How to Clear the Web Browser Cache

How to Clear the Web Browser Cache

Symptom

1. Home space becomes full or browser reacts extremely slow.
2. Browser is showing outdated pages.

Cause
Web browsers store temporary files for each web page visited. This mechanism, known as "cache," allows the browsers to render a page faster the second time it is visited. The downside is that browser cache files can fill up a home space if not properly managed, can cause a web browser to react slowly or show an outdated page.

Solution
Clear the cache in web browsers regularly. Here are the instructions for each browser: Safari, Firefox, or Internet Explorer.

Safari

1. Open Safari
2. Select Safari->Empty Caches
3. Click "Empty" button to empty the cache.

Firefox

1. Open Firefox
2. Select Firefox->Preferences
3. Click "Advanced", then "Network."
4. Under "Offline Storage," click "Clear Now."

More information is located at the Firefox website.

Internet Explorer

1. On the Internet Explorer Tools menu, click Internet Options. The Internet Options box should open to the General tab.
2. On the General tab, in the Browsing History section, click the Delete button. This will delete all the files that are currently stored in your cache.
3. Click Delete again, and then click OK.

Tip: You can adjust your Internet Explorer settings to automatically clear the cache whenever you close Internet Explorer. Go to the Tools menu, and click Internet Options. Click the Advanced tab. In the "Settings" box, scroll down to the section labeled "Security," and click to check the box next to the "Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed" option. Click OK to finish. This option does not delete cookies, but it will clear your cache of other files when you close your browser.