How to Empty Your Web Browser Cache
A browser cache takes up hard drive space by saving image files and pages from commonly visited websites to speed up loading each time you access the website. This can improve your browsing experience but may also take up a large amount of space on your hard drive. Emptying your cache, however, is a simple process.
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Instructions
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Firefox
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1
Click "Tools" on the menu bar at the top of the window, and then click "Clear Recent History..." from the menu. A "Clear Recent History" window appears.
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2
Next to "Time range to clear:" select "Everything" from the drop-down menu.
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3
Click the down arrow button next to "Details."Check the "Cache" box only and uncheck any other boxes that are checked by default. Click "Clear Now" and your cache will be emptied.
Internet Explorer
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4
Click "Tools" on the menu bar at the top of the window, and then click "Delete Browsing History" from the menu. A "Delete Browsing History" window appears.
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5
In Internet Explorer, the cache is called "Temporary Internet Files." Check this box only and uncheck any other boxes that are checked by default.
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6
Click "Delete" and your cache will be emptied.
Chrome
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7
Click on the wrench icon near the upper right corner of the window.
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8
Click "Clear Browsing Data" on the resulting menu.
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9
Check only the box next to "Empty the cache" and uncheck any other boxes that are checked by default. In the drop-down menu next to "Clear data from this period:" select "Everything." Click "Clear browsing data" and your cache will be emptied.
Safari
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10
Click on the Safari menu and select "Reset Safari."
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11
Select only "Empty the cache" and unselect any other items that are selected by default.
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12
Click "Reset" and your cache will be emptied.
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1
Tips & Warnings
The previous steps are based on the most recent version of each browser as of January 2010. If these steps do not work for you, consult your browser's Help file for instructions.
