How to Clear Your Browser Cache in All Major Browsers (Fast Way)

Most of us have heard the classic advice: “Have you tried clearing your cache?” For a beginner, that can sound like a complicated technical task.

But it’s actually a simple fix that solves many common website issues. We have used this exact troubleshooting step countless times on our own projects here at WPBeginner.

In this guide, we will walk you through exactly how to clear your browser cache on all major platforms, step by step.

What Is Browser Cache?

Browser cache is a temporary storage area on your computer where your web browser saves copies of website files. This makes web pages load much faster when you revisit them.

Instead of downloading everything from scratch, the browser retrieves saved files like images, stylesheets, and scripts from your device. This reduces page load times and makes browsing feel much smoother.

For example, when we visit a WordPress website, the content may change, but elements like logos and fonts usually stay the same. Caching helps by saving these static files so they don’t need to be reloaded every time.

Web browsers follow caching rules set by website owners or WordPress caching plugins. These rules decide what gets cached and how long it’s stored.

Why and When Should You Clear Your Browser Cache?

Clearing your browser cache forces it to download the latest version of a website. You should consider doing this when you encounter issues like:

• A website isn’t displaying correctly or looks broken.
• Recent changes you’ve made to your own site aren’t appearing.
• You’re seeing outdated content or missing images.
• A web page or application is behaving unexpectedly.

We’ve run into this issue while updating our own WordPress sites. If you’ve made changes but can’t see them live, clearing your cache is the first troubleshooting step to take.

We will cover a few different ways to clear the browser cache, and you can use the links below to jump to the method you want to use:

• Forcing Browsers to Hard Refresh / Reload a Page
• Clearing Browser Cache in Google Chrome
• Clearing Browser Cache in Firefox
• Clearing Browser Cache in Internet Explorer
• Clearing Browser Cache in Edge
• Clearing Browser Cache in Safari
• Clearing Browser Cache in Opera
• How to Clear Browser Cache on Mobile Devices (iPhone & Android)
• What to Do When Clearing Browser Cache Doesn't Work
• Frequently Asked Questions About Clearing the Browser Cache
• Additional Resources for WordPress Troubleshooting

Forcing Browsers to Hard Refresh / Reload a Page

Before you clear your entire browser cache, you can try a “hard refresh.” This is a faster step that pros often use first.

A hard refresh forces your browser to bypass the cache for the specific page you’re on and download a fresh version. Simply press the following keyboard shortcut for your operating system:

• Windows and Linux: Press Ctrl + F5 or Ctrl + Shift + R.
• Mac: Press Cmd + Shift + R.

Usually, this will solve the problem. However, if it does not, you will need to clear your entire browser cache.

Clearing Browser Cache in Google Chrome

Google Chrome is the most popular browser in the world. Here is how to clear the browser cache in just a few steps.

1. Launch Google Chrome and click on the three-dot menu in the top right corner. From the menu, you need to navigate to More tools » Clear browsing data…
2. This will launch a popup window. Switch to the ‘Basic’ tab and select ‘All time’ next to the ‘Time range’ option.
3. Check the box next to ‘Cached images and files’. You can uncheck cookies and browsing history if you want to keep them.
4. Click the ‘Clear data’ button to finish.

Clearing Browser Cache in Firefox

If you are using Mozilla Firefox, then this is how you can clear your browser cache.

1. Launch Firefox and click on the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) at the top right corner.
2. Select the ‘History’ option from the menu.
3. Next, click on ‘Clear Recent History…’
4. In the popup window, select ‘Everything’ for the ‘Time range to clear’ option.
5. Make sure only the ‘Cache’ box is checked and then click the ‘OK’ button.

Clearing Browser Cache in Internet Explorer

Heads up: Microsoft officially retired Internet Explorer, and it no longer receives security updates. We strongly recommend switching to a modern browser like Edge, Chrome, or Firefox to protect your computer from online threats.

For users who must still use it, here is how to clear the cache.

1. Launch Internet Explorer and click on the gear icon at the top right corner.
2. Navigate to Safety » Delete browsing history… from the menu.
3. In the popup window, uncheck ‘Preserve Favorites website data’.
4. Check the box for ‘Temporary Internet files and website files’. You can also optionally check ‘Cookies and website data’.
5. Click the ‘Delete’ button to confirm.

Clearing Browser Cache in Edge

Edge is the default browser on Windows computers. Here is how you can clear your browser cache in Microsoft Edge.

1. Open the Edge browser and click on the three-dot menu at the top-right corner.
2. Select the ‘History’ option from the menu.
3. Click the three-dot menu inside the History panel and choose ‘Clear browsing data’.
4. In the new window, select ‘All time’ as the time range.
5. Check the box for ‘Cached images and files’ and uncheck any other data you want to keep.
6. Click the ‘Clear now’ button.

