How do I clear my web browser's cache?

The page credit goes to the Indiana University Knowledge Base at:
http://kb.iu.edu/data/ahic.html

Each time you access a file through your web browser, the browser caches (stores) it. In this way, the files (including any images on the page) do not have to be retrieved anew from the remote web site each time you click the Back or Forward buttons. You should periodically clear the cache to allow your browser to function more efficiently.

Some users have reported the following works for them.
shift-reload/refresh button or CTRL-F5 may help remedy the browser cache issue:
Holding < ctrl > button, and pushing F5, < ctrl > < F5 > ,
[or holding < shift > and press [reload/refresh button] ]
.....to force-refresh your pages.

Otherwise, you could try the following:

• Windows
  • Internet Explorer 7
  • Internet Explorer 4.x, 5.x, and 6.x
  • Netscape 8
  • Netscape Navigator 7.1
  • Netscape Navigator 4.x, 6.x, and 7.0
  • Firefox 2.0
  • Firefox 1.0 and 1.5
  
  
• Mac OS and Mac OS X
  • Safari
  • Firefox 1.0 and 1.5
  • Netscape 6.x or later and Mozilla
  • Netscape Navigator 4.x
  • Internet Explorer 4.x and 5.x

Internet Explorer 7

1. From the Tools menu, select Internet Options... .
   
   
2. Choose the General tab.
   
   
3. Under Browsing history, click Delete... .
   
   
4. Next to "Temporary Internet Files", click Delete files... .
   
   
5. Click Close, and then click OK to exit.

Internet Explorer 4.x, 5.x, and 6.x for Windows

1. From the Tools menu (for version 4.x, the View menu), select Internet Options... .
   
   
2. Choose the General tab.
   
   
3. In the "Temporary Internet Files" section, click Delete Files... .
   
   
4. To confirm the deletion, click OK.
   
   
5. In the Internet Options dialog box, click OK.

Netscape 8 for Windows

1. From the Tools menu, select Options... .
   
   
2. Click Privacy.
   
   
3. Next to "Cache", click the Clear button.
   
   
4. If you'd like to set the size of the cache and set the browser to clear the cache when you close it, click the + (plus sign) next to "Cache" and change the settings as needed.
   
   
5. Click OK.

Netscape 7.1 for Windows

1. From the Edit menu, select Preferences... .
   
   
2. In the left panel of the Preferences dialog box, click the + (plus sign) in the box to the left of Advanced. Click Cache.
   
   
3. Click Clear Cache.
   
   
4. In the Preferences dialog box, click OK.

Netscape Navigator 4.x, 6.x, and 7.0 for Windows

1. From the Edit menu, select Preferences... .
   
   
2. In the left panel of the Preferences dialog box, click the + (plus sign) in the box to the left of Advanced. Click Cache.
   
   
3. Click Clear Memory Cache. Confirm by clicking OK.
   
   
4. Click Clear Disk Cache. Confirm by clicking OK.
   
   
5. In the Preferences dialog box, click OK.

Firefox 2.0 for Windows

From the Tools menu, select Clear Private Data, and then choose Cache.

Firefox 1.0 and 1.5 for Windows

1. From the Tools menu, select Options... , and then click Privacy.
   
   
2. In 1.5, select the Cache tab, and then click the Clear Cache Now button. In 1.0, next to Cache, click the Clear button, and then click OK.

Safari

1. From the Safari menu, select Empty Cache... .
   
   
2. When prompted, click Empty to confirm that you want to empty the cache.

Firefox 1.0 and 1.5 for Mac OS X

1. From the Firefox menu, select Preferences... .
   
   
2. From the sheet that drops down, select Privacy. In 1.5, click Clear Cache Now. In 1.0, next to Cache, click the Clear button, and then OK.

Netscape 6.x or later and Mozilla for Mac OS and Mac OS X

1. In Mac OS X, from the Netscape or Mozilla menu, select Preferences... . In Mac OS 9.x or earlier, from the Edit menu, select Preferences... .
   
   
2. In the left panel of the Preferences dialog box, click the arrow to the left of Advanced. Click Cache.
   
   
3. Either click the Clear Cache button, or click both the Clear Memory Cache and Clear Disk Cache buttons.
   
   
4. In the Preferences dialog box, click OK.

Netscape Navigator 4.x for Mac OS

1. From the Edit menu, select Preferences... .
   
   
2. In the left panel, click the arrow to the left of Advanced.
   
   
3. Click Cache.
   
   
4. Click Clear Disk Cache Now, then click OK. Click OK again.

Internet Explorer 4.x and 5.x for Mac OS and Mac OS X

Note: Microsoft is no longer developing or distributing Internet Explorer for the Macintosh.

Mac OS X, from the Explorer menu, select Preferences... . In Mac OS 9.x and earlier, from the Edit menu, select Preferences... .


1. In the left panel, click the arrow to the left of Web Browser. Click the Advanced button.
   
   
2. Under "Cache", click Empty Now, then click OK.

Also see:

In a web browser, how do I speed up purging the cache?

Firefox

• Firefox 2.0 for Windows: From the Tools menu, select Options... . Click Advanced, and then click the Network tab. Under "Cache", enter your preferred cache size in the text box.
  
  
• Firefox 2.0 for Mac OS X: From the Firefox menu, select Preferences... . Click Advanced, and then click the Network tab. Under "Cache", enter your preferred cache size in the text box.
  
  
• Firefox 1.x for Windows: From the Tools menu, select Options... . Under "Cache", enter your preferred cache size in the text box. (If you don't see the text box, click the + (plus sign) next to "Cache".) Click OK.
  
  
• Firefox 1.x for Mac OS X: From the Firefox menu, select Preferences... . Under "Cache", enter your preferred cache size in the text box. (If you don't see the text box, click the triangle next to "Cache".) Click OK.

Netscape

• Netscape Browser 8 for Windows: From the Tools menu, select Options... . Click Privacy, and then click the + (plus sign) next to "Cache".
  
  
• Netscape 7 for Mac OS X: From the Netscape menu, select Preferences... . From the list on the left side of the window, click the triangle next to Advanced, and then select Cache.
  
  
• Netscape Navigator 4.x, 6.x, and 7.x: From the Edit menu, select Preferences... . Click Advanced, and then click Cache.
  
  
• Netscape Navigator 2.x and 3.x: From the Options menu, choose Network Preferences. Select the Cache tab.
  
  
• Netscape Navigator 1.1 and 1.2: From the Options menu, choose Preferences. Select the Cache and Network tab.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

• Internet Explorer 5.x and 6.x (Windows): From the Tools menu, select Internet Options... . Under the General tab, under "Temporary Internet files", click Settings... .
  
  
• Internet Explorer 5.x (Mac OS X): From the Explorer menu, select Preferences... . Under Web Browser, click Advanced.
• Internet Explorer 4.x and 5.x (MacOS): From the Edit menu, select Preferences... . Under Web Browser, click Advanced.
  
  
• Internet Explorer 4.x (Windows): From the View menu, select Internet Options. Under the General page tab, in "Temporary Internet Files", click Settings.
  
  
• Internet Explorer 3.0: From the Edit menu, select Preferences. Click the Advanced tab.