The fastest way to clear your cache in Internet Explorer
Open Internet Explorer and press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on your keyboard. A window titled "Delete Browsing History" will appear. Check the box next to "Temporary Internet Files and website files" — this is your cache. Leave the other boxes unchecked unless you want to delete passwords, browsing history, or cookies as well. Click "Delete" at the bottom right.
The cache will clear in a few seconds. Internet Explorer will show a brief message when it finishes. You can now close the window. The next time you visit a website, Internet Explorer will download fresh copies of images and files instead of using the stored versions.
Key Takeaways
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete to open the delete browsing history window in any version of Internet Explorer.
- Select only "Temporary Internet Files and website files" to clear just the cache without removing passwords or history.
- Clearing the cache takes a few seconds and frees up disk space on your computer.
- You can set Internet Explorer to clear the cache automatically every time you close the browser.
- Some websites load slower after you clear the cache because the browser must re-download images and files.
Using the Tools menu if the keyboard shortcut does not work
If the keyboard shortcut does not respond, you can reach the same window through the menu. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of Internet Explorer — this opens the Tools menu. Select "Delete browsing history" from the dropdown list.
The Delete Browsing History window will open. Follow the same steps: check "Temporary Internet Files and website files" and click "Delete". This method works the same way as the keyboard shortcut and produces the same result.
Clearing the cache automatically when you close the browser
You can set Internet Explorer to delete the cache every time you close the program, so you do not have to do it manually. Click the gear icon and select "Internet options" from the Tools menu. The Internet Options window will open.
Look for the "Browsing history" section near the top. Check the box that says "Delete browsing history on exit". Click "Apply" and then "OK" to save the change. From now on, Internet Explorer will clear the cache automatically when you close it completely.
What the cache stores and why you might want to clear it
When you visit a website, Internet Explorer saves images, scripts, and other files to your hard drive in a folder called the cache. The next time you visit that same website, the browser loads these files from your computer instead of downloading them again. This makes pages load faster.
Over time, the cache can grow to several hundred megabytes and take up noticeable disk space. Clearing it frees up that space. You might also clear the cache if a website is not displaying correctly — sometimes an outdated cached file causes display problems, and clearing the cache forces the browser to download a fresh copy.
The difference between clearing the cache and clearing other browsing data
The Delete Browsing History window in Internet Explorer offers several options beyond the cache. "Cookies and website data" stores login information and preferences for websites you visit. "Browsing history" is the list of websites you have visited. "Download history" is the list of files you have downloaded. "Form data" includes information you have typed into search boxes and forms.
You can clear any combination of these. Most people clear only the cache to free up space without losing passwords or browsing history. If you want to remove all traces of your browsing, check all the boxes before clicking Delete.
How much space the cache uses and when to clear it
The cache typically uses between 50 and 500 megabytes, depending on how much you browse and how long it has been since you last cleared it. If your computer is running slowly or your hard drive is nearly full, clearing the cache can help. You do not need to clear it on any set schedule — once every few months is usually enough unless you browse heavily.
If you set Internet Explorer to clear the cache on exit, it will use less disk space overall, but websites will load slightly slower because the browser has to re-download files each time. This is a trade-off between disk space and browsing speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing the cache delete my saved passwords?
No. Passwords are stored separately from the cache. When you clear the cache using only the "Temporary Internet Files and website files" option, your saved passwords remain. If you want to delete passwords, you must check the "Cookies and website data" box before clicking Delete.
Why is a website showing old information after I cleared the cache?
Some websites store information on their servers that does not update immediately. Clearing your cache only removes files stored on your computer. If a website is displaying outdated information, the problem is on the website's server, not your cache. Try refreshing the page by pressing F5 or Ctrl + R.
Can I clear the cache for only one website instead of all websites?
Internet Explorer does not have a built-in option to clear the cache for a single website. The Delete Browsing History tool clears the entire cache at once. If you need to clear cached files for one specific site, you would need to use a third-party tool or manually delete files from the cache folder on your hard drive.
What happens if I clear the cache while a website is loading?
Close Internet Explorer completely before clearing the cache. If you clear the cache while the browser is open, it may cause the current page to stop loading or display incorrectly. Always close all Internet Explorer windows first, then open the Delete Browsing History window and clear the cache.