When a computer’s browser runs into technical issues, clearing your cache and cookies is always the first suggested troubleshooting step to take. Too much data being built up in your browser can cause a lot of problems. Clearing it all out can lead to a smoother experience once again. It’s best you learn exactly how to clear your browser’s cache and cookies on Windows 10 as soon as possible.
Clear Cache and Cookies in Google Chrome
Step 1. Launch the Google Chrome browser in Windows 10.
Step 2. In the top-right corner, click the Tools menu (icon with three dotted lines).
Step 3. Click More tools, then choose Clear browsing data…
Step 4. Set the Time Range to the appropriate choice, checkmark “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files.”
Step 5. Click the Clear data button.
Step 6. Close out of Google Chrome completely and re-open it to save your changes.
Clear Cache and Cookies in Microsoft Edge
Step 1. Launch the Microsoft Edge browser.
Step 2. In the top-right corner, click the Tools menu (icon with three dotted lines).
Step 3. Select History.
Step 4. From the History menu, click the icon with three dots and select Clear browsing data.
Step 5. Select your time range from the drop-down menu, check all appropriate boxes, and click Clear now.
Step 6. Close out and restart Microsoft Edge for your changes to take effect.
Clear Cache and Cookies in Mozilla Firefox
Step 1. Launch the Mozilla Firefox browser.
Step 2. Open the Tools menu in the top-right corner (three stacked lines).
Step 3. Click History from the menu.
Step 4. Then click Clear Recent History…
Step 5. Select the Time range to clear from the drop-down, checkmark the Cookies and Cache boxes, then press OK.
Step 6. Close and relaunch Mozilla Firefox for your changes to take effect.
Clear Cache and Cookies in Internet Explorer
Step 1. Launch the Internet Explorer browser.
Step 2. Open the Settings menu in the top-right corner (Cog wheel icon).
Step 3. Select Internet options.
Step 4. Navigate to Browsing history in the General tab. If you’re planning on only clearing the cache and cookies of your current session, you can place a check in the box “Delete browsing history on exit,” click Apply, and then close out of Internet Explorer.
For a full deep cleaning of all cache and cookies history, click the Delete… button.
Following the second option from step 4, checkmark the boxes labeled “Temporary Internet files and website files” and “Cookies and website data,” then click Delete.
Step 5. Close and relaunch Internet Explorer for the changes to take effect.
Delete Browsing History and Cookies on Windows 10 in Control Panel
Step 1. Navigate to the Control Panel.
Step 2. Click on Network and Internet.
Step 3. Under Internet Options, click “Delete browsing history and cookies.”
Step 4. Click the Delete… button under Browsing history in the General tab.
Step 5. Checkmark the boxes labeled “Temporary Internet files and website files” and “Cookies and website data,” then click Delete.
Step 6. Click Apply, the OK.
Delete Browsing History and Cookies on Windows 10 in Local Group Policy
Step 1. Turn on your Local Group Policy Editor.
Step 2. Next, in the left side panel, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer > Delete Browsing History.
Step 3. In the right side window, double-click on “Allow deleting browser history on exit.”
Step 4. Change the radial to Enabled, then click Apply, and OK.
Clear Cache and Cookies on Windows 10 Using IOBit Advanced SystemCare
Step 1. Launch the Advanced SystemCare app.
Step 2. Open the Settings menu (three stacked lines) at the top-right portion of the Window.
Step 3. Choose Settings… from the menu.
Step 4. In the left side panel, navigate and click on Privacy Sweep.
Step 5. On the right side Window, under “Select the objects you want to clean:” scroll through and place a check in the appropriate boxes.
The choices vary depending on the browser(s) you have installed on your Windows 10 PC. Look out for boxes that show as Cookies, Cache, Internet Cache, or those with History in the title.
Step 6. Next, be sure to place a checkmark into the account you want to do a sweep of all privacy traces. Uncheck the box “Keep browser history for the last” to ensure all data is being purged.
Step 7. Click OK.
Step 8. Now click the large SCAN button in the Care tab of the main window.
Step 9. Allow the scan to complete.
FAQS About Cache and Cookies in Windows 10
What is a Cache?
A cache is a tool that your computer will use to help speed up your browsing. Your computer will “cache” pages that you frequent, to your hard drive for faster page loading.
What Are Cookies?
Aside from delicious treats, “Cookies” are information you’ve chosen to provide to specific websites. Your computer will remember the username, email, and passwords used on different sites and save them to your hard drive for convenience purposes.
Why is Clearing Cache and Cookies Important?
Oftentimes while browsing the internet, issues can arise when attempting to launch websites and videos. This is true even for sites and videos that used to open perfectly fine. The cache of your browser can become congested overtime causing these issues.
Another valid reason for clearing cache and cookies is to have your browser forget all previous activity, settings, and information. This is useful whenever a website changes or you wish to change the entered information like passwords, emails, and usernames.
Security purposes are yet another reason to clear cache and cookies on a regular basis. A Cache can slow down your browser but Cookies leave behind a trail of breadcrumbs that can be used for malicious intent in the wrong hands.
Clearing your cache and cookies after every web surfing session is great security practice. At the very least, cache and cookies should be cleared out weekly. Knowing how to delete cookies and clear out your cache in Windows 10 is paramount to a satisfactory web surfing experience. If you’re having issues with a website not loading that previously loaded just fine, clearing out your browser’s cache and cookies is a great starting point.