If we consider the websites that we browse, usually most of our attention is directed at the same few websites. This is where cache comes in handy, as it prevents us from having to load up the entire web page from scratch each time, despite the fact that much of it is the same every time.
Cache is like temporary storage on our Mac, where it will remember images (i.e. the banner of the web page), HTMK, CSS, and JavaScript. These can speed up the amount of time it takes to load pages, but it can also become a problem after a while.
Saving cache for every website is an issue because some of them we will not revisit. This can lead to a build of cache that is using our precious storage capacity on the Mac and can contribute to it counterintuitively slowing down. So, now and again, we should clear our Mac cache as part of some healthy device maintenance.
How to Clear Browser Cache
Below are the instructions on how to clear browser cache on a variety of browsers that you may use. Cleaning browser cache can reclaim a significant amount of storage space.
Safari
To clear cache on Safari, first, open the app and select Safari in the top menu. From here, press Preferences and then click on the Advanced tab (far right). Select “Show Develop menu in menu bar”. Suddenly, a Develop menu will appear on the top menu. Open it and click on Empty Cache (around halfway down).
To top it off, you can clear your browser history by selecting History on the top menu and then press Clear History.
Chrome
It’s slightly easier to clear cache on Chrome than it is on Safari. First, open up Chrome on the Mac. From here, select the three-dotted menu in the top right of the window. Head down to where it says More tools and then select Clear browsing data. There will be various things you can clear, along with the time range. It should also tell you how many MBs the cached images and files are taking up. Check the boxes you wish to clear, such as cookies and cached images, then press the Clear data button.
Firefox
To clear cache on Firefox, open up the browser and press the menu button in the top right (three lines). Select Settings, then Privacy & Security (on the left from the menu). Click on Cookies and Site Data, then press clear data. You will be given some options – check the boxes you wish to clear and press the Clear button on the bottom right.
Clearing Cache From All Browsers at Once
It is possible to actually clear all of our browser cache in one sweep, but we must rely on external software. This has some pros and cons. Whilst it can help automate the process, it ironically requires space to store on the Mac itself. Most importantly though, you must be careful which third-party cache-clearing software to use – it must be highly credible.
