Cache and cookies are different things, and confusing them is what makes people lose every login for no reason. Cache is temporary page files: clearing it is harmless and fixes stale pages, broken images and loading errors. Cookies hold your sessions: clearing them signs you out of every site. When in doubt, clear only the cache (Solution 1) - it resolves most problems at no cost at all.
What causes this problem
- A page showing an old version even after the site has been updated.
- Broken images, misaligned layout or unresponsive buttons on a site that used to work.
- An error signing in to an account, or a session that keeps dropping on its own.
- The browser using a lot of disk space - the cache grows with no practical limit.
- A form that insists on submitting old data, or a price that will not refresh in a cart.
- Preparing to sell or lend the computer, when browsing data needs to go.
- Understand the difference before ticking boxes: clearing cache signs you out of nothing; clearing cookies signs you out of every site, email and banking included.
- If you do not know your passwords by heart, check they are saved in a password manager before clearing cookies.
- To test whether the problem is cache without deleting anything, open the site in an incognito window: it ignores existing cache and cookies.
- A useful desktop shortcut: Ctrl + F5 (Cmd + Shift + R on Mac) reloads the page ignoring the cache, without clearing anything.
Solutions, in the order to try them
1Chrome on desktop
Chrome puts everything on one screen. To fix a misbehaving site, tick only Cached images and files and leave cookies alone.
- Open the three-dot menu > Delete browsing data (or press Ctrl + Shift + Delete).
- For Time range, choose All time.
- Tick Cached images and files. Only tick Cookies and other site data if you really want to sign out everywhere.
- Click Delete data and restart the browser.
2Chrome on mobile (Android and iPhone)
On mobile the path is almost identical, and the same caution applies to the cookies box.
- Open Chrome and tap the three dots > Settings.
- Go to Privacy and security > Delete browsing data.
- Choose the All time range and tick Cached images and files.
- Tap Delete data.
3Microsoft Edge
Edge uses the same engine as Chrome, so the effects are identical - only the menu names change.
- Open the three-dot menu > Settings > Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
- Select All time and tick Cached images and files.
- Click Clear now.
4Mozilla Firefox
Firefox separates the two more clearly, with a dedicated screen for site data.
- Open the three-line menu > Settings > Privacy and Security.
- Under Cookies and Site Data, click Clear Data.
- Tick only Cached Web Content to preserve your logins.
- Click Clear and confirm.
5Safari on Mac and iPhone
Safari is where most people get caught out: the default option clears history, cache and cookies all at once. To clear only the cache on a Mac, you need the developer menu.
- On Mac, cache only: enable Safari > Settings > Advanced > Show features for web developers, then use Develop > Empty Caches.
- On Mac, everything at once: Safari > Clear History, choose the range and confirm - this also removes cookies.
- On iPhone: Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.
- On iPhone, to remove data for a single site: Settings > Safari > Advanced > Website Data.
6Clear one site only, keeping the rest
When the problem is one site, there is no sense in dropping all your logins. You can clear just that address.
- In Chrome or Edge, open the site, click the icon beside the address and choose Cookies and site data > Manage.
- Remove the stored data for that address only.
- In Firefox, use Settings > Privacy and Security > Manage Data and search for the domain.
- Reload with Ctrl + F5 to make sure the new version of the page is fetched.
Applies to
| System | Status |
|---|---|
| Chrome, Edge and Firefox (Windows, macOS and Linux) | Confirmed |
| Chrome and Safari on mobile | Confirmed |
| Chrome-based browsers (Brave, Opera, Vivaldi) | They follow the Chrome path, with slightly different menu names |
Menu names can change slightly between versions. If a step above does not match what you see on screen, the official support page from the manufacturer has the most current wording for your version.
Frequently asked questions
Last checked: Aug 25, 2026 · We review this guide whenever the manufacturer changes the process.