What Does Clearing Cache Do and How to Clear Cache on Any Device

Your browser, operating system, and applications store temporary files called cache to speed up routine operations. When you visit a website, your browser saves copies of images, scripts, and page layouts. The next time you return, the browser loads these cached files instead of downloading everything again, which makes pages appear faster.

But cache accumulates over time. Stale cache data causes websites to display outdated content, applications to malfunction, and devices to consume unnecessary storage space. Understanding when and how to clear cache is a fundamental troubleshooting skill that resolves a surprising number of everyday technology problems.

Table of Contents

1. What Is Cache and How It Works
2. What Clearing Cache Actually Does
3. When You Should Clear Cache
4. Clearing Browser Cache
5. Clearing Operating System Cache
6. Clearing Cache on Mobile Devices
7. Application-Specific Cache
8. What Clearing Cache Does NOT Delete

What Is Cache and How It Works

Cache is a temporary storage layer that sits between your device and the data it requests. Think of it as a short-term memory system:

• Browser cache: Stores HTML files, CSS stylesheets, JavaScript, images, and fonts from websites you visit.
• DNS cache: Stores the mapping between domain names (like google.com) and IP addresses.
• System cache: Stores temporary files that the operating system generates during normal operation.
• Application cache: Stores data specific to individual applications, such as thumbnails in a photo viewer or offline maps in a navigation app.

Each type serves a performance purpose. The browser does not need to re-download a 2 MB stylesheet every time you navigate between pages on the same site. The operating system does not need to re-compute thumbnail previews for files you already viewed. These optimizations save bandwidth, reduce page load times, and decrease CPU usage.

What Clearing Cache Actually Does

Clearing cache removes these temporary files from storage. The immediate effects include:

1. Fresh content loading: Websites load the latest versions of all files from the server instead of using outdated local copies.
2. Freed storage space: Cached files can consume anywhere from a few hundred megabytes to several gigabytes. Clearing them recovers this space immediately.
3. Resolved conflicts: Corrupted cache files that cause rendering errors, login issues, or application crashes are eliminated.
4. Privacy improvement: Cached images and files can reveal your browsing history to anyone with access to your device.

The trade-off is that the first visit to each website after clearing cache will be slightly slower, as the browser must re-download all resources. This slowdown is temporary -- the cache rebuilds itself as you browse.

Tip: Clearing cache is a safe operation. It does not delete your bookmarks, saved passwords, browsing history, or personal files. The worst that happens is a brief slowdown on your first visit to each site.

When You Should Clear Cache

Clear your cache in these situations:

• Website displays incorrectly: Styles are broken, images are missing, or layout appears wrong after a site update.
• Login problems: You cannot log in despite entering correct credentials, or the site shows outdated session information.
• Storage running low: Your device reports low disk space and cache occupies a significant portion.
• After developer changes: Web developers who deploy updated CSS or JavaScript should clear cache (or instruct users to) to see changes.
• Privacy maintenance: Before lending your device to someone else or using a shared computer.
• Application errors: An app crashes repeatedly, freezes, or displays stale data.

Clearing Browser Cache

Google Chrome

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+Delete (Mac).
2. In the dialog, select Cached images and files.
3. Choose a time range: All time to clear everything, or a specific period.
4. Click Clear data.

Alternatively, navigate to chrome://settings/clearBrowserData in the address bar.

Microsoft Edge

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete.
2. Select Cached images and files.
3. Choose the time range and click Clear now.

Edge shares the Chromium engine with Chrome, so the process and options are nearly identical.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+Delete (Mac).
2. Check Cache in the list of items to clear.
3. Select the time range and click Clear Now.

You can also go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data.

Apple Safari

1. Open Safari > Settings (or Preferences).
2. Go to the Advanced tab and enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
3. Click Develop > Empty Caches in the menu bar.
4. Alternatively, press Option+Cmd+E.

For a more thorough clean, use Safari > Clear History which removes cache, cookies, and browsing history together.

Clearing Operating System Cache

Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows stores temporary files in several locations. The safest way to clear them:

1. Open Settings > System > Storage.
2. Click Temporary files.
3. Review the list of file categories. Check Temporary files, Windows Update Cleanup, and Delivery Optimization Files.
4. Click Remove files.

