Is your computer running slower? Are web pages not loading properly in your browser? Maybe it’s time to learn how to clear cache? Cache files are small data pieces stored on your computer to help speed up future processes, like loading the same page faster. When they are few, they help speed things up. But when they accumulate, they can slow down your system. You can delete them yourself using our tips.
Earlier we wrote – How to Clear Cache on iPhone – 5 Different Methods.
How to Clear Cache on Windows
The most popular OS, Windows, unfortunately, tends to collect junk. Let’s get rid of the unnecessary files:
- Delete Temporary Files. Click the “Start” button and type %TEMP% in the search bar. A folder with temporary files opens that you can safely delete. If something doesn’t delete, skip it, as it might be in use.
- Clear DNS Cache. These are the addresses of websites you visited or tried to visit. Click Start, type cmd in the search bar, then type ipconfig/flushdns.
- Clear Windows Updates. Type cleanmgr through cmd. Select disk C, clean system files, and clean updates.
How to Clear Cache on macOS and Linux
Apple’s OS can also get cluttered. So, let’s see how to clear cache on macOS. The simplest way is using specialized software like Clean MyMacX. You can also manually clear the application cache – delete the contents of all /Library/Caches folders, leaving the directories empty.
With Linux, it’s a bit more complex. There are many variations of Linux, making them flexible. They all have three types of cache with different clearing methods:
- Page Cache. Stores recently used disk data in memory for faster access next time. Clear it with the command $ sync && echo 1 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches.
- Dentry and Inode Cache. Dentry cache stores directory entries, speeding up file path searches, and inode cache stores file information. Clear them with sync && echo 2 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches.
- Clear All Three Caches. Use the command sync && echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches.
How to Clear Cache in Browsers
Browser history is a list of all the pages you visited on the Internet and the times you visited them. In many families, computers are shared, so anyone can see which sites you visited. Using a work computer for entertainment can also be revealed through history. Moreover, a cluttered browser can slow down. Let’s figure out how to clear cache in various browsers on your computer.
How to Clear Cache in Google Chrome
In the upper right corner of the Google Chrome window, there is a button with three dots. Click it and select “More tools” from the drop-down menu, then “Clear browsing data.” Here you can choose what to delete:
- Browsing history.
- Download history (the downloaded items remain on the computer).
- Cookies.
- Cached images and files.
- Saved passwords, etc. You can also select the time range to delete – an hour, a day, a week, a month, or all time.
How to Clear Cache in Microsoft Edge
The Microsoft Edge browser, like Google Chrome, is built on Chromium, so they have a lot in common. Click the same three-dot button and navigate to Settings – Privacy, search, and services – Clear browsing data. Here you can select what to clear.
How to Clear Cache in Safari
Safari is the primary browser for macOS. Clearing cache on it is very simple. Click History – Clear History. In the window, select the time period for which you want to delete history along with cache and cookies. If you want to delete selectively, click History – Show All History and choose what to delete.
How to Clear Cache in Mozilla Firefox
This is another popular browser that gets cluttered with cache. To clear it, go to the menu and select Settings – Privacy & Security. History is at the bottom, so you’ll need to scroll. In the section, there is a “Clear History” button. Click it to choose the time range to clear and what specific data to delete.
How to Clear Cache in Opera
In the main menu in Opera, on the left navigation panel, click the clock icon to enter History. You will see a “Clear browsing data” button with settings almost identical to Chrome. This is because Opera is also built on Chromium. You can also access History through the top right menu by selecting “Security.”
How to Clear Cache in Different Browsers – Video
To learn more about clearing cache in different browsers, watch the video:
Conclusion
Cache helps speed up your browser and computer. But when it accumulates too much, the effect is opposite. Therefore, it’s important to know how to clear cache and do it regularly, remembering to clear both the OS and browser cache.
FAQs About How to Clear Cache
It helps resolve some loading issues with websites, free up memory, and protect privacy.
It depends on the intensity of computer use. Usually, it’s sufficient to do it once every few weeks.
Clearing cache usually does not affect saved passwords and bookmarks. Moreover, you always have the option to choose what to delete and what not.
The cache clearing process in mobile browsers is similar to that on a PC.