How To Clear Cache & Cookies from your Web Browser

Overview

The instructions below cover the steps on how to clear the cache/cookies for your web browser. This is occasionally necessary to do in order to resolve an issue with a website or online service or if you visit a suspicious website, advertisement, scareware/adware. 

Instructions

Google Chrome

  1. On your computer, open Google Chrome.
  2. At the top right, click the More button (3 vertical dots in the top right corner), and then choose Clear browsing data... (it might appear as Delete browsing data... for some users)
  3. Change the dropdown option labeled "Time range" to "All Time". 
  4. Select the following items:
    1. Browsing history
    2. Download history
    3. Cookies and other site data
    4. Cached images and files
  5. Click Delete Data, a spinning circle progress indicator will appear.
  6. Wait for the spinning circle to disappear then close and relaunch Chrome.  The amount of time this takes is dependent on how much data there is to clear. 

 

Microsoft Edge

  1. On your computer, launch Microsoft Edge
  2. Select Settings (three horizontal dots or ellipses) in the top right hand corner and click "Delete browsing data" (or navigate to Settings  > Privacy, Search, and Services > Clear browsing data > Choose what to clear).
  3. Change the dropdown option labeled "Time range" to "All Time". 
  4. Select the following items:
    1. Browsing history
    2. Download history 
    3. Cookies and other site data
    4. Cached images and files
  5. Select Clear now, a spinning circle progress indicator will appear next to "Delete browsing data" at the top of the window.
  6. Once the progress indicator disappears close Microsoft Edge and reopen it. The amount of time this takes is dependent on how much data there is to clear. 

 

Safari

  1. On your computer, launch Safari
  2. In the menu bar at the top of your screen, choose Safari
  3. Select Preferences (if you are on Ventura or later, it would be Settings)
  4. Choose Privacy
  5. Click on the button for Manage Website Data
  6. Click on Remove All 
  7. Click "Remove Now" if prompted for confirmation.
  8. When you no see the text "No Saved Website Data" in the "Manage Website Data" window click "Done" then close and relaunch Safari. The amount of time this takes is dependent on how much data there is to clear. 

 

Mozilla Firefox

  1. On your computer, open Firefox
  2. Click the menu button (3 lines on top right hand corner) and select Settings
  3. Select Privacy & Security on left hand side.
  4. Scroll down until you see Cookies and Site Data and Click Clear Data.
  5. Change the dropdown option labeled "When" to "Everything"
  6. Select the following items: 
    1. Browsing & download history
    2. Cookies and site data
    3. Temporary cached files and pages
  7. Click "Clear".
  8. Click "Clear Now" if prompted for confirmation.
  9. Once that window disappears and you are back at the "Settings" window, close and relaunch Firefox. The amount of time this takes is dependent on how much data there is to clear. 

 

See Also

Google Chrome: Clear cache and cookies

Safari: Manage cookies and website data

Mozilla Firefox: How to clear cache 

Microsoft Edge: Clear browsing data stored on your computer

 

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