TL;DR
Choose cache controls for the affected browser or app; leave system cache management to macOS.
- Chrome and Firefox can clear cached files without cookies.
- Safari website-data removal can also sign you out; older versions have a separate Develop-menu route.
- Do not delete system folders by hand.
If you want to clear cache on your Mac because a website looks stale or broken, start with the browser where it is open.
Clearing that browser cache removes locally stored website files so it can download fresh copies. It does not guarantee a faster Mac. Cached files must download again, which can make the next visit slower.
Google explains these cache effects.
Before you start, finish any work in the affected tabs and check which data categories the selected control will remove.
If you remove cookies or website data, you may be signed out or lose site preferences. Clearing cached files alone does not delete downloaded files or saved passwords.
Download history is a record of downloads, separate from the files themselves; check every selected category before confirming.
Choose the browser you use
A cache can belong to macOS, an app, or a browser. macOS and apps use temporary files they manage themselves; a browser cache stores website files for later visits.
Clear the browser cache for a stale page. If one app is acting up, use that app’s reset option or follow its maker’s support instructions.
Avoid deleting folders from ~/Library/Caches or /System/Library/Caches because the system and apps manage those files, and broad deletion is a poor first step for a website problem.
When storage space is needed, macOS can automatically remove caches and logs it can safely discard. Apple’s optimization guide describes this automatic cleanup.
Safari: remove data for one site
Removing a site’s data can sign you out and change its saved preferences. If you accept those effects, open Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data, select the affected site, and click Remove. This removes cookies and other website data, not cached files alone. Apple’s Safari instructions explain this control.
In the older Safari interface pictured below, Develop > Empty Caches clears cached files separately. Follow this legacy branch only when that exact command appears in your Safari menu.
Apple explains how to show the Develop menu in Safari settings. The screenshots show the older 2023 interface.
The following legacy screenshots show the Safari settings and Develop menu path.
Keep Safari’s History > Clear History separate from cache-only clearing. It removes browsing history too; choose a route whose effects match what you want to remove. See Apple’s history instructions.
Chrome: clear cached images and files
In Chrome, open More (the three-dot menu) and choose Delete browsing data. Set the time range, select Cached images and files, and leave other categories unchecked if you want to keep them. Click Delete data. Google’s instructions explain the categories.
The legacy screenshots below show the Chrome menu and dialog from 2023, so their labels may differ.
Firefox: clear temporary cached files
In Firefox, open Firefox > Settings > Privacy & Security. Under Cookies and Site Data, choose Clear Data. Some versions label the section Browsing data and the button Clear browsing data.
Set When to Everything, select only Temporary cached files and pages, and deselect every other category before clicking Clear. This keeps cookies, site data and browsing history out of the deletion.
Check Mozilla’s Firefox cache instructions if your labels differ.
What cache clearing does and does not do
A browser cache belongs to that browser and stores copies of website files. Cookies and other website data can remember sign-in sessions and preferences. Browsing history is a record of pages visited.
The clear-data screens group these options differently, so read each checkbox before you confirm.
On macOS Ventura 13 or later, check free space in Apple menu > System Settings > General > Storage. On earlier macOS, use About This Mac > Storage.
Apple’s storage guide explains the view. If you’re trying to free space beyond browser files, see our guide to reducing macOS System Data safely.
For a broader storage review, MacKeeper Safe Cleanup groups cache and other potential junk files. Open Safe Cleanup and choose Start Scan, then inspect categories and file locations before approving removal. Keep needed or unfamiliar files unchecked, and review Trash separately. This disk-cleanup review is different from removing one browser’s data to troubleshoot a website.
If the page still looks wrong
- Reload the page after clearing the selected cache.
- Check the same page in a private window. If it works there, an extension or site data may be involved.
- Restart the browser and check for an available browser update.
- If one site remains broken, remove only that site’s data where the browser allows it, then sign in again if needed.
Avoid deleting folders in your Library, system folders, logs, or app containers to troubleshoot an ordinary website. If a Mac app (rather than a website) has a problem, follow that app maker’s own reset instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Should I clear my Mac’s system cache?
Usually, no. macOS and apps manage their own cache files. Avoid deleting folders from ~/Library/Caches or /System/Library/Caches by hand.
If one app misbehaves, use its built-in reset or support instructions.
Will clearing browser cache delete my passwords?
Choosing cached images and files alone normally leaves saved passwords and browsing history alone. Check the selected boxes before confirming.
Choosing cookies or site data can sign you out and remove site preferences.
Does clearing cached files delete browsing history?
Selecting only cached files in Chrome or Firefox leaves browsing history out of the deletion. Safari’s History > Clear History removes history too.
Its Manage Website Data route affects cookies and other site data. Read the selected control before confirming.
Why does a website load slowly after I clear its cache?
The browser may need to download images, scripts, and other files again on your next visit. That first load can take longer, especially on a slow connection.
Will clearing cache make my Mac faster or free much space?
It may resolve a page that displays stale or broken content, and it can remove some stored website files.
It does not guarantee a faster Mac; the browser rebuilds cache as you use websites.
How do I remove website data for one site in Safari?
Removing website data may sign you out or change site behavior.
If that is okay, open Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data, find the site, select it, and choose Remove.
This removes website data, not cache alone.
Affiliate disclosure: MacBook Journal may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.
How helpful was this article?
Your feedback helps us improve our guides.
