Learn how to clear the web cache in Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Firefox

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What is a web cache and how to clear it

You might sometimes hear from your web developer that changes have been made to your website, but when you want to view the changes, they are not visible. The web developer then tells you that you need to clear your web cache, but what is the web cache and how do you clear it for your browser?

What is the web cache?

The web cache is a kind of online memory that remembers which website you have visited, but also which pages and even files you have viewed. This is important because websites are getting bigger, with more files and larger photos to display everything sharply. The more files and larger files that need to be loaded on the internet, the more MBs need to be loaded from the server to your computer (browser) to view a website. Naturally, it takes longer to load 10MB than 1MB, and that's why the web cache was invented.

The web cache ensures that every time a file needs to be cached again during a visit to a website, the files, photos, and website are downloaded to your computer / browser. But sometimes changes are made to the website by a web developer, or you have replaced a photo (with the same file name), and the cache period has not yet expired, so you do not see the changes. This is because you are still seeing the old files and website stored in the web cache. To view the changes, you need to manually clear the web cache.

Below you can read per browser and operating system how to clear the web cache.

Clearing cache in Google Chrome

On desktop / laptop / MAC

To clear the web cache of Google Chrome on a desktop / laptop or MAC, do the following:

  1. Click at the top right in the menu bar on 3 dots
  2. Click on Settings.
  3. Scroll to Privacy and Security
  4. Click on Clear browsing data
  5. Check/Select only the checkbox at Cached images and files
  6. Click on the Clear data button

Phone / Tablet

Clearing the cache in Google Chrome on a phone or tablet works a little differently. Incidentally, clearing the web cache in Android Browser and Samsung browser works almost the same as clearing the web cache in Google Chrome on mobile / tablet, namely:

  1. Open Chrome.
  2. Press the menu button.
  3. Go to Settings.
  4. Opt for Privacy.
  5. Choose at the bottom for Clear browsing data.
  6. Select Cache and Cookies and site data.
  7. Confirm deletion by pressing Clear.

Clearing cache in Microsoft Edge

Since Microsoft Edge is based on Chromium of Google Chrome, clearing the web cache works almost the same as with Google Chrome, namely:

  1. Click on the three dots . . . 
  2. Click on Settings
  3. Go to Clear browsing data
  4. Click on Choose what to clear
  5. Check Cached data and files
  6. Click on Clear

 

Clearing cache in Safari

On the Mac

You can clear the Safari web cache on a MAC by following these steps:

  1. Click on Safari in the browser's menu bar
  2. Choose Preferences
  3. Open the last tab Advanced
  4. Check the option at the bottom Show Develop menu in menu bar

iPhone / iPad

If you want to clear your Safari web cache on the iPhone or iPad, you can do so in the following way:

  1. Open your settings.
  2. Opt for Safari.
  3. Choose at the bottom for Clear history and website data.
  4. Confirm deletion by pressing Clear history and data.

Clearing cache in Mozilla Firefox

On a Desktop / Laptop / MAC

If you want to clear the web cache of Firefox on a desktop, laptop, or MAC, then do the following:

  1. Choose under Tools the item Options
    or use the menu icon and then choose Options
  2. Click on Privacy & Security in the left panel
  3. Scroll to Cookies and Site Data
  4. Click on the button Clear Data ....
  5. Select only the checkbox at Cached web content
  6. Click on the button Clear

Phone / Tablet

Clearing the web cache of Firefox on mobile or tablet works a bit differently than on the desktop, laptop, or MAC, namely:

  1. Open Firefox.
  2. Press the top right menu key.
  3. Go to Privacy.
  4. Choose under the heading Clear private data for Clear now.
  5. Check Cookies & active logins, Cache, Offline website data, and Site settings.
  6. Confirm deletion by pressing Clear data.