ByLori Kaufman
Last Updated on
When you browse the internet, information about the sites you visit is stored on your computer as cache, history, and cookies. Let’s review how to clear this information.
When you browse the internet, information about the sites you visit is stored on your computer. Web content is cached, allowing for quick access to a web page you have previously visited. Cookies are stored on your computer by websites that contain information such as login status and site preferences. Also, every site you visit is stored in your browser history (this can be avoided using a private browsing window).
You can clear this personal information in Firefox in several ways. Read on to find out how.
How to Clear Cookies and Site Data in Firefox for the Current Website
To delete cookies and site data in Firefox for the website open in the current tab, click the lock icon on the left side of the address bar. Then, select Clear Cookies and Site Data.
The Removing Cookies and Site Data dialog lists all the cookies for the current site. Click Remove to delete them.
How to Clear Cookies and Site Data in Firefox for Any Website
To delete cookies from a specific website, even if you’re not currently on that site, click the menu button and then select Options.
Select Privacy & Security on the left and scroll down to the Cookies and Site Data section.
Click Manage Data.
On the Manage Cookies and Site Data dialog, enter the site’s name whose cookies you want to remove into the search box. Items matching your search display.
To remove a cookie, select it in the list and click Remove Selected. You can also remove all the cookies in the list by clicking Remove All Shown.
Click Save Changes.
How to Clear all Cookies, Site Data, and Cache Files in Firefox
To delete all cache and cookies for all websites you visited in Firefox, go to the menu and select Options.
Select Privacy & Security on the left and scroll down to the Cookies and Site Data section. Click Clear Data.
The following options are both checked by default. If you don’t want to delete both, clear the check box for the one you don’t want to delete.
- Cookies and Site Data –Login status and site preferences
- Cached Web Content – Stored images, scripts, and other cached content
Click Clear.
Click Clear Now on the confirmation dialog that displays.
How to Clear Cookies Only in Firefox
You may want to delete all your cookies but keep your cache so pages still load quickly and your history so website addresses will be auto-completed.
To delete only the cookies while keeping other data, click the menu button and select Library. You can also click the Library button on the toolbar.
Select History on the Library menu.
Then, select Clear Recent History.
To clear all the cookies, select Everything from the Time range to clear drop-down list on the Clear Recent History dialog. You can also choose to clear all the cookies for the Last Hour, Last Two Hours, Last Four Hours, or Today.
By default, all the options in the History section are checked, and the options in the Data section are not. You can uncheck the items you don’t want to clear. If you only want to delete the cookies, uncheck all the boxes except Cookies in the History section.
Click OK.
How to Get Detailed Information About Your Cache in Firefox
You can get detailed information about the cache in memory and on disk. To access this information, type:about:cache in the address bar and press Enter.
To get more details about the entries in one of the sections, click the List Cache Entries link in that section.
Cache information displays on the current tab. Click the links in the Key column to get even more detailed information.
Click Back to overview to return to the previous screen.
If you clicked a Key link to get more information, use the Back button in the browser to return to the previous screen.
How to Customize Firefox History, Cache, and Cookie Settings
You can customize the settings for clearing history, cache, and cookies in Firefox. This allows you to automatically clear data when you close Firefox or always use private browsing, so no history is saved on your computer.
Go to the menu and select Options.
Click Privacy & Security on the left. Scroll down to the History section and select Use custom settings for history from the Firefox will drop-down box.
To never save history or other browsing data, check the Always use private browsing mode box. This is like opening a private browsing window every time you open Firefox. The three options below this are automatically unchecked and grayed out.
To clear history and other browsing data automatically every time you close Firefox, check the Clear history when Firefox closes check box. Click the Settings button that becomes available to set the options for clearing history.
You can also click Clear History to access the Clear Recent History dialog discussed previously.
On the Settings for Clearing History dialog, check the boxes for the items you want to clear every time you close Firefox.
Click OK.
