How to Clear Browser History, Settings and Cache

Question

How to clear your web browser's cache, cookies, and history

Answer

Clear your web browser's cache, cookies, and history

• Clearing your web browser's cache, cookies, and history may remove some data that you wish to keep. 
• For desktop browsers, to quickly open menus used to clear your cache, cookies, and history, ensure that the browser is open and selected, and press Ctrl-Shift-Delete (Windows) or Command-Shift-Delete(Mac). If this doesn't work, follow the appropriate instructions below.
• If the instructions below don't exactly match what you see, you may need to update your web browser to the latest version.
• If you don't see instructions below for your specific version or browser, search your browser's Helpmenu for "clear cache". If you're unsure what browser version you're using, from the Help menu or your browser's menu, select About [browser name]. In Internet Explorer and Firefox, if you don't see the menu bar, press Alt.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When clearing the cache from your browser, you must completely close out all sessions of that browser for the cache to clear. Closing a tab is not sufficient. All open browser windows must be closed. 

About cache, cookies, and history

Clearing your web browser's cache, cookies, and history may remove data such as the following:

• Saved passwords
• Address bar predictions
• Shopping cart contents, etc.

While you should clear your web browser's cache, cookies, and history periodically in order to prevent or resolve performance problems, you may wish to record some of your saved information first.

Mobile browsers

Android

The steps to clear your cache, cookies, and history may differ depending on the model of your Android device and your preferred browser.

Chrome for Android

1. Tap on the 3-dot icon in the upper right corner of your Chrome window, then select Settings
2. Tap Privacy and security, then select Clear browsing data 
3. On the “Basic” tab, check the following boxes:
   • Cookies and site data
   • Cached images and files
4. Change the "Time range" drop-down menu to All time
5. Tap Clear data
6. Exit/quit all Chrome browser windows, then re-open the browser and try again – If you do not close out of all the Chrome windows, the cache will not clear and you will be asked to take these steps again

Safari for iOS

1. Open your Settings app
2. Find and tap Safari
3. Scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data
4. Under CLEAR TIMEFRAME, check All history
5. Toggle the on switch for "Close All Tabs" under ADDITIONAL OPTIONS, then tap Clear History  
6. Make sure Safari tab is fully closed before starting a new session 

Chrome for iOS

1. Tap on the 3-dot icon in the lower right corner of your Chrome window
2. Tap Clear Browsing Data 
3. Check Cookies, Site Data and Cached Images and Files 
4. Change the "Time Range" drop-down menu to All Time, then tap Clear Browsing Data 
5. Exit/quit all browser windows and re-open the browser

Desktop browsers

Chrome

1. Click on the 3-dot icon in the upper right corner of your Chrome window, then select Clear Browsing Data
2. On the “Basic” tab, check the following:
   • Cookies and other site data
   • Cached images and files
3. Change the "Time range" drop-down menu to All time
4. Click Clear Data
5. Exit/quit all Chrome browser windows, then re-open the browser and try again – If you do not close out of all the Chrome windows, the cache will not clear and you will be asked to take these steps again

Firefox

1. Click on the 3 lines in the top right, select Settings, then select Privacy & Security from the far left menu
2. Under Cookies and Site Data, click on Clear Data to clear Cookie and Site Data and Cached Web Content
3. Click Clear
4. Exit/quit all browser windows and re-open the browser

Microsoft Edge

1. In the top right, click the 3-dot menu
2. Click on Settings
3. On the left side of the screen, click on Privacy, search and services
4. Click on the Choose what to clear button under the Clear browsing data heading
5. Change the Time range to "all time"
6. Check the boxes for Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files
7. Click on Clear Now
8. Exit/quit all browser windows and re-open the browser 

Safari for Mac 

1. Open the Safari menu in the upper left hand corner
2. Click Settings… then click on “Advanced”
3. At the very bottom, check the box for “Show features for web developers”
4. Close out of settings, then click on Develop in the upper left hand corner
5. Click Empty Caches
6. Go back to the Safari menu and "Quit", then reopen Safari and try again