-fills are forms and info you have used multiple times on various websites. Clearing the Mozilla Firefox browser cache will delete forms. Also, it will delete all search keywords and phrases from the browser.
How to Clear Browser Cache Microsoft Edge
Though Chrome and Mozilla are popular browsers, many users prefer Microsoft Edge. It is the native and default web browser for Windows. Compared to Explorer, Microsoft Edge is fast and straightforward. If you need to clear the Edge browser cache, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Open Microsoft Edge and click the 3 dots or “Settings and more” option from the upper-right corner.
Step 2: Select the “History” option and click the “Clear browsing data” or delete icon from the upper side.
Step 3: A small pop-up will appear. Choose the time range from the last hour to all times.
Step 4: Select/deselect browsing options and click the “Clear now” button.
Step 5: Edge will delete browsing history, download history, cookies, and other site data, cached images, and files.
Like Chrome and Mozilla, Edge browser will sign out from all sites when you clear cache data. So, you have to log in to all sites again.
How to Clear Browser Cache Opera
Opera is a lightweight and fast web browser. It has a built-in VPN and adblocker. That’s why many users download the Opera browser. Follow the steps below to clear Opera browser history, cookies, cache, and more.
Step 1: Open the Opera browser and click the “History” icon from the bottom-left corner.
Step 2: Click the “Clear Browsing Data” option from the upper-right corner.
Step 3: Choose the time range to delete the cache. The last hour is selected by default; you can choose all time or any timeline from the options.
Step 4: Select/deselect clearing options and click the “Clear data” button.
Step 5: Opera will delete all browsing data.
Like other web browsers, Opera will delete browsing history, cookies, other site data, cached images, and files when you clear browsing data.
Related: 13 Ways to Speed Up Windows 10 PC
Clearing Browser Cache FAQs
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Conclusion
If you don’t clear your browser cache for a long time, it can grow big and occupy your disk space. Also, large cache files can slow down the web browser. On the other hand, it may create conflict with the previously visited websites. That’s why it is highly suggested to clear the browser cache occasionally.
As you know, clearing the cache will log you out of the websites, so don’t forget to log in again. However, saving your ID and password to your browser will auto-fill the email and password to speed up the login process.
