To clear cache in Chrome on a computer, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) or ⌘ + Shift + Delete (Mac). Pick a Time range, tick Cached images and files, and select Delete data.
On Android or iPhone, tap More (the three dots) → Delete browsing data, choose a time range, pick what to delete, then tap Delete data (Android) or Delete Browsing Data (iPhone). Leave cookies unticked if you don’t want to be signed out of websites.
Chrome saves pieces of the websites you visit so they open faster next time. Most of the time that’s helpful. But when a site changes and Chrome keeps showing the old copy, pages can look broken, buttons stop working, or a fix the website made yesterday doesn’t show up for you. Clearing the cache makes Chrome download a fresh copy. This guide is part of our Google guides.
What it means to clear cache in Chrome
Google describes the cache simply: Chrome remembers parts of pages to help them open faster during your next visit. Those saved parts are mostly images, scripts and style files. Deleting them is safe. You don’t lose bookmarks, passwords or history unless you tick those boxes too.
Cookies are different. They are small files websites create to remember you, such as the fact that you’re signed in or what’s in your shopping cart. Deleting cookies signs you out of most websites. That’s why it’s worth clearing only the cache first and adding cookies only if the problem doesn’t go away.
When clearing the cache helps
- A website looks broken, with missing images or a jumbled layout.
- A page shows old prices, old scores or an old version of a document.
- A login or checkout page loops or refuses to load.
- A site works in another browser but not in Chrome.
- You were told to by a website’s support team.
Before you clear everything, try a hard reload on the one page that’s misbehaving. On Windows press Ctrl + Shift + R or Shift + F5. On a Mac press ⌘ + Shift + R. Google’s shortcut list describes this as reloading the page while ignoring cached content.
On a Windows 11 PC or a Mac
The steps are the same on Windows and macOS because Chrome uses the same menu on both.
- Open Chrome.
- Select More (the three dots at the top right) → Delete browsing data. You can also press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows or ⌘ + Shift + Delete on a Mac.
- Choose a Time range. Last hour is enough if the problem just started. All time is the most thorough.
- Tick Cached images and files. Untick anything you want to keep, such as Browsing history.
- Only tick Cookies and other site data if you’re happy to sign back in to websites.
- Select Delete data.
Google also lets you type Delete browsing data into the address bar to jump straight to this dialog. Older guides call it “Clear browsing data”. It’s the same tool with a newer name.
If you’re signed in to Chrome with sync turned on, Google says deleting data from one computer also removes it from your other synced devices and your Google Account. Your Google Account itself stays signed in.
On an Android phone
- Open Chrome.
- Tap More (the three dots to the right of the address bar) → Delete browsing data.
- Choose a time range. Google says the default is 15 minutes, so change it if the problem is older than that.
- To choose exactly what to delete, tap More options and tick Cached images and files. Leave Saved passwords and Autofill form data unticked unless you mean to remove them.
- Tap Delete data.
Google notes that if you delete cookies while signed in to Chrome on Android, you won’t be signed out of your Google Account, but you may need to sign in to other websites again. If your phone is short on space, clearing the cache frees only a little. See how to free up storage on Android for the bigger wins.
On an iPhone or iPad
- Open Chrome.
- Tap More (the three dots) → Delete Browsing Data.
- Next to Time Range, choose how far back to go. The default is 15 minutes.
- Tap Browsing Data, tick Cached Images and Files and anything else you want gone, then tap Confirm.
- Tap Delete Browsing Data.
Google warns that deleting data on iPhone may sign you out of your Google Account. Check that your recovery phone number and email are up to date first, so you can get back in. Our guide to setting up passkeys also makes signing back in quicker.
Which boxes should you tick?
Chrome lists several kinds of data. Here’s what each one removes, based on Google’s own descriptions, and whether it usually helps with a page that won’t load properly.
| Option | What it removes | Helps a broken page? |
|---|---|---|
| Cached images and files | Saved parts of pages that help them load faster | Yes, start here |
| Cookies and other site data | Files sites use to remember you; you’ll be signed out of most sites | Often, for login loops |
| Browsing history | Addresses on the History page and New Tab shortcuts | No |
| Download history | The list of downloads, not the files themselves | No |
| Saved passwords | Passwords you saved in Chrome | No, avoid unless you mean it |
| Autofill form data | Saved addresses and cards in Chrome | No |
| Site settings | Permissions you gave sites, such as camera or location | Sometimes, for permission problems |
If clearing the cache doesn’t fix it
If a site still misbehaves after a fresh start, the cache probably wasn’t the cause. Work through these in order.
- Clear cookies too. Repeat the steps above with Cookies and other site data ticked. This fixes many sign-in loops.
- Try an Incognito window. Incognito starts without your cookies and usually without extensions. If the site works there, an extension or saved data is the likely cause.
- Turn off extensions one at a time. Ad blockers and coupon tools often break checkout pages. You’ll find them from the three-dot menu under Extensions.
- Update Chrome and restart it. Close every Chrome window, then open it again.
- Restart your device and router. If several sites fail, the problem may be your connection. Our what is my IP tool is a quick way to check you’re online.
- Try another browser. If the site fails everywhere, the problem is on the website’s side. Wait and try later.
Seeing pop-ups, redirects or new search engines you didn’t choose? That’s not a cache problem. Read how to tell if your phone has been hacked, and check strange links with our link safety checker before you open them.
How often should you do it?
You don’t need to clear Chrome’s cache on a schedule. Chrome manages its own cache, and wiping it means sites load a little more slowly the next time while images and files download again. Google mentions this too. Clear it when something is wrong, not as routine cleaning.
If you share a computer and want to remove your traces, clearing history and cookies with All time selected is more useful than clearing the cache alone. For a shared PC, an Incognito window from the start is simpler still. For more Windows housekeeping, see our Windows guides.
Related guide: How to Clear Cache on Android (Samsung, Pixel and Chrome).
FAQ
Will clearing the cache delete my passwords?
No. Passwords are only deleted if you tick Saved passwords (or the matching option on iPhone). Ticking only Cached images and files leaves passwords, bookmarks and history alone.
Will I be signed out of websites?
Not if you clear only the cache. Deleting Cookies and other site data signs you out of most websites. Google says you stay signed in to your Google Account in Chrome on computers and Android.
Is there a shortcut to clear Chrome’s cache?
Yes. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows or ⌘ + Shift + Delete on a Mac to open the Delete browsing data options.
Can I clear the cache for just one website?
For a single misbehaving page, a hard reload (Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows, ⌘ + Shift + R on a Mac) makes Chrome ignore the cached copy of that page. It’s the quickest thing to try.
Why is Chrome slower after clearing the cache?
Sites need to download their images and files again on your next visit. Google notes that sites may load more slowly at first. It goes back to normal as the cache refills.
