How to Clear Cookies and Cache in Your Browser (And Why It Matters)

Whether you’re trying to fix a glitchy website, free up space, or improve your online privacy, clearing your browser’s cookies and cache is a simple yet powerful tool. In this article, we’ll explain what cookies and cache are, why you should clear them periodically, and how to do it on all major browsers — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and mobile devices.

What Are Cookies and Cache?

Cookies are small text files stored on your computer by websites you visit. They remember things like your login details, language preferences, and shopping cart contents.

Cache is temporary storage used by your browser to load web pages faster. It saves parts of a website (like images or stylesheets) so they don’t need to reload every time you visit.

Why Should You Clear Them?

Here are a few reasons to clear cookies and cache regularly:

• Fix Loading or Formatting Issues: Websites might not display or function properly due to outdated cached files.

• Privacy and Security: Cookies can store personal data and browsing habits. Clearing them helps protect your privacy.

• Free Up Space: Cache can take up storage over time.

• Update Website Data: If a website has changed but you’re seeing an old version, clearing cache refreshes the content.

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  How to Clear Cookies and Cache (Step-by-Step)

  Google Chrome (Desktop)

  1. Open Chrome.

  2. Click the three dots (top right corner) > Settings.

  3. Scroll down and click Privacy and security > Clear browsing data.

  4. Choose a Time range (e.g., “Last 7 days” or “All time”).

  5. Check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.

  6. Click Clear data.
     

  Mozilla Firefox (Desktop)

  1. Open Firefox.

  2. Click the three lines (top right) > Settings.

  3. Go to Privacy & Security.

  4. Scroll to Cookies and Site Data.

  5. Click Clear Data….

  6. Select Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content.

  7. Click Clear.
     

  Microsoft Edge (Desktop)

  1. Open Edge.

  2. Click the three dots (top right) > Settings.

  3. Go to Privacy, search, and services.

  4. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.

  5. Select the desired Time range.

  6. Check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.

  7. Click Clear now.
     

  Safari (Mac)

  1. Open Safari.

  2. Click Safari in the top menu > Settings (or Preferences).

  3. Go to the Privacy tab.

  4. Click Manage Website Data.

  5. Click Remove All > Remove Now.
     

  Mobile Devices

  Chrome (Android & iOS)

  1. Open Chrome app.

  2. Tap the three dots (top-right or bottom-right).

  3. Go to History > Clear browsing data.

  4. Select Cookies, site data and Cached images and files.

  5. Tap Clear data.
     

  Safari (iPhone/iPad)

  1. Go to Settings > Safari.

  2. Tap Clear History and Website Data.

  3. Confirm by tapping Clear History and Data.
     

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  Pro Tips

  • Use Incognito Mode: This prevents cookies and cache from being stored during your session.

  • Set Auto-Clear Options: Some browsers allow automatic clearing when you close them.

  • Logins Will Be Removed: After clearing cookies, you’ll be logged out of most sites. Make sure you know your passwords beforehand.
    

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  Final Thoughts

  Clearing your cookies and cache is a quick fix for many browser issues and helps maintain your digital privacy and performance. Try doing it every few weeks or anytime a website isn’t behaving as expected.
  

  Need help or seeing errors after clearing data? Contact support or reload the page with a hard refresh (Ctrl + Shift + R or Command + Shift + R).