How To Clear Google Chrome And Firefox Website Browser Caches

Hi All,

Website browsers save small amounts of data to your computer in order to load prior visited websites more quickly. This is called a website browser cache.

A website data cache works well as the websites you frequent require less time to access. However, if the website you're visiting cannot load certain functions or you know that the website has changed and cannot see the changes, then this is because the data cache has stored the information for the site before the site changes occurred.

To gain access to these functions again or to view the changes you have made, you will need to clear the web browser's cache.

Different website browsers have different methods of clearing the cache.

It is highly recommended that you also clear the web browser's history.

This article will explain to you how to clear the cache and delete the history on the two most popular browsers- Firefox and Google Chrome.

Please Note: Before you begin, make sure you have added to your favourites/bookmarks list any website you might want to re-visit.
After you have cleared the cache and history, the auto-fill function for the URL box will no longer auto-fill unless you have the website added to your favourites/bookmarks.

GOOGLE CHROME

It is very easy to delete the history and cache on Google Chrome.

At the top right of your browser you will see 3 horizontal lines (). As seen highlighted below:

<-his is from a windows machine but it will be in the same location on Macintosh.

When you click on this icon, a drop down menu will appear. In this menu find the item History. It should be the 7th item from the bottom of the list.

An alternative method is by holding down Control (CTRL) + H for Windows or Command + H for Macintosh.

This will bring up a new tab/ window in your web browser.

In this tab locate the item Clear browsing data

Once this item has been selected, a window will appear with a list of check boxes. Leave all boxes unchecked except for Browsing history and Cached images and files.

It is recommended to allow Chrome to delete these items from "the beginning of time".

As seen below:

When your window looks like the one above. Click on the Clear browsing data button.

This will clear your cache and history in Google Chrome.

FIREFOX

To delete your history and cache, go to the History button at the top of left of your Firefox window. On Macintosh computers it will be on the Apple Bar at the very top left of your computer monitor.

Once clicked on, it will drop down a menu.

In this menu, second from the top is Clear Recent History. Click on this.

A new window will appear with a variety of check boxes and an option to change the Time range. For best results change the Time range to clear to Everything.

In the checkboxes, leave all unchecked except for the following:

• Browsing & Download History
• Cookies
• Cache

Your window should look like the following:

Once this has been filled out, click the Clear Now button.

This will clear your cache and history for Firefox.

You will now be able to visit the sites you or your web developer have changed and have access to website functions if these had previously failed to work.

Please note that if the website function still does not work, then this is most likely a problem with the website server and not with your website browser.