When you’re browsing pages on the web, Google Chrome saves certain parts of them, such as the images, so that they load faster the next time you visit. This is called “caching.”
Caching makes browsing faster, especially if you have a slow Internet connection. But it can sometimes cause the websites you visit to appear broken. If a website is updated but Google Chrome has the old version stored in the cache, then you’ll need to clear that cache.
This guide will show you how to clear the cache on Google Chrome, on your computer as well as on your tablet or phone.
Clear the Cache on Your Computer
Step 1: Fire up Google Chrome.
Step 2: Click on the icon with the three dots in the upper right corner.
Step 3: Go to Settings.
Step 4: Switch to the “Privacy and security” tab from the left sidebar.
Step 5: Click on “Clear browsing data.”
Step 6: Make sure that “Cached images and files” are ticked, then click on the blue “Clear data” button.
You’re all set!
Once you’ve cleared the cached images and files, refresh your tabs and continue browsing the Internet.
If you were experiencing a problem with a website and the culprit was your Google Chrome browser’s local cache, it should be fixed now.
Clear the Cache on Your Phone
Step 1: Unlock your phone and open the Google Chrome app.
Step 2: Click on the icon with the three dots in the lower right corner of the screen.
Step 3: Tap on Settings.
Step 4: Scroll down, then find “Privacy” and tap on it.
Step 5: Tap on “Clear Browsing Data.”
Step 6: The “Clear Browsing Data” screen will open up.
Set “Time Range” to “All Time” and make sure that the “Cached Images and Files” option is ticked. (You can also clear other items from your browsing data, such as your browsing history, from this screen.)
Tap on the “Clear Browsing Data” button.
What Does Clearing the Cache Do?
If you’re wondering what exactly clearing Google Chrome’s cache does, we have the answers you’re looking for.
When you clear the cache, Google Chrome deletes the images, stylesheets, and scripts that it has stored on your computer to speed up the loading of the websites that you return to.
Clearing the cache won’t sign you out of the website you’re signed into, nor will it delete your saved passwords or payment methods in Google Pay. It will simply free up some space on your computer’s hard drive.
It also fixes problems loading and styling websites when the root cause of the problem was the cached files. (Which is very often the case).
Wrapping It Up
The browser cache is one of the features that are there to make your browsing experience faster and better. Until a website gets updated—but you have the old version in the cache—which causes it to appear broken.
The good news is that clearing the cache usually does the trick. And now you know how to do it!
