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How to clear your browser cache

If you are having problems with your web browser--slowness, unresponsive sites, errors no matter what site you visit--you may benefit from clearing your browser cache.

Depending on your browser, you may find this in the Tools, Options, or Preferences settings. Look for History or Privacy options.

IE, Firefox, or Chrome browser, you can bring this up quickly with a keyboard shortcut:

  • On a PC: Ctrl-Shift-Delete
  • On a Mac: Command-Shift-Delete

What to clear

You may see different categories of items depending on your browser and settings. You don't necessarily need to clear everything, but if you are having problems with your browser, minimally clear these items:

Cache/Temporary Internet Files: local copies of all website files, retained temporarily to speed up browsing

Cookies: small text files used to save preferences, logins, and other information

History: a list of visited sites

If you still have trouble

Some other troubleshooting approaches you can try:

  • Make sure you've got the latest version of your browser. (Especially if you are using a version of Internet Explorer earlier than IE9.) Do a web search for your browser to find the latest version.
  • Do a web search for your specific problem. You may be surprised to see how much help is available online.