FAQs
The cache and cookies should be cleared regularly for several reasons. Depending on your settings, the cache can grow quite big, use a lot of disk space on your computer and cause slow web browsing. The cache can also cause issues when viewing new versions of previously visited web pages.
Should I clear cache and cookies on my computer? ›
The cache and cookies should be cleared regularly for several reasons. Depending on your settings, the cache can grow quite big, use a lot of disk space on your computer and cause slow web browsing. The cache can also cause issues when viewing new versions of previously visited web pages.
How do I clear my computer's cache cookies? ›
How to Clear Cache and Cookies on Google Chrome for Windows. Open 'Google Chrome'. Click the 'three dots ⋮' for the menu, select 'More Tools', then 'Clear browsing data'. Choose a time range, or select 'All time' to delete everything.
What happens when you clear cache and cookies? ›
Clearing your browser's cache and cookies means that website settings (like usernames and passwords) will be deleted and some sites might appear to be a little slower because all of the images have to be loaded again.
How often should you clear your cache and cookies? ›
How often should you clear browser cache and cookies? It depends. In general, it is good to clear them as often as you can, and when you need to. Although caching generally works well, sometimes websites may have formatting or loading issues.
Is there a downside to clearing the cache? ›
A common concern is that clearing your cache might delete the images, songs, documents, and other files you have downloaded from website you have visited, but those files are different to your web browser cache. So rest assured that simply clearing your cache won't affect the files you have saved.
What do I lose when I clear my cache? ›
You might clear your cache because you are having problems with a website and want to try again with a "clean slate". Clearing the cache will remove all the temporary copies of a website and it's files, and the next time you visit the site it will be freshly downloaded (and hopefully without problems).
Does clearing the cache delete passwords? ›
Cache refers to a temporary storage area on your device that stores recently visited web pages, so technically if you only clear the cached images and files, there are no passwords to worry about.
How do I clean junk files from my computer? ›
To delete temporary files:
- In the search box on the taskbar, type disk cleanup, and select Disk Cleanup from the list of results.
- Select the drive you want to clean up, and then select OK.
- Under Files to delete, select the file types to get rid of. To get a description of the file type, select it.
- Select OK.
How to clear the cache in a computer? ›
If you have a keyboard: Press Ctrl + Shift + Del to open the "Clear browsing data" window. Select All time from the drop-down. Click Clear now to clear your temporary internet files.
Erasing cookies may help speed up your computer. However, deleting information can make it take longer to log in to websites you frequently visit.
What will I lose if I clear cookies? ›
Clearing cookies means losing certain conveniences: Saved logins: You'll need to log back into websites again. Site preferences: Any settings specific to a website will be reset. Shopping carts: Items in your shopping cart might be cleared.
Will clearing cache and cookies delete history? ›
By clearing the cache and cookies you are telling your computer to forget all previous activity, settings, and information. It is the internet equivalent of “turning it off and back on again”.
Is it good to clear all browsing history? ›
Clearing this data on a regular basis can not only improve the performance of your device and your browser, but it can also protect your privacy. Learn how to clear your browser history beyond your search data and recent websites.
Does clearing cookies free up memory? ›
This can impact your device's performance in several ways: Storage: Clearing cookies primarily benefits performance. Each website visit uses cookies, which consume storage space. Clearing cookies frees up storage and enhances your device's performance.
Will clearing cache delete my data? ›
When you clear cache, the stored data of any app or browser that you clear is wiped out. That means apps and websites will load files (photos, videos, etc.) from the internet rather than retrieving them from your phone.
What happens if I clear the cache on my computer? ›
By clearing the cache and cookies you are telling your computer to forget all previous activity, settings, and information. It is the internet equivalent of “turning it off and back on again”.
Is there a downside to clearing browser history? ›
Some of your settings might be deleted when clearing your browser history. For example, you might have to re-sign into your accounts. If you want to delete cookies and cache for a specific site, you can learn how to change more cookie settings in Chrome.