The Essential Guide to Clearing Your Browser Cache (and Why It’s Different from Website Cache)

Ever updated your website, hit refresh, and… nothing? You know you changed that image, tweaked that headline, or added that new product, but your browser is stubbornly showing you the old version. Frustrating, right? You’re not seeing things – you’re experiencing the magic (and occasional mischief) of website cache!

This common issue often leads to a question we hear a lot: “I’ve changed my site, why isn’t it updating?” The answer usually involves understanding two key players in the caching world: your browser cache and your website’s cache.

Let’s demystify these two types of cache, explain why they’re your website’s best friends (most of the time!), and show you how to give your browser a good clear-out when needed.

Browser Cache vs. Website (Server) Cache: What’s the Difference?

Think of “cache” as a temporary storage area that holds copies of data to speed things up. The key difference lies in where that data is stored:

1. Browser Cache (Your Computer’s Memory):
   • What it is: When you visit a website, your web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.) downloads various components: images, stylesheets (how your site looks), JavaScript files (how elements behave), and sometimes entire pages. Your browser then saves these copies on your local computer.
   • Why it’s used: The next time you visit that same website, your browser loads these saved copies from your computer instead of downloading everything again from the internet. This makes pages load much, much faster for you.
   • The “Problem”: If the actual website has changed, but your browser still has an old version saved, it will keep showing you the outdated content. This is the most common reason you might not see your own updates.
2. Website Cache (Server’s Memory):
   • What it is: This cache lives on the web server where your website is hosted (or on a Content Delivery Network/CDN). Instead of building your website’s pages from scratch every single time someone visits, the server saves “pre-built” copies of your pages or parts of them.
   • Why it’s used: This speeds up your website for everyone visiting it, as the server doesn’t have to do as much work for each request. It reduces the load on your server and helps your site perform better for all your visitors.
   • The “Problem”: If we (or you, through your dashboard) update your website’s core files, content, or design, the server might still be serving an old cached version to visitors (including yourself) until its cache is cleared.

In short: Browser cache affects what you see. Website/server cache affects what everyone sees.

Why Should I Clear My Browser Cache?

Clearing your browser cache is a crucial first step for troubleshooting many common website display issues. You should specifically clear your browser’s cache when:

1. You’ve Made Changes to Your Website (and you’re not seeing them): This is the most common reason! If you’ve updated content, design, or settings on your website through our platform, clearing your browser cache ensures you’re seeing the latest version, not an outdated one stored on your computer.
2. Your Website Looks “Broken” or Distorted (only for you): Sometimes, old cached files can conflict with new ones from the server, causing display errors or layout issues. A fresh cache can resolve this for your viewing experience.
3. You’re Having Login Issues with a Website: Occasionally, corrupted cached login credentials or session data can prevent you from logging into your site or other online services correctly.
4. You’re Testing Changes for Others: If you want to see your website as a brand new visitor would (without any cached elements from your previous visits), clearing your browser cache is a good idea.

Step-by-Step: How to Clear Your Browser Cache

Choose your browser below and follow the simple steps. Don’t worry, clearing your browser cache will not delete your bookmarks or most saved passwords, although it might log you out of some websites you’re currently signed into.

Google Chrome

1. Click the three vertical dots (menu icon) in the top right corner.
2. Go to More Tools > Clear browsing data…
3. A new window will open. In the “Time range” dropdown, select All time.
4. Make sure “Cached images and files” is checked. You can uncheck “Browsing history” and “Cookies and other site data” if you only want to clear cache.
5. Click the “Clear data” button.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Click the three horizontal lines (menu icon) in the top right corner.
2. Go to Settings (or “Options” on some versions).
3. Select Privacy & Security from the left-hand menu.
4. Scroll down to the “Cookies and Site Data” section.
5. Click the “Clear Data…” button.
6. Make sure “Cached Web Content” is checked. You can uncheck “Cookies and Site Data” if you only want to clear cache.
7. Click “Clear”.

Microsoft Edge

1. Click the three horizontal dots (menu icon) in the top right corner.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Select Privacy, search, and services from the left-hand menu.
4. Scroll down to the “Clear browsing data” section and click “Choose what to clear”.
5. In the “Time range” dropdown, select All time.
6. Make sure “Cached images and files” is checked. You can uncheck others if you only want to clear cache.
7. Click “Clear now”.

Apple Safari (macOS)

• First, enable the Develop menu:
  1. Go to Safari > Settings (or “Preferences”).
  2. Click the Advanced tab.
  3. Check the box next to “Show Develop menu in menu bar.”
• Now, clear the cache:
  1. Go to the Develop menu in the Safari top menu bar.
  2. Click “Empty Caches.”

Still Seeing the Old Version? (Beyond Browser Cache)

If clearing your browser cache doesn’t immediately resolve the issue, especially if others are also reporting seeing old content, it’s likely that your website’s server cache or a CDN cache (if you’re using one) needs to be cleared.

• Next Step: Head over to our guide on Clearing Your WordPress Website’s Cache for instructions on how to purge your site’s cache directly from your dashboard. This ensures that everyone sees the latest version of your website.
• Last Resort: Sometimes we employ an additional layer of caching at deep within the server level. If you have completed the steps of clearing your browser and WordPress cache and are still not seeing changes or need some help with the backend, reach out to us in a ticket and we will be more than happy to help.

Browser cache is a powerful tool for speeding up your personal web experience. Knowing how and when to clear it puts you in control, ensuring you always see the most current version of your (and everyone else’s!) websites.