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Clearing Your Browser's Memory Cache

In order to speed up web browsing, web browsers are designed to download web pages and store them locally on your machine in an area called 'cache'. When you visit the same page for a second time, the browser speeds up display time by loading the page locally from cache instead of downloading everything again. This sometimes results in less than current versions of web pages being displayed.

When the cache fills up, performance can suffer, and your hard drive may run out of space.

If you believe that your browser is not functioning properly, follow the steps below to clear your cache. Restarting your browser is suggested, but may not be necessary.
PROCEDURE

To empty your browser's cache using Windows Internet Explorer version 7
  1. Click on Tools (or the Tools icon) from the Command Bar
  2. Select Delete Browsing History...
  3. Click the Delete files... button near Temporary Internet Files
  4. Click Yes when prompted to delete temporary Internet Explorer files
  5. Click the Close button
  6. Restarting your browser is suggested, but may not be necessary.

To empty your browser's cache using Firefox version 2
  1. Click on Tools from your browser's main menu
  2. Select Clear Private Data...
  3. Ensure that Cache is checked
  4. Click the Clear Private Data Now button
  5. Restarting your browser is suggested, but may not be necessary.

To empty your browser's cache using Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6
  1. Click on Tools from your browser's main menu.
  2. Select Internet Options
  3. Under the General tab, click Delete Files... in the Temporary Internet files section.
  4. Restarting your browser is suggested, but may not be necessary.

To empty your browser's cache using Firefox version 1.5
  1. Click on Tools from your browser's main menu.
  2. Select Options
  3. Select the Privacy icon
  4. Select  Cache tab.
  5. Click the Clear Cache Now button
  6. Restarting your browser is suggested, but may not be necessary.

To empty your browser's cache using Safari
  1. Click on Safari from the main menu.
  2. Click Empty Cache...
  3. Restarting your browser is suggested, but may not be necessary.

To empty your browser's cache using Opera
  1. Click on Tools from your browser's main menu.
  2. Select Delete private data...
  3. Click the Delete button
  4. Restarting your browser is suggested, but may not be necessary.

To empty your browser's cache using Netscape
  1. Click on Edit from your browser's main menu.
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Select and expand the Advanced category.
  4. Click on Cache
  5. Under Set Cache Options:
    1. Click Clear Memory Cache
    2. Click Clear Disk Cache
  6. Click OK
  7. Restarting your browser is suggested, but may not be necessary.

To empty your browser's cache using AOL 9.0
  1. On the AOL toolbar, click Settings.
  2. Under Customize AOL, select View All.
  3. Scroll down to the How AOL Works section and select Internet (Web) Options. The AOL Browser Settings window opens.
  4. Under Related Settings, select the Internet Explorer settings hyperlink.
  5. In the Temporary Internet Files section, click Delete Files.
  6. Click OK to begin deleting the files. This process may take awhile depending upon how many files there are to be deleted.
  7. Click OK to close the window.
  8. Restarting your browser is suggested, but may not be necessary.

To empty your browser's cache using AOL 7.0
  1. Click on the Settings menu, then click Internet WWW Properties.
  2. Look for Temporary Internet Files.
  3. Click Delete Files, then click OK. This should clear all cached pages.
  4. Restarting your browser is suggested, but may not be necessary.

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