Having trouble opening a web page? Is your web browser unresponsive? Clearing your cache and/or cookies will often solve issues with web pages and browsers, like pages loading slowly or not at all.
- Cache refers to the temporary storage of website data in a user's browser. When a user visits a website, the browser downloads various files such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and images, and stores them in a cache on the user's computer. The next time the user visits the same website, the browser can retrieve some of these files from the cache rather than downloading them again, which can significantly speed up the loading time of the website.
- Cookies are small pieces of data that websites store on a user's computer. Cookies are typically used to remember user preferences, login information, and other information that can help personalize the user experience on a website. For example, a website might use a cookie to remember a user's login credentials so that they don't have to enter them every time they visit the site.
Sometimes, cookies or cached files become outdated or corrupted. This conflict can lead to weird glitches and slow loading times. Clearing your cache or cookies can help when nothing else seems to.
NOTE: While clearing your cache or cookies can help, be aware that after doing so, you may have to re-enter usernames, passwords, and other preferences on websites you visit frequently, which can be inconvenient. Websites may load more slowly initially, as the browser has to download all the files again. However, overall, clearing these can be a good practice for improving the performance and security of your web browsing experience.
Here are instructions on how to clear your cache and cookies in the three most popular browsers:
Clearing your cache and cookies in Google Chrome
Clearing your cache in Firefox
Using another device or browser? Visit How to Clear Cookies & Cache in Every Browser.