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Clearing your browser's cache, cookies, and history

Each time you access a file through your web browser, the browser caches stores it. By doing this, the browser does not have to retrieve files (including any images) from the remote website each time you click Back or Forward. You should periodically clear the cache to allow your browser to function more efficiently.

A cookie is a file created by a web browser at the request of a website that is then stored on a computer. These files typically store user-specific information such as selections in a form, shopping cart contents, or authentication data. Browsers will normally clear cookies that reach a certain age, but clearing them manually may solve problems with websites or your browser.

A browser's history is a log of sites that you visit. When you press the back button in your browser, you are moving back one entry in the history log. Browsers will normally clear their history at regular intervals, but you may want to clear it manually for privacy reasons.

Windows

Mac OS X

iPhone OS (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad)

Android

Chrome

  1. In the address bar, enter chrome://settings/clearBrowserData.
  2. Select the items you want to clear (e.g. Clear browsing history, Clear download history, Empty the cache, Delete cookies and other site and plug-in data).
  3. From the Obliterate the following items from, choose the period of time for which you want to clear cached information. To clear your entire cache, select the beginning of time.
  4. Click Clear browsing data.

Internet Explorer 9 and 8

  1. Click the Tools link or press Alt-t.
  2. In the Tools menu, click the Delete Browsing History link.
  3. Check the option of Temporary Internet files, Cookies, and History.
  4. Click Delete.

Internet Explorer 7

  1. Click the Tools link or press Alt-t.
  2. In the Tools menu, click the Internet Options link.
  3. Under Browsing history, click Delete.
    • To delete your cache, click Delete files.
    • To delete your cookies, click Delete cookies.
    • To delete your history, click Delete history.
  4. Click Close, and then click OK to exit.

Firefox 3.5 and above for Windows

  1. Click the Tools link or press Alt-t.
  2. In the Tools menu, click the Options link.
  3. Click clear all current history link.
  4. Check the option of Browsing & Download History, Cookies, and Cache.
  5. Click Clear Now.

Firefox 3 for Windows

  1. Click the Tools link.
  2. In the Tools menu, select Clear Private Data.
  3. Select the Cache checkbox.
  4. Click Clear Private Data Now.

Safari for Mac OS

  1. Click the Tools link or click on icon.
  2. In the Tools menu, select the Reset Safari link.
  3. In the menu, select the items you want to reset, and then click Reset. As of Safari 5.1, Remove all website data covers both cookies and cache.

Firefox 3.5 and above for Mac OS X

  1. Click the Tools link.
  2. In the Tools menu, select Clear Recent History.
  3. From the Time range to clear drop-down menu, select the desired range. To clear your entire cache, select Everything.
  4. Click the down arrow next to Details to choose which elements to clear.
  5. Click Clear Now.

Firefox 3 for Mac OS X

  1. Click the Tools link.
  2. In the Tools menu, select Clear Recent History.
  3. Select the elements you want to clear (e.g., Browsing & Download History, Cache, Cookies).
  4. Click Clear Private Data Now.

Mobile Safari for iPhone OS (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad)

To clear cache and cookies:

  1. From the home screen, tap Settings, and then tap Safari.
  2. At the bottom of Safari's settings screen, tap the buttons for Clear Cookies and Clear Cache. To confirm, tap Clear Cookies or Clear Cache again.

To clear history:

  1. From the home screen, tap Safari.
  2. At the bottom of the screen, tap the Bookmarks icon.
  3. In the lower left, tap Clear.
  4. Tap Clear History.

Android

  1. Start your browser.
  2. Tap Menu, and then tap More.
  3. Select Settings.
  4. Under Privacy settings, select Clear cache, Clear history, or Clear all cookie data as appropriate, and then tap OK to accept (or Cancel to cancel) the deletion.

Notes:

If you do not see instructions below for your specific version or browser, search your browser's Help menu for clear cache. If you are unsure what browser version you are using, from the Help menu, select About [browser name]. In Internet Explorer and Firefox, if you do not see the menu bar, press Alt.

When troubleshooting issues with any website, after clearing your browser's cache and cookies, exit your browser completely before attempting to access the site again. In Windows, close all your browser windows; in Mac OS X, quit (Command-q) your browser.

Clearing your cookies will clear website passwords, sign-in information (whether sites recognize you), site-specific preferences, etc.


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