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how to clear chrome cache

Here’s how to clear the cache in Google Chrome on desktop in a few clicks.

Quick Scoop

To clear Chrome’s cache, you open the Clear browsing data window, select “Cached images and files,” choose a time range (like “All time”), and confirm. This works on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chromebooks.

Step-by-step: Clear Chrome cache (desktop)

  1. Open Chrome.
  1. Click the three dots (menu) in the top-right corner.
  1. Go to
    • Settings → Privacy and security → Clear browsing data , or
    • More tools → Clear browsing data (depending on your version), or
    • Direct shortcut: press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows/Linux/ChromeOS) or Cmd + Shift + Delete (Mac) to open Clear browsing data directly.
  1. In the popup, make sure Cached images and files is checked. You can also check Cookies and Browsing history if you want to remove those too.
  1. Set Time range to what you need. For a full reset, choose All time.
  1. Click Clear data (or Delete data , depending on your version).
  1. Close Chrome completely and reopen it to make sure changes take effect.

Fast alternatives and tips

  • Keyboard shortcut to the clear-cache page
    • Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows/Linux/ChromeOS) or Cmd + Shift + Delete (Mac) to jump straight to the Clear browsing data dialog.
  • Hard refresh a single page (without clearing all cache)
    • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + F5 , Shift + F5 , or Ctrl + Shift + R.
    • Mac: Cmd + Shift + R.
      These bypass the cache and force Chrome to reload all resources for just that page.
  • What to select if you’re just fixing a broken page
    • Usually enough: Cached images and files (and optionally Cookies for that site). This often fixes display glitches or stale content without wiping all your saved data.

Mobile Chrome (Android & iOS) – brief guide

Steps vary slightly by platform, but the flow is similar:

  1. Open Chrome on your phone.
  2. Tap the three dots menu.
  3. Go to History → Clear browsing data (or directly “Clear browsing data” depending on version).
  4. Select Cached images and files and time range (e.g., All time).
  5. Tap Clear data.

(These steps mirror Google’s own mobile UI pattern for Chrome’s Clear browsing data screen, consistent with desktop behavior.)

Quick FAQ

  • Will clearing cache delete passwords?
    Not unless you also select Passwords and other sign-in data in the Advanced tab.
  • When should I clear cache?
    • Pages not loading or looking broken.
    • Website updates not showing.
    • Browser feels unusually slow when loading familiar sites.
  • Best “safe” setting for most people?
    • Time range: Last 7 days or All time if you want a full cleanup.
    • Checked: Cached images and files , optionally Cookies.
    • Usually leave Passwords and Autofill unchecked so you don’t lose convenience.

TL;DR: Menu → Clear browsing data → check “Cached images and files” → choose “All time” → Clear data.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.