Every web browser stores web pages, images, cookies, and other downloaded content on the computer. This is called the browser's cache. Clearing it occasionally or regularly can protect your privacy and free up some space in your computer.
Your broswers cache is designed to speed up browsing by storing information about elements such as styles and images so that they do not need to be downloaded each time you visit a page. While this can make viewing pages quicker it can mean you often see 'stored' content instead of the most up-to-date information. When a site is changing frequently, particularily images and styles, during development - it is advisable to clear you cache to ensure you are seeing the most frequent version.
Since every browser is different, the following sections will outline the steps involved in clearing the cache for several popular web browsers.
Internet Explorer 8
- Once your browser is open, click the Tools menu and select Internet Options.
- Be sure the General tab is selected.
- Under "Browsing history", click "Delete..."
- In the new window, be sure the Temporary Internet Files box is checked. You can uncheck everything else you don't want to delete.
- Click Delete.
Internet Explorer 7
- Once your browser is open, click the Tools menu and select Internet Options.
- Make sure the General tab is selected.
- Under "Browsing History" click "Delete"
- In the new window, click Delete Files in the Temporary Internet Files section. If you want, you can also opt to delete cookies and browsing history.
- Alternatively, clear your cache for just the current page you're visiting. Press and hold [Ctrl] on your keyboard, then Press [F5] or click on the Refresh button (square button on the toolbar with opposite-facing arrows).
Internet Explorer 6
- Once your browser is open, click the Tools menu and select Internet Options.
- Make sure the General tab is selected.
- Click Delete Files in the Temporary Internet Files section and click OK.
- If you want the browser to automatically clear the cache whenever you close it, click the Advanced tab. Click to check the box next to the "Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed" option (in the section labeled "Security"). Click OK. This will delete everything except cookies.
Firefox 1.5 / 2.0 / 3.0 / 3.5
- Below is the full method, although it is possible to simply go to Tools, and select Clear Private Data, or to just press Ctrl+Shift+Delete. Please note that these options clear what you have set the browser to clear in Tools > Options... > Privacy, which can mean the cache, although it may also include passwords, and search and browsing history, so be careful.
- Go to Tools and select Options....
- Go to the Privacy tab, and click Settings... (in the blue box in the image).
- Select what you would like to have cleared.
- Return to the Options menu. If you want your cache cleared automatically, every time you close the browser, click the appropriate checkbox (shown in red in an earlier image).
- Press "Clear Now" under the Settings button.
Firefox 1.0
- Once your browser is open:
- Click the Tools menu and select Options....
- Click the Privacy button and select the Cache tab.
- Click the Clear Cache Now button.
Opera
- Once your browser is open, select the tools menu and click delete private data.
- Click the details button.
- If you do not wish to delete cookies, saved passwords, etc., remove checks from them in the list.
- Press delete.
Safari
- Once your browser is open, click the Safari menu and select Empty Cache
- Confirm the action by clicking Empty in the pop-up window
Konqueror
- Once your browser is open, click the Settings menu and select Configure Konqueror.
- Scroll down in the list of images and select Cache.
- Click Clear Cache.
