Should you clear your Cache and Cookies?
Yes, and there are some important reasons why. Clearing your browser cache and cookies is important when you find yourself troubleshooting for an Internet browsing issue. 'Cache' will sometimes cause an issue if a website has been updated and developed as files which were saved in your cache. These saved files may conflict with the code for that specific website. 'Cookies' may become an issue if the website cannot distinguish if requests have come from user who is actually using the machine or someone else. "Cookie neutrality" becomes something cyber-criminals can take advantage of to exploit a malicious action. Therefore, clearing your cache and cookies allows the user to be confident that if an issue arises, it is an issue with the browser itself.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Clearing Cache and Cookies on Popular Browsers
When you are using Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, or Mozilla Firefox you are able to easily clear these two by using a keyboard shortcut. Simultaneously press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to pull up the appropriate window.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure to quit/close the browser, regardless of which one, and re-open it after clearing the cache and cookies to make sure the browser refreshes properly!
For Google Chrome:
1. Click on the Tools menu (3 dots in a vertical line in the upper-right hand corner of the window).
2. Click History.
3. Then select Clear Browsing Data from the left-hand side. Make sure to set the Time Range to All time. Then, make sure to check-mark both Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. Then click Clear Data. The cache and cookies will be cleared. You should quit and restart the browser to refresh the page.
For Mozilla Firefox:
1. Click on the Tools menu (3 horizontal lines in the upper-right hand corner of the window).
2. From here click Settings (on Mac, it may be labeled Preferences).
3. The settings menu will come up and then you should click the Privacy & Security tab on the left-hand side.
4. The Privacy & Security window will open. Scroll down until you find the the Cookies and Site Data section. Then click Clear Data.
5. Another window will pop up. Make sure you check-mark both Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content. Then click Clear. The cache and cookies will be cleared. You should quit and restart the browser to refresh the page.
For Microsoft Edge:
1. Click on the Tools menu (3 dots in a horizontal line in the upper-right hand corner of the window).
2. From here click Settings (on Mac, it may be labeled Preferences).
3. Then click Privacy, search, and services on the left-hand side menu.
4. Then you will scroll down to the Clear browsing data section and click on the Choose what to clear button.
5. Check-mark Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. Make sure the Time range is set to All time Then click Clear now. The cache and cookies will be cleared. You should quit and restart the browser to refresh the page.
For Internet Explorer:
1. Click on the Settings button (the settings wheel in the upper-right hand corner of the window).
2. Then click on Internet Options near the bottom of the list.
3. Under the General tab, scroll down to the Browsing history section, and click Delete.
4. Check-mark the Temporary Internet files and website files, Cookies and website data, History, and Download History boxes. Then click Delete. The cache and cookies will be cleared. You should quit and restart the browser to refresh the page.
For Safari on macOS:
1. Click on the Safari button on the top-left hand menu bar. Then click Preferences.
2. In the Preferences menu, select the Privacy tab. Then click on Manage Website Data.
3. A window will pop up and you should click Remove All and then click Remove Now. The cache and cookies will be cleared. You should quit and restart the browser to refresh the page.
For Safari on iOS:
1. Go to the Settings app on your device. Scroll down and click the Safari button.
2. This will take you inside the Safari menu. Scroll down and click Clear History and Website Data.
3. When the pop-up appears to confirm you want to clear the data, click Clear History and Data. The button you just clicked will turn grey and disappear when the cache and cookies have successfully been cleared.
For Google Chrome on iOS:
1. Open Google Chrome on your device. Click on the Menu toolbar (3 dots in a horizontal line in the lower-right hand corner of the window). Select Settings. Then select Privacy.
2. Select Cookies, Site Data, and Cached Images and Files. Make sure to set the Time Range to All Time. Then click Clear Browsing Data at the bottom of the screen. Then confirm by clicking Clear Browsing Data again. The button you just clicked will turn grey and disappear when the cache and cookies have successfully been cleared.