Enable or Disable the Browser Cache
Sometimes you may notice that web pages, like news and weather sites, display old information. If you want to freshly load web pages every time, you can turn off the cache, so it’s not stored.
To disable (or enable) the cache, type:about:config in the address bar and press Enter. Then, click Accept the Risk and Continue.
In the search box, type:browser.cache.disk.enable. Matching results display as you type.
You’ll see the browser.cache.disk.enable option displayed with a value of true by default. Double-click on the option to change it to false. The option becomes bold once you’ve changed it from the default.
The double arrow on the right toggles the option, and the curved back arrow resets the option to the default.
Exit Firefox and restart it to finish changing the option.
Go through the same steps to change the browser.cache.memory.enable option to false.
Install a Firefox Add-on to Clear Private Data from Firefox and Disable/Enable Cache
Many add-ons for Firefox make it quick and easy to clear browsing data and manage the cache. We found a couple that we tried out and found useful.
Cache Cleaner
The Cache Cleaner add-on provides a quick and easy way to clear the cache, cookies, history, and other data directly from the toolbar.
Install the Cache Cleaner add-on and then click the Cache Cleaner button added to the toolbar.
Check the items you want to clear using the checkboxes to the right of the items. Then, select the time frame for which you want to clear the items.
Click Clear (the broom icon).
You may notice that some items are not available to select. This is because the browser does not yet support clearing that data. These items will be enabled as they become available.
Toggle Cache
Earlier in this article, we showed you how to turn the browser cache on and off. There is a quicker way to do this.
The Toggle Cache add-on adds a button to the toolbar allowing you to disable or enable the cache with one click.
Install the Toggle Cache add-on. To disable the cache, click the Toggle Cache button added to the toolbar.
When the cache is off, an “X” displays on the Toggle Cache button.
Prevent Firefox from Storing Private Data
As you can see, it’s easy to clear your browsing data. You may want to make a habit of periodically clearing your browsing data, especially if you share a computer or if you’re using a public computer.
You can also prevent any browsing data from being stored by using private browsing mode.
Related Items:Firefox, Privacy
FAQs
How do I clear cache and cookies completely? ›
- On your computer, open Chrome.
- At the top right, click More .
- Click More tools. Clear browsing data.
- At the top, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All time.
- Next to "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files," check the boxes.
- Click Clear data.
- Click the menu button. to open the menu panel.
- Click History and select Clear Recent History…
- Select how much history you want to clear: ...
- Click the OK button.
Click on Tools in the menu bar. In the Firefox will: dropdown menu, select Use custom setting for history. Click Show Cookies. Select the cookie that needs to be deleted and click on Remove Cookie.
Is it safe to clear cache on Firefox? ›You can choose to clear or manage the data in your cache, or even set Firefox to delete your cookies and site data whenever you close the browser. Clearing the browser cache in Firefox is easy, and it boosts the speed and improves the performance of your system.
Does clearing Firefox cache delete passwords? ›But if you are still concerned you can always sign out of your Firefox Account and then clear the Cache so as Firefox does not Sync with it and then afterwards sign back in because that is where you passwords are stored. I am going to say yes clearing you Cache does not delete your passwords.
Does clearing cache and cookies delete history? ›When you click Clear History your cache, browser history, and cookies will be deleted for the specified time range. If you choose the default option of "all history" then the entire historical record of your browsing on this computer will be deleted.
Is there a way to clear all cache at once? ›In the Chrome app
At the top, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All time. Next to "Cookies and site data" and "Cached images and files," check the boxes. Tap Clear data.
In most browsers, the options for clearing the cache and clearing cookies are in the same place—but they're not the same thing. Your cache stores files downloaded directly from the websites you visit—fonts, images, that kind of thing.
How do I completely clear my browser data? ›Settings. Clear browsing data. Choose a time range, like Last hour or All time. Select the types of information you want to remove.
How do I completely clear my internet history? ›- In a Chrome browser, click the three vertical dots (⋮) in the top-right of the screen.
- In the drop-down menu, click Settings.
- Scroll down to Privacy and security, click Clear browsing history.
