Clear Cache in Chrome: Desktop and Android Steps

What Chrome’s cache stores — and when clearing it helps

Chrome saves copies of images, scripts, and other page parts so sites load faster on repeat visits. That stored data is the cache. Over time it can hold outdated versions of pages, which causes broken layouts or content that does not match what the site currently shows. Clearing it forces Chrome to download fresh copies.

According to Google, clearing the cache can resolve website loading or formatting issues, give you the most up-to-date version of a page, and free up local storage space on your device. Sites will feel slightly slower on the first visit after clearing because images and other assets need to download again — that is normal and temporary.

How to clear the cache on a computer

1. Open Chrome on your computer.
2. At the top right, click the three-dot icon (More).
3. Select Delete browsing data.
4. Choose a time range from the drop-down — for example, Last hour or All time.
5. Check Cached images and files. You can also check Cookies and other site data if you want to clear those too.
6. Click Delete data to confirm.

Shortcut: Type Delete browsing data directly in the address bar, then tap the Action chip that appears. This opens the same dialog without navigating through menus.

Verify the result: Reload the page that was misbehaving. If it now displays correctly, the stale cache was the cause. If the problem continues, the issue is likely server-side or a different browser setting.

How to clear the cache on Android

1. Open Chrome on your Android phone or tablet.
2. Tap More (the three-dot icon) on the right of the address bar.
3. Tap Delete browsing data.
4. The default time range is 15 minutes. To change it, tap More options and select a different duration.
5. Select the types of data you want to remove — choose Cached images and files at minimum.
6. Tap Delete data.

You can also type Delete browsing data in the address bar and tap the Action chip to reach the dialog faster.

What each data type removes — and what stays safe

Chrome’s Delete browsing data dialog lists several categories. Here is what the cache-related ones actually do:

• Cached images and files: Removes the text and images Chrome saved from pages you visited to speed up future loads. Your Google Account data is not affected.
• Cookies and other site data: Deletes files websites created to remember your preferences and session. After clearing cookies, you will need to sign back in to most sites — but if you are signed in to Chrome itself, you will not be signed out of your Google Account.
• Cards and addresses saved in your Google Account are not deleted when you clear browsing data.

If you are browsing the Software topic hub for more Chrome tips, note that clearing cache is a safe, reversible action — nothing is permanently lost from your Google Account.

What to expect after you clear the cache

The first time you visit a site after clearing, Chrome downloads everything fresh. Pages may take a second or two longer to appear. That slowdown goes away once Chrome rebuilds its local copies. If you cleared cookies as well, you will need to log back in to websites — plan for that before you start.

One common misconception: clearing the cache does not fix every browser problem. If a page still fails to load correctly after clearing, the issue may be a server outage, a network problem, or a browser extension conflict — not stale cached data. Reinstalling Chrome is rarely necessary for cache-related issues.