Clearing Browser Cache in Safari

Safari is the default browser on macOS. It offers two different ways to clear your data.

The first method is simple but clears everything, including your history and cookies. The second method is for advanced users and lets you clear only the cache.

Method 1: Clear All History and Website Data

1. Open the Safari browser and click on History » Clear History… from the top menu bar.
2. A popup will appear. In the ‘Clear’ dropdown menu, select ‘all history’.
3. Click the ‘Clear History’ button to proceed. This will delete all temporary data, including cache and cookies.

Method 2: Empty Caches Only (Advanced)

1. First, you need to enable the Develop menu. Click on Safari » Preferences from the top menu.
2. Switch to the ‘Advanced’ tab and check the box at the bottom that says, ‘Show Develop menu in menu bar’.
3. Now, you will see a new ‘Develop’ option in the top menu bar.
4. Click on Develop » Empty Caches. Safari will now clear only the browser cache.

Clearing Browser Cache in Opera

If you are using the Opera web browser, here is how to clear your browser cache.

1. Open the Opera browser and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner to open the ‘Easy setup’ menu.
2. Scroll to the bottom of this menu and click ‘Go to full browser settings’.
3. Under the ‘Privacy and security’ section, click ‘Clear browsing data’.
4. In the popup window, select ‘All time’ as the time range.
5. Check the box next to ‘Cached images and files’, then click the ‘Clear data’ button.

How to Clear Browser Cache on Mobile Devices (iPhone & Android)

Clearing your browser cache on a mobile device can help fix loading issues, display problems, or outdated content—just like on a desktop.

Here’s how to do it for the most common mobile browsers.

Safari on iPhone

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Safari.
3. Scroll again and tap Clear History and Website Data.
4. Confirm by tapping Clear History and Data.

This removes your browsing history, cookies, and cached files from Safari.

Chrome on Android

1. Open the Chrome app.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and choose History.
3. Tap Clear browsing data.
4. Select a Time range (choose ‘All time’ to delete everything).
5. Check the box for Cached images and files.
6. Tap Clear data.

Firefox on Android

1. Open the Firefox app.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the bottom-right corner and go to Settings.
3. Scroll down and tap Delete browsing data.
4. Select only Cached images and files.
5. Tap Delete browsing data to confirm.

If you’re using a different browser, look for similar settings under “History,” “Privacy,” or “Storage.”

What to Do When Clearing Browser Cache Doesn’t Work

If clearing your browser cache didn’t solve the issue, the problem might be caused by another layer of caching. Here are a few common scenarios.

Can’t See Changes You Made on Your Own Website

The most common reason for this is a WordPress caching plugin. Most caching plugins are configured to show you a non-cached version of your site when you are logged in, but a misconfiguration can sometimes prevent this.

To fix this, you will need to clear your WordPress cache. We have a detailed guide with instructions for all popular plugins on how to clear your cache in WordPress.

Cannot Log In to Your WordPress Website

If you are unable to log in to your WordPress site and the login page keeps refreshing, it is likely a WordPress settings issue rather than a browser cache problem.

You can see our step-by-step guide on how to fix the WordPress login page refreshing and redirecting issue.

A Third-Party Website Is Not Updating

If you are seeing an old version of a website that someone else can see correctly, the issue could be on their end. The website might be using a CDN service or a website firewall that is serving a cached copy.

For example, here at WPBeginner, we use Cloudflare as our CDN and firewall. This means there’s a caching layer between our server and your browser, which can sometimes cause delays in seeing updates.

To troubleshoot this, you can try using a VPN service. A VPN will allow you to visit the website from a different location, which can help determine if the problem is regional.

Frequently Asked Questions About Clearing the Browser Cache

Here are some of the most common questions we get asked about clearing browser cache.

What is the difference between cache and cookies?

The cache stores website files (like images and scripts) to speed up loading times. Cookies store user-specific data (like login status and preferences) to personalize your browsing experience.

Is clearing the browser cache safe?

Yes, clearing your cache is completely safe. It only removes temporary files and does not delete any important data, passwords, or personal settings (unless you also choose to clear cookies).

How often should I clear my browser cache?

You don’t need to clear your cache on a regular schedule. It’s best to only do it when you encounter a problem, like a website not displaying correctly or showing outdated information.

Additional Resources for WordPress Troubleshooting

We hope this article helped you learn how to quickly clear your browser cache in all major browsers.

You may also want to see our other guides for fixing common WordPress issues and keeping your site secure:

• Beginner’s Guide to Troubleshooting WordPress Errors
• 63 Most Common WordPress Errors and How to Fix Them
• The Ultimate WordPress Security Guide – Step by Step

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