How do I clear my web browser's cache, cookies, and history?

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

Note: 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.

On this page:

• About cache, cookies, and history
• Windows
  • Internet Explorer 8 and above
  • Internet Explorer 7
  • Firefox 3.5 and above
  • Firefox 3
  • Chrome
• Mac OS X
  • Safari
  • Firefox 3.5 and above
  • Firefox 3
• iPhone OS (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad)
  • Mobile Safari
• Android
  • Android

About cache, cookies, and history

Each time you access a file through your web browser, the browser caches (i.e., stores) it. Thus, the browser doesn't have to newly retrieve files (including any images on the page) from the remote web site 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 web site, that is 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 web sites or your browser.

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

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Internet Explorer 8 and above

1. From the Safety menu in the upper right, click Delete Browsing History... .
   
   
2. Deselect Preserve Favorites website data, and select Temporary Internet files, Cookies, and History.
   
   
3. Click Delete.

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Internet Explorer 7

1. From the Tools menu in the upper right, select Internet Options.
   
   
2. Under "Browsing history", click Delete... .
   
   
3. 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.

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Firefox 3.5 and above for Windows

1. From the Tools menu, select Clear Recent History... .
   
   
2. From the Time range to clear: drop-down menu, select the desired range; to clear your entire cache, select Everything.
   
   
3. Click the down arrow next to "Details" to choose what history elements to clear (e.g., check Cookies to clear cookies). Click Clear Now.

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Firefox 3 for Windows

1. From the Tools menu, select Clear Recent History... , and then select the items you want to delete (e.g., Browsing & Download History, Cache, Cookies).
   
   
2. Click Clear Recent History... .

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Chrome

1. In the browser 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).

   You can choose the period of time for which you want to clear cached information from the Obliterate the following items from: drop-down menu. To clear your entire cache, select the beginning of time.

3. Click Clear browsing data.

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Safari

1. From the Safari menu, select Reset Safari... .
   
   
2. From 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.

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Firefox 3.5 and above for Mac OS X

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

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Firefox 3 for Mac OS X

1. In Firefox, from the Tools menu, select Clear Recent History.
   
   
2. Select the elements you want to clear (e.g., Browsing & Download History, Cache, Cookies), and then click Clear Private Data Now.

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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.

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Android

To clear cache, cookies, or history:

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.

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