Clear Browser Cache, Cookies, and History

Overview

Your web browser temporarily stores information from websites you visit. Over time, this information can become outdated and cause websites to display incorrectly or stop working as expected.

Clearing your browser's cache and cookies can help resolve:

  • Websites that do not load or display correctly
  • Problems signing in to College websites
  • Pages that display outdated information
  • Buttons, forms, or other website features that are not working

Before you begin: Clearing cookies may sign you out of websites. You may need to sign in again using your Cedar Crest College account.

You generally do not need to delete saved passwords, bookmarks, or autofill information when troubleshooting a website.

Microsoft Edge

  1. Open Microsoft Edge.
  2. Select the three dots (...) in the upper-right corner.
  3. Select Settings.
  4. Select Privacy, search, and services.
  5. Find Clear browsing data and select Choose what to clear.
  6. Under Time range, select All time (or a shorter period if appropriate).
  7. Select:
    • Cookies and other site data
    • Cached images and files
    • Browsing history (optional)
  8. Leave Passwords and Autofill form data unchecked.
  9. Select Clear now.
  10. Close and reopen Edge.

Shortcut: Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows to open the clearing options.

Google Chrome

  1. Open Google Chrome.
  2. Select the three dots in the upper-right corner.
  3. Select Delete browsing data.
  4. Choose a time range, such as All time.
  5. Select:
    • Cookies and other site data
    • Cached images and files
    • Browsing history (optional)
  6. Review the other options to avoid deleting saved passwords or other information you want to keep.
  7. Select Delete data.
  8. Close and reopen Chrome.

Shortcut: Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows or Command + Shift + Delete on Mac.

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Open Firefox.
  2. Select the menu button (☰) in the upper-right corner.
  3. Select Settings.
  4. Select Privacy & Security.
  5. Locate the Cookies and Site Data or Browsing Data section.
  6. Select Clear Data or Clear browsing data.
  7. Choose the time range, such as Everything.
  8. Select:
    • Cookies and site data
    • Temporary cached files and pages
  9. Select Clear.
  10. Close and reopen Firefox.

To clear browsing history as well, select History > Clear Recent History from the Firefox menu and choose the appropriate options.

Safari on macOS

Clear Cookies and Website Data

  1. Open Safari.
  2. From the menu bar, select Safari > Settings.
  3. Select the Privacy tab.
  4. Select Manage Website Data.
  5. Select a website and click Remove, or choose Remove All to delete all stored website data.
  6. Confirm your selection.
  7. Close and reopen Safari.

Clear Browsing History

  1. Open Safari.
  2. From the menu bar, select History > Clear History.
  3. Choose a time range, such as all history.
  4. Select Clear History.

Note: If Safari history is synchronized through iCloud, clearing history may also remove it from your other Apple devices.

What to Do After Clearing Browser Data

  1. Close all browser windows.
  2. Reopen your browser.
  3. Return to the website you were having trouble accessing.
  4. Sign in again if prompted.
  5. Check whether the issue has been resolved.

If the problem continues, try opening the website in a private or incognito browsing window, or try a different supported browser.

Need Additional Assistance?

If you continue experiencing website loading or sign-in problems, submit an IT Support Request.

Include the website address, browser you are using, and any error messages you receive.

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