To clear the cache in Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac), pick a time range, tick “Cached images and files,” and click Delete data.
Chrome saves copies of images, scripts, and other page files so websites load faster when you return. That cache is helpful most of the time, but a stale copy can cause broken layouts, outdated content, or login glitches. Clearing it forces Chrome to fetch fresh files, and it is one of the first things to try when a site misbehaves. Here is how, on both desktop and mobile, using the current version of Chrome.
Clear the cache on desktop (Windows and Mac)
The fastest route is the keyboard shortcut, which opens the same Clear browsing data window on every platform.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows, or Cmd+Shift+Delete on Mac.
- In the window that opens, set the Time range (choose All time for a full clear).
- Tick Cached images and files. Leave the other boxes unticked if you want to keep your history and stay signed in.
- Click Delete data (labeled Clear data in some versions).
If you prefer menus, click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, go to Delete browsing data (or Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data), and the same window appears. Recent Chrome versions offer Basic and Advanced tabs; the cache option lives on both.
Cache versus cookies: what each box does
The Clear browsing data window lists several items, and it helps to know what you are removing before you click.
| Item | What it stores | Effect of clearing |
|---|---|---|
| Cached images and files | Copies of page assets for faster loading | Sites reload fresh; you stay signed in |
| Cookies and other site data | Login sessions and preferences | You are signed out of most sites |
| Browsing history | List of pages you visited | History is erased; logins unaffected |
For a typical “this page looks broken” problem, tick only Cached images and files. Add cookies only if a site’s login is genuinely stuck, and be aware it will sign you out everywhere.
The time range you pick matters too. If a site started misbehaving today, choosing Last hour or Last 24 hours clears the recent cache without wiping everything, so other sites you use daily still load quickly. Reserve All time for a stubborn problem that a shorter range did not fix, or for when you are cleaning up before handing the computer to someone else. Whichever range you choose, the deletion only affects the browser you are using it in; Chrome and another browser on the same PC keep entirely separate caches.
Clear the cache for a single site
Wiping the entire cache is often overkill. To fix one page without disturbing others:
- Open the problem page.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+R (or Cmd+Shift+R on Mac) to hard-refresh, which reloads files from the server rather than the cache.
- If that is not enough, click the tune or padlock icon at the left of the address bar, open Site settings, and use Delete data for just that site.
Clear the cache on Android and iPhone
The Chrome app on phones keeps its own cache, cleared from within the app.
- Open Chrome and tap the three-dot menu.
- Tap Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data (on some versions, Clear browsing data).
- Choose a time range, tick Cached images and files, and confirm.
The exact wording shifts a little between Android and iPhone and between app updates, but the path is consistent. If you clear caches across your devices regularly, the mobile-specific walkthrough in how to clear cache on iPhone covers Safari and app caches too, which Chrome’s own settings do not touch. Clearing a bloated cache can also reclaim storage; if a phone is running low, how to check iPhone storage shows where the space has gone.
How clearing on one device affects the others
If you are signed into Chrome and have sync turned on, some data such as bookmarks, history, and saved passwords is shared across your devices, but the cache itself is not. The cache is stored locally on each device, so clearing it on your laptop does not clear it on your phone, and vice versa. History is different: when you delete browsing history with sync on, it is removed from your synced devices as well. If you only want to clear the local cache and keep your history everywhere, make sure the History box stays unticked before you confirm.
When clearing the cache actually helps
Reach for a cache clear when a page shows old prices or content after an update, when styling looks broken with misplaced elements, or when a login loops without ever succeeding. It is not a routine speed booster; because a cleared cache must be rebuilt, your next few visits can be slightly slower, not faster. Clearing it also does not hide your activity: your internet provider and the sites you visit can still see what you do, so it is not a privacy tool on its own.
A note on privacy and passwords
Clearing the cache does not remove saved passwords, and if hiding your browsing is the real aim, a cache clear will not do it. Our explainer on what a VPN is covers what clearing the cache cannot. And if you were digging into Chrome to recover a login rather than to fix a page, the guide to how to see saved passwords on iPhone may be closer to what you need. Used for the right problem, though, clearing Chrome’s cache is a fast, low-risk fix that leaves your important data intact.
