Clear your browser cache, cookies, and history

Your web browser is the app or program you use to access websites. If you're seeing glitches when searching for and loading pages, the solution might be as simple as clearing the browser's cache, cookies, and history.

How to clear history, by browser type

For instructions on how to clear cache, cookies, and history, find your browser listed below and click the link for detailed instructions. (Not sure what browser you’re using?)

• Clear Chrome cache
• Clear Edge cache
• Clear Firefox cache
• Clear Safari cache

What is cache anyway?

Your browser lets your computer talk with the internet to display web pages. To do its job, the browser has to save certain pieces of information. For example, instead of wasting time reloading the same images or entire web pages over and over again, browsers save some of this data for future use. And, depending on your computer settings, it may also remember addresses of web sites you've visited, documents you've downloaded, your search history, commonly used passwords, and data from advertisers.

Over time, all that history can cause problems. If you're repeatedly having trouble loading a web page, the first troubleshooting step is to clear your browser cache, cookies, and history. This forces your browser to look for fresh information and stop loading old data.