What is a cache?
If you’re wondering how to clear browser cache, it helps to first understand what a cache is. The browser cache is used for temporarily storing assets from a webpage on your local computer, so that when you revisit that page in the future, the assets are already downloaded – speeding up page loads. This feature was a big-time saver when internet speeds were not as quick as they are today, as you needed to download images and sounds less frequently when browsing through a website because they were already stored on your computer.
Why would you want to clear your cache?
When your computer caches a website, it might not pick up content changes and could load an outdated copy. If you are a web developer who frequently updates page content during development, you might struggle with stale content. In such cases, disable caching altogether.
If you’ve recently made changes to your website but changes are infrequent, then a one-time clearing of your local cache may help to view the website correctly and you can follow any of the guides below for future information.
Chrome: Clear Browsing Data
In this browser, you can start to clear browser cache data via a setting ‘Clear browsing data’ in ‘Settings’.
Navigate to:
‘Menu’ – ‘More Tools’ – ‘Clear browsing data …’
Alternatively copy-paste the link below into your address bar and hit enter:
chrome://settings/clearBrowserData
For best results, choose ‘since the beginning of time’.
Firefox: Clear Recent History
In this browser the cache is cleared from the preferences menu. Navigate to the preferences by clicking the 3 bars at the top right hand side, then click ‘Preferences’.
From here then choose ‘Privacy’ – ‘History’ – ‘Clear your recent history’.
Before hitting ‘Clear Now’ use the arrow to expand the options and de-select everything but ‘Cache’. Change the time frame to ‘Everything’ and then hit ‘Clear Now’.
Safari: Selectively clear per website
Open the Safari preferences from the Mac menu bar or by hitting ‘Command + ,’. From there navigate to the ‘Privacy’ tab and find the field ‘Manage Website Data …’. From this listing you can either remove singular entries on a domain by domain basis or choose to remove the information from all sites stored.
Safari: Clear Cache (better for frequent access)
If you need to clear the cache often, then I would recommend choosing this option instead. Once again open the Safari preferences but navigate instead to ‘Advanced’.
On this tab check the box ‘Show develop menu in menu bar’ and close the preferences.
From then on whenever you wish to clear the cache, simply choose ‘Empty Caches’ from the ‘Develop’ menubar listing whenever you need to or better yet – choose ‘Disable Caches’.
How to clear browser cache: Conclusion
In summary, knowing how to clear browser cache is essential for maintaining a fresh and optimised browsing experience. Clearing your cache ensures you always see the latest version of a website. This practice proves especially useful when website updates occur or when you troubleshoot display issues.
As a leading web hosting provider, WP Hosting understands the importance of keeping your online environment running smoothly. By following our guidance on how to clear browser cache, you can avoid outdated content and enjoy smoother, more secure web navigation. This simple maintenance step, combined with WP Hosting’s reliable services, can make a significant difference in both website performance and overall user satisfaction.