For advanced users, the Disk Cleanup utility provides additional options:

1. Press Win+R, type cleanmgr, and press Enter.
2. Select the drive (usually C:).
3. Click Clean up system files for a comprehensive list.
4. Select categories and click OK.

macOS

macOS manages system cache automatically, but you can manually clear it:

1. Open Finder.
2. Press Cmd+Shift+G to open the Go to Folder dialog.
3. Enter ~/Library/Caches and press Enter.
4. Review the folders. Each corresponds to an application.
5. Select the cache folders you want to clear and move them to Trash.
6. Empty Trash and restart your Mac.

Warning: Do not delete the entire Caches folder. Remove only the contents of specific application cache subfolders. Deleting the wrong folder may cause applications to lose saved preferences or require re-authentication.

Clearing DNS Cache

The DNS cache stores recent domain name resolution results. If a website has changed servers but your DNS cache points to the old IP address, you may encounter connection errors.

Windows:

ipconfig /flushdns

macOS:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Linux (systemd-based):

sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches

Clearing Cache on Mobile Devices

Android

Android allows per-app cache clearing:

1. Open Settings > Apps (or Applications).
2. Select the specific app.
3. Tap Storage.
4. Tap Clear Cache.

To clear all app caches at once on some Android versions:

1. Open Settings > Storage.
2. Tap Cached data.
3. Confirm that you want to clear cached data for all apps.

iPhone and iPad (iOS)

iOS does not provide a system-wide cache clearing option. You must clear cache per app:

1. Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
2. Select the app you want to clear.
3. Choose Offload App (preserves data, removes app binary) or Delete App (removes everything, then reinstall).

For Safari on iOS:

1. Open Settings > Safari.
2. Tap Clear History and Website Data.
3. Confirm the action.

Application-Specific Cache

Microsoft Office

Office applications store cache in the following locations:

• Word/Excel/PowerPoint: File > Options > Advanced > Web Options > Delete Files (clears Office web cache).
• Outlook: File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Data Files > Open File Location > close Outlook and delete the .ost file (Outlook will rebuild it on next launch).
• OneDrive: Settings > Office > Clear cache (within OneDrive settings).

Teams and Slack

Microsoft Teams: Quit Teams completely, then delete the cache folder:

# Windows
%appdata%\Microsoft\Teams\Cache

# macOS
~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Teams/Cache

Slack: Use Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac) to force a cache refresh while the app is running. For a full clear, quit Slack and delete the cache from the app data directory.

What Clearing Cache Does NOT Delete

It is important to understand what remains untouched when you clear cache:

NOT Deleted	Where It Is Stored
Saved passwords	Password manager / browser credential store
Bookmarks / favorites	Browser bookmarks database
Browsing history	Separate from cache (deleted only if you also select history)
Downloads	Downloads folder on your device
Autofill data	Browser autofill database
Personal files	Documents, photos, videos, etc.
Application settings	Configuration files separate from cache

Clearing cache targets temporary files only. Your personal data, configurations, and credentials remain intact. This makes cache clearing a low-risk troubleshooting step that you can perform regularly without worrying about data loss.

Recommended schedule: Clear your browser cache once a month and application cache when you notice performance issues or stale content. DNS cache should be cleared whenever you change networks or experience website resolution errors.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I clear my browser cache?

For most users, clearing the browser cache once a month is sufficient. Clear it more frequently if you notice websites displaying outdated content, or if your browser becomes sluggish. Web developers may want to clear cache after every deployment to verify that changes are visible.

Does clearing cache delete saved passwords?

No. Saved passwords are stored separately from cached files. When you clear cache, select only "Cached images and files" to preserve your passwords, bookmarks, and browsing history. If you accidentally select "Passwords" or "Autofill data," those will be removed as well.

Will clearing cache make my computer faster?

It depends. If your storage drive is nearly full and cache occupies a large amount of space, clearing it can improve overall system performance by freeing up storage. If you have ample free space, the performance impact is minimal. Cache clearing primarily resolves specific issues like stale content and application errors rather than providing a general speed boost.

What is the difference between clearing cache and clearing cookies?

Cache stores copies of website files (images, scripts, stylesheets) to speed up page loading. Cookies store small pieces of data about your interactions with websites, such as login sessions, preferences, and tracking identifiers. Clearing cache affects page load speed; clearing cookies signs you out of websites and resets preferences.

Can I clear cache on a specific website only?

Yes. In Chrome, go to the website, click the lock icon in the address bar, select "Site settings," and click "Clear data." In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Manage Data, search for the site, and click "Remove Selected." This targeted approach preserves cache for all other sites.