Quick Guide: How to Hard Refresh or Clear Your Browser Cache to See Website Updates

Rearview Advertising - October 5, 2023

Clearing your cache will ensure that you’re looking at the most recent version of any webpage that you’re viewing, help your browser be more responsive, empty your abandoned shopping cart on e-commerce websites, and log you out of websites that you have logged into.

Each browser handles its cache a little differently. If you want fine control of what historical browsing data, images, cookies, and other temporary data get deleted upon clearing your cache, pay special attention to the options near the very last step of this process for each browser.

How to Hard Refresh a Single Page w/o Clearing Cookies or Data

If you need to hard refresh a single page without clearing all cookies and data but still want to see the latest version of content and styles on your web page you can do a hard refresh on MacOS and PC by using the CTRL/Command key + Shift + R to reload a single page, yet not lose passwords, cookies, or cache for other pages you may be preserving.

How To Clear Your Cache to See Website Updates

These quick steps below will get you on your way to clearing your cache.

Windows Instructions

MacOS Instructions

Windows

Chrome Browser for Windows

1) Click the three dots in the upper right corner;
2) Click “More Tools”;
3) Click “Clear Browsing Data”
4) Click “Clear data”

Firefox Browser for Windows

1) Click the three horizontal lines in the upper right corner;
2) Click “Settings”;
3) Click “Privacy & Security” in the left navigation menu;
4) Scroll down to section titled “Cookies and Site Data”;
5) Click “Clear Data”;
6) Click “Clear”

Microsoft Edge for Windows

1) Click the three dots in the upper right corner;
2) Click “Settings”;
3) Click “Privacy, Search, and Services in the left navigation menu;
4) Scroll down to “Clear browsing data”;
5) Click “Choose What to Clear”;
6) Click “Clear Now”

MacOS

Chrome Browser for MacOS

1) Click the three dots in the upper right corner;
2) Click “More Tools”;
3) Click “Clear Browsing Data”
4) Click “Clear data”

Safari Browser for MacOS

1) Click the word Safari in the top navigation;
2) Click “Preferences” to open the Preferences window;
3) Click the Advanced tab and check the checkbox for “Show Develop menu in menu bar”;
4) Close the Preferences window;
5) Click the word Develop in the top navigation;
6) Click “Empty Caches”

Microsoft Edge for MacOS

1) Click the three dots in the upper right corner;
2) Click “Settings”;
3) Click “Privacy, Search, and Services in the left navigation menu;
4) Scroll down to “Clear browsing data”;
5) Click “Choose What to Clear”;
6) Click “Clear Now”