IT basics
Why IT asks you to clear your browser cache
A website looks broken for you but fine for everyone else. The help desk asks you to clear your cache.
1 min readExplainer
The short version
Your browser keeps copies of website pieces to load them faster. Old copies sometimes cause odd problems; clearing them forces a fresh start.
What the cache is
When you visit a website, your browser saves copies of parts of it, such as images, styles and scripts. Next time, it uses those copies instead of downloading everything again, so pages load faster.
Why it causes problems
If a website changes but your browser keeps using old copies, the two can clash. Pages look broken, buttons do not work, or you keep seeing an old version. Saved cookies can cause similar trouble with signing in.
How to clear it
- Try a hard refresh first: press Ctrl + F5 on Windows or Command + Shift + R on a Mac. This reloads the page without using saved copies.
- Chrome and Edge: press Ctrl + Shift + Delete, choose a time range, tick cached images and files, and clear.
- Safari: open Settings, then Privacy, then Manage Website Data.
What to expect
Clearing cookies as well as the cache will sign you out of websites, so have your passwords ready, ideally in a password manager. Pages may load a little slower the first time afterward.
Try a private window
Opening the site in a private or InPrivate window is a quick test. If it works there, the problem is almost certainly something saved in your normal browser.
Talk to us about your technology
Tell us what you run today and what is getting in the way. We will get back to you about how we can help.