What does clearing the cache and cookies do? (2024)

FAQs

What does clearing the cache and cookies do? ›

When you use a browser, like Chrome, it saves some information from websites in its cache and cookies. Clearing them fixes certain problems, like loading or formatting issues on sites.

Clearing your browser's cache and cookies means that website settings (like usernames and passwords) will be deleted and some sites might appear to be a little slower because all of the images have to be loaded again.

The cache and cookies should be cleared regularly for several reasons. Depending on your settings, the cache can grow quite big, use a lot of disk space on your computer and cause slow web browsing. The cache can also cause issues when viewing new versions of previously visited web pages.

What Happens When You Clear Cache? Clearing your cache will remove any saved data that is stored in your browser. This includes: Any login information, saved passwords or “remember me” settings across all websites.

Cache refers to a temporary storage area on your device that stores recently visited web pages, so technically if you only clear the cached images and files, there are no passwords to worry about.

A common concern is that clearing your cache might delete the images, songs, documents, and other files you have downloaded from website you have visited, but those files are different to your web browser cache. So rest assured that simply clearing your cache won't affect the files you have saved.

Clearing out a web browser's cache does not damage any information stored in a browser, such as bookmarks or your homepage. Instead, it simply makes the web browser think that you have not visited a webpage before.

After you clear cache and cookies: Some settings on sites get deleted. For example, if you were signed in, you'll need to sign in again.

By clearing cache and/or cookies, you always sacrifice convenience: next time you visit, the website will take more time to load, you'll have to log into the accounts again, any site settings will be gone, and you'll have to enter stuff into form fields anew.

It's best to delete your search history at least twice a month to reduce the chances of getting hacked.

Will I lose my data if I clear cache? ›

Clear the cache just clears what is in the recent memory of the app. It shouldn't affect your data.

You can delete app data for any Android app with the same steps. Clear the app cache files of any app you think is causing performance issues, or delete app data for any apps you want to open with a clean slate. You'll get some storage space back, but nothing you've downloaded will be deleted.

By clearing the cache, you can free up space on your device and help to ensure that it continues to run smoothly. It's important to note that clearing the cache will not delete any personal data, such as photos or contacts. It will only remove temporary files that are no longer needed.

How often do I need to clear my cache? Most people only need to clear their caches once every month or two. That's generally the point when your browser will build up a cache large enough to start slowing things down. If you frequent a large number of sites, you should err on the side of clearing your cache more often.

The cache is where the browser stores temporary website information. Your passwords are stored in the Password Manager. Your login status is stored in special cookies. The cache is where the browser stores temporary website information.

App cache and data can sometimes harbor malicious code. Clearing them can help remove the virus and improve your phone's performance. Go to Settings > Apps & notifications, select the suspicious app, and tap "Storage" followed by "Clear cache" and "Clear storage."

However, keep in mind that clearing cookies may log you out of websites and remove personalized settings. It's a good practice to clear cache and cookies periodically to ensure optimal browsing performance, but weigh the pros and cons based on your specific needs before making a decision.

Browsing history: Deleting your browsing history deletes the following: Web addresses you've visited are removed from the History page. Shortcuts to those pages are removed from the New Tab page. Address bar predictions for those websites are no longer shown.