How to Delete Offline Content

Microsoft Internet Explorer is a popular Web browser, due in large part to its stock inclusion with virtually all PCs running the Windows operating system. Mozilla Firefox has come to rival Internet Explorer, as its upgrades allow for advanced features. The Mac platform browser, Safari, is increasing in popularity, as iTunes and other programs promote PC-based Apple software. Unfortunately, these three common browsers do have their downsides. As with many Web browsers, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari store offline content on your computer. According to Microsoft, cookies and other offline files are designed to decrease loading times for regularly viewed sites. While this does decrease loading times, it also decreases your available hard drive space. Additionally, when you open a video file in your browser, it is sometimes stored in a folder on your computer for quick recall, further chewing up your hard drive space. Luckily, you can delete this offline content with just a few steps in your browser itself and a simple out-of-browser operation, freeing up space on your PC.

Instructions

Internet Explorer

1. Open Microsoft Internet Explorer.

2. Click on the "Tools" menu, located near the top, right-hand side of the screen. This brings up a list of options.

3. Click on "Internet Options." A new window opens.

4. Click "Delete" under the "Browsing History" heading. This purges your system of offline cookies, DIST files, PNG files and XML files in your Temporary Internet Files folder. If you only want to delete certain offline files, leaving others intact, click the "View Files" button instead. Select the files you want to remove, then right-click and select "Delete."

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Mozilla Firefox.

2. Click on the "Tools" menu. This brings up several options.

3. Click to select "Clear Private Data." By default, the window for clearing private files includes "Browsing History," "Cache" and "Authenticated Sessions."

4. Click on the check boxes next to "Cookies" and "Offline Website Data" to select these options.

5. Click "Clear Private Data Now" to remove the selected offline settings and files.

Apple Safari

1. Open Apple Safari.

2. Click on the "Edit" menu, indicated with a black gear or cog symbol.

3. Click to select "Preferences." This opens a new window.

4. Click on the "Security" tab, located near the top of the "Preferences" window.

5. Click "Show Cookies" to view all offline cookies stored on your PC.

6. Select any cookies you want to delete and click "Remove," or simply click "Remove All" to get rid of all the offline cookie files.

Offline Video Files

1. Click the Windows "Start Menu."

2. Click "Computer" in Vista or "My Computer" in XP.

3. Click the folder labeled "Downloads" in Vista or "My Downloads" in XP to view any video files that were placed on your hard drive when you opened them online. This folder houses downloads from any of the three popular browsers: Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari.

4. Hold "Ctrl" and click on the files you want to remove to select them.

5. Right-click and select "Delete" to remove the selected downloaded files.

References

• Microsoft: Description of Cookies