How to Clear Your Browser Cache in Chrome and Edge (2026)

Your browser stores copies of web pages and their resources so it doesn't have to re-download them every time you visit. This is called cache, and it makes browsing faster. But it can also cause problems, hold stale content, and in some cases store data that's worth clearing out.

What Does Browser Cache Actually Store?

When you visit a website, your browser downloads the HTML, CSS, JavaScript files, images, and fonts needed to display that page. Rather than downloading all of that again on your next visit, the browser saves it locally. Next time you load the page, it checks whether the cached version is still current and uses it if so.

The result is noticeably faster page loads, especially on sites you visit frequently.

Cache is not the same as cookies. Clearing cache doesn't log you out of anything.

Why You Might Want to Clear It

You're seeing an outdated version of a website. The most common reason. If a site has updated its design or content but you're still seeing the old version, clearing cache forces your browser to download the current files.

You're troubleshooting a problem. Many browser issues clear up after a cache reset. It's usually the first thing support teams recommend.

Privacy. Cached files can include resources loaded from third-party domains, which creates a minor tracking surface. Some cached JavaScript files also contain analytics or tracking code. This is a smaller privacy concern than cookies, but it's worth clearing periodically.

Storage. Over time, cache can take up a significant amount of disk space.

How to Clear Cache in Chrome

1. Click the three dots in the top right corner
2. Go to Settings, then Privacy and security
3. Click Delete browsing data
4. Choose your time range (select "All time" for a complete clear)
5. Make sure Cached images and files is checked
6. Click Delete data

You can also press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows or Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac to open the dialog directly.

How to Clear Cache in Microsoft Edge

1. Click the three dots in the top right corner
2. Go to Settings, then Privacy, search, and services
3. Under "Clear browsing data", click Choose what to clear
4. Select Cached images and files
5. Click Clear now

The same keyboard shortcut applies: Ctrl+Shift+Delete.

Hard Reload vs Cache Clear

If you just want to force a fresh load of a single page without clearing your entire cache, you can do a hard reload. In Chrome and Edge, press Ctrl+Shift+R on Windows or Cmd+Shift+R on Mac. This tells the browser to ignore cached versions for that one page.

Cache vs Other Stored Data

Clearing cache is just one part of cleaning up browser storage. Websites also store data in cookies, local storage, and IndexedDB databases. These are separate from cache and require separate clearing.

If you want to see everything a particular website has stored in your browser across all storage types, Permission Trail gives you that breakdown in a single view. It's useful for identifying which sites have stored the most data and clearing specific sites without having to touch everything else.

How Often Should You Clear Cache?

For most people, clearing cache once a month or when you're troubleshooting is enough. The everyday benefit of keeping cache is real: faster browsing. Clear it when you have a reason to, not as a constant habit.