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How to Clear Your Cache

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What is your internet “cache?”

Your "Internet browser cache," which is also known as temporary internet files, can be used to improve the speed of browsing the Internet. In most cases, each time a web page is opened, it is sent to your browser's temporary cache on your hard drive. If that page is accessed again and has not been modified, the browser will open the page from your cache instead of downloading the page all over again—ultimately saving you time.

Why should you clear your cache?

To be put simply, your cache can sometimes get confused. Just think of how many websites you visit in a day and imagine your cache trying to keep up. This can happen to all browsers and at the most random or inconvenient times. You might see partially loaded sites, or sites with bad formatting, pictures missing, or even the wrong picture in the wrong place.
If BIGSHOT has made updates or changes to your website and you aren’t seeing them, first try clearing your cache. This is not always the solution to the problem, but it is always the best place to start.

Follow the steps below to clear your cache based on your browser:

If you don’t know what version of browser you have, follow these instructions.

Internet Explorer 9

  1. Open your browser and click the gear at the top right corner to open the settings menu.
  2. Select Safety and Delete Browsing History.
    629px-Ie9 settings

  3. Select Temporary Internet Files.
    Ie9 delete browsing history

  4. Uncheck all of the other boxes, especially Preserve Favorites website data. This option makes the window delete objects from websites in your Favorites folder, which is necessary to completely clear your cache.
  5. In a few moments, the process will be complete and you will have successfully cleared your cache.

Internet Explorer 8

  1. Open your browser, and then click the Tools menu.

    Step 1 - Copy 112ie8

  2. Click Delete Browsing History.

  3. Select Temporary Internet Files.
    Step 3 - Copy 995

  4. Click the Delete button near the bottom of the window to delete your temporary files (i.e. clear your cache).
  5. If you want the browser to automatically clear the cache whenever you close it: Close the Delete Browsing History window. Then select Internet Options from the Tools menu, and check the Delete Browsing history on exit checkbox.
    IE8-Internet-Options-Dialog

  6. Note: IE8 has a “feature” that retains some cookies even after you clear your cache if you do not uncheck Preserve Favorites Website Data. If you truly need to clear your cache, you will want to uncheck this box.

Internet Explorer 7

  1. Open your browser and click the Tools menu.

    Cache ie7 1

  2. Click the Delete Browsing History link at the top.
    Cache ie7 2

  3. Under the Temporary Internet Files heading, click Delete files.
  4. A prompt will ask if you are sure you want to delete all temporary files. Click yes.
    Cache ie7 3

Firefox 18

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox 18 and click the Firefox button in the upper left corner. Select Options.
    F18

  2. Note: If you're using the menu bar, choose Tools and then Clear Recent History and then skip to Step 5 below.
  3. Once in the Options window, click the Privacy tab.
    Capturef18

  4. In the History section, click the clear your recent history link towards the bottom.
  5. The Clear Recent History window will appear. Set Time range to clear to Everything.
    Capturef18a

  6. In the list at the bottom of the window, uncheck everything except for Cache.
  7. Click on the Clear Now button.
  8. When the Clear Recent History window disappears, all of the files saved (cached) from your Internet browsing activities in Firefox will have been removed.

Firefox 4.0/5.0/6.0+

  1. Open your browser and click the Firefox menu in the top left corner.

    629px-Ff456 settings

  2. Select the right arrow next to History > and click Clear Recent History.
  3. Expand Details, if not already expanded, and then select Cache from the list. Uncheck everything else.
    Ff456 clear recient history

  4. In the Time Range to Clear dropdown menu, select Everything.
    Ff456 everything

  5. Select Clear Now.
  6. In a few moments, the process will be complete and you will have successfully cleared your cache.

Chrome v10+

  1. Open your browser and select the menu icon located in the top right hand corner.
  2. Select History, then click Clear all browsing data...

    Ch10 tools

  3. From the dropdown menu Obliterate the following items from, select the beginning of time.
    Ch10 clear browsing data

  4. Select the Empty the cache checkbox. Make sure everything else is unchecked to avoid deleting data unintentionally.
    Ch10 clear browsing data

  5. Click the Clear browsing data button to complete the process.
  6. In a few moments, the process will be complete and you will have successfully cleared your cache.

Chrome v1-v9

  1. Open your browser and click the wrench (Tools/Options) icon in the top right corner.
    ch10

  2. Select the tab Under the Hood and click Clear Browsing Data.
    Underthebonnet

  3. Select the Empty the cache checkbox.
    Step 2 - Copy 8

  4. From the dropdown Clear data from this period, select Everything.
    Step 3 - Copy 649

  5. Click Clear Browsing Data.
    Step 4 - Copy 886

Safari for Mac OS X

  1. Open your browser and select the Safari menu.
    Picture 28 301

  2. Halfway down the dropdown, select Empty Cache.
  3. Click Empty.

Android

  1. Open your Manage Applications menu (if you need help finding your Manage Applications menu, refer to your user manual).
    android2

  2. Select your browser application (e.g. Chrome or Internet).
    android3

  3. Select Clear cache.
    android1

Safari for Windows

  1. Launch Safari web browser.
  2. Select Preferences from the top right corner of the browser.
    sw1

  3. Click the Privacy tap at the top of the Preferences window.
  4. Click Remove All Website Data.
    sw2

  5. Confirm by selecting Remove All from the pop-up window.
    sw3

iPhone (with Safari)

  1. Select Settings from your home page.
    Screen-Shot-2012-01-26-at-4.56.08-PM

  2. Scroll down and select Safari.
    Screen-Shot-2012-01-26-at-4.54.57-PM

  3. Select Clear Cookies and Data.
    399px-Screen-Shot-2012-01-26-at-4.43.20-PM

  4. A pop-up box will appear; select Clear Cookies and Data.

Tips

  • Deleting your browser's cache is not the same as deleting cookies.
  • If you wish, you can disable the cache entirely in your browser's options panel by choosing the do not remember history option or simply browse incognito. The cache is used to speed up access to websites by loading data from the local memory rather than downloading it, however you probably will not notice a difference from a high-speed internet connection.
  • You may also want to clear your browser's cookies.
  • You can use Portable Firefox from a USB flash drive, which will store the data (cache, cookies, etc.) on the portable device, rather than your computer's hard drive.

How to determine what browser version you have.

Internet Explorer

Click Settings in the top right-hand corner, and then select About Internet Explorer.

Chrome

Click on the menu icon in the upper right-hand corner and select About Google Chrome.

Firefox

Click the Firefox button at the top of the window and select the Help menu. Then, select About Firefox.

Safari

Click on Safari in your Safari menu, located at the top of your screen. Then from the dropdown menu, choose About Safari.

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