In this article:
- How to Force Hard Refresh a Single Page
- How to Clear Browser Cache for Google Chrome
- How to Clear Browser Cache for Edge
- How to Clear Browser Cache for Firefox
- How to Clear Browser Cache for Internet Explorer 11
- How to Clear Browser Cache for Opera
The browser cache is a storage area that contains saved web files from the websites you’ve visited. Usually, this is a good thing because it decreases the load time for websites you visit by eliminating the need to re-download web elements every time you visit. For example, elements like a logo, an icon, or a button do not change often and do not need to be downloaded every time you load a particular webpage.
However, when trying to complete website updates, your browser cache could slow your progress, resulting in the inability for you to see recent website changes. Clearing your browser cache is also the first step when trying to diagnose other web issues.
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How to Clear Browser Cache
Force Hard Refresh a Single Page
In some instances, you’ll only need to perform a ‘hard refresh’ or ‘force refresh’ instead of navigating to the browser’s settings to clear the cache. This is especially true if you only need a complete refresh of a certain page. Here are a few keys you can try, make sure you press them at the same time:
- Windows and Linux browsers: CTRL + F5
- Safari: SHIFT + Reload
- Chrome and Firefox for Mac: CMD + SHIFT + R
Google Chrome
To clear your cache in Google Chrome, press CTRL + SHIFT + DEL at the same time. If you’re on a Mac, press CMD + SHIFT + DEL. A new tab will open with a window titled ‘Clear browsing data.’ You can then choose the amount of data to be deleted by selecting an option under the ‘Time range’ dropdown. Once your time range is selected and the checkbox next to ‘Cached images and files’ is checked, click ‘Clear data’ to clear your cache.
Edge
To clear your cache in Edge, press CTRL + SHIFT + DEL at the same time and a settings side panel will appear. If you’re on a Mac, press CMD + SHIFT + DEL. Make sure the checkbox next to ‘Cached data and files,’ is checked, then click ‘Clear’ to clear your cache.
Firefox
To clear your cache in Firefox, press CTRL + SHIFT + DEL at the same time. If you’re on a Mac, press CMD + SHIFT + DEL. A window titled ‘Clear Recent History’ will appear. You can then choose the amount of data to be deleted by selecting an option under the ‘Time range to clear’ dropdown. Once your time range is selected and the checkbox next to ‘Cache’ is checked, click ‘Clear Now’ to clear your cache.
Internet Explorer
To clear your cache in Internet Explorer, press CTRL + SHIFT + DEL at the same time. A window titled ‘Delete Browsing History’ will appear. Make sure the checkbox next to ‘Temporary Internet files and website files’ is checked, then click ‘Delete’ to clear your cache.
Opera
To clear your cache in Opera, press CTRL + SHIFT + DEL at the same time. If you’re on a Mac, press CMD + SHIFT + DEL. A new tab will open with a window titled ‘Clear browsing data.’ You can then choose the amount of data to be deleted by selecting an option under the ‘Time range’ dropdown. Once your time range is selected and the checkbox next to ‘Cached images and files’ is checked, click ‘Clear data’ to clear your cache
Now you know how to clear your cache in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera.
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