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Internet Browsers – Clear Cache and Cookies

Chrome
Internet Explorer
Firefox

What is Cache and Cookies?

Each time you access a file through your web browser, the browser caches (i.e., stores) it. Thus, the browser doesn’t have to newly retrieve files (including any images on the page) from the remote web site each time you click the Back or Forward buttons. You should periodically clear the cache to allow your browser to function more efficiently.

A cookie is a file created by a web browser, at the request of a website that is stored on the computer. These files typically store user-specific information such as selections in a form, shopping cart contents, or authentication data. Browsers will normally clear cookies that reach a certain age, but clearing them manually may solve problems with websites or your browser.

Browser History is a log of sites that you visit. When you press a browser’s Back button, you are moving back one entry the history log. Browsers will normally clear history at regular intervals, but you may want to clear it manually for privacy reasons.

Helpful Hints

  • Before you begin, close multiple browser windows leaving only one window open.
  • After you clear cache you may want to set the browser to automatically clear cache when you close the browser. After changing your settings, remember to close and then re-open your browser to refresh the changes.
  • To get to the Tools menu in the browser, press Alt+T once in the browser

Chrome

  1. Click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar (the 3 horizontal lines located under the X to close the window)
  2. Select Tools
  3. Select Clear Browsing Data
  4. Use the drop-down menu at the top to select the amount of data that you want to delete – select beginning of time to delete everything
  5. Check the boxes of the types of information that you want to delete
  6. Click Clear Browsing Data

Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer 10 (Desktop Version)

The Desktop Version has the address window at the top.

  1. Click Tools (or press Alt+T)
  2. Select Internet Options
  3. Click Delete (under the General Tab)
  4. Put a check mark next to all options that apply
  5. Click Delete

Internet Explorer 9

The Tools icon is located in the upper-right corner of the Internet Explorer window.

  1. Click the Tools icon (or press Alt+T)
  2. ​Select Safety > Delete browsing history
  3. Select the Temporary Internet files check box and then clear the other check boxes
  4. Click Delete

Firefox

Windows OS

  1. From the Tools menu, select Clear Private Data… (or it may say Clear Recent History), and then select the items you want to delete (e.g., Browsing History, Cache, Cookies)
  2. Click Clear Private Data Now (or Clear Now)
  3. Close all open Mozilla-Firefox browser windows
  4. Open a new Mozilla-Firefox browser window

Mac OS

  1. Click the Firefox button at the top of the browser window
  2. Select Preferences and then the Privacy tab
  3. Click the link to clear your recent history
  4. Select the desired range; to clear your entire cache, select Everything
  5. Click the arrow to display “Details” (if necessary)
  6. Select Cookies and Cache
  7. Click Clear Now