- From the time range drop-down menu, select All time. ...
- Click Clear data.
How do I permanently delete my browser history? ›
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google app .
- At the top right, tap your Profile picture or initial. Search history.
- Choose the Search history you want to delete. You can choose: All your Search history: Above your history, tap Delete. Delete all time.
Although small, cookies do occupy space on your computer. If there are enough of them stored over a long period of time, they could slow down the speed of your computer and other devices. Flagged, suspicious cookies. If your antivirus software flags suspicious cookies, you should delete them.
Does clearing cache delete passwords? ›Note: Don't worry, you won't lose any information by clearing your cache. You won't even lose passwords to websites or autofill information from your phone unless you choose to clear that data.
What is the shortcut to clear cookies in Firefox? ›While in your browser, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete simultaneously on the keyboard to open the appropriate window. IMPORTANT: Be sure and close/quit the browser and restart it after clearing the cache and cookies.
Is it good to clear all cache? ›If you don't clear your cache, you may see old forms. Old files can cause display or access problems when you apply online.
Does clearing cache remove viruses? ›By periodically clearing the cache, you can remove harmful viruses and malware before they cause too much damage to your device.
What happens if you delete all cache files? ›What Happens After Clearing Android Cache? After you clear cached files, you'll regain some storage space and the app will continue to work as normal. However, since you erased the data used for optimal performance, some elements (like those mentioned above) will load more slowly the next time you use the app.
Will I lose my bookmarks if I clear my cache? ›Clearing out a web browser's cache does not damage any information stored in a browser, such as bookmarks or your homepage. Instead, it simply makes the web browser think that you have not visited a webpage before.
Are passwords stored in cache or cookies? ›The cache is where the browser stores temporary website information. Your passwords are stored in the Password Manager. Your login status is stored in special cookies. The cache is where the browser stores temporary website information.
Will clearing cookies speed up computer? ›Performance. As the number of persistent cookies builds up on your computer, they can contribute to slow Internet performance. Deleting the cookies can lead to faster overall Internet access, but may also cause slower access to the sites you visit frequently.
How often should you clear cookies and cache? ›
So how often should you clean these cookies? If you're using a public computer, you should delete them and other data, such as browsing history, right after your session. If it's your personal device, it's a good idea to remove all cookies at least once a month to keep your device neat.
Is it a good idea to clear history and website data? ›Secondly, clearing your history helps prevent websites from tracking you and following you around the web – whether this is to glean more information on your likes and interests, or to sell you products via remarketing banner or search ads. For all the speed benefits of cached pages, they could cause bugs or errors.
Does clearing cache and cookies resolve problems? ›These files are cookies and cached images. While usually benign, these files sometimes create errors when loading a page or downloading a document. Clearing the cache and cookies will fix errors caused by these files.
How many times should you clear cache? ›It should only be cleared when it takes up an increased amount of storage and hinders the performance of your Android smartphone as a result. This may also depend on the storage capacity of your smartphone. Typically, it is advised to clear the cache periodically every few months.
What is better clear cache or clear data? ›Clear cache: Deletes temporary data. Some apps can open slower the next time you use them. Clear data storage: Permanently deletes all app data. We recommend trying to delete from inside the app first.
Can police see what you search on the Internet? ›While police do not actively monitor Google searches, they are able to obtain a warrant for your search history if they have probable cause to do so.
Can anyone see your history after you delete it? ›Even if you search online using incognito mode or delete your internet search history, your online history is not private. Not only do internet providers still have access to what you look up but the information can be discovered (or subpoenaed) and submitted as evidence in your criminal case.
Does deleting Internet history delete it completely? ›Your browser history is stored just like everything else on your computer, as a file (or collection of files). Clearing your browser history merely deletes these files from your hard drive.
What happens if you decline all cookies? ›What happens if you don't accept cookies? – The potential problem with refusing to accept cookies is that some website owners may not allow you to use their websites if you don't accept their cookies. Another downside is that without acceptance, you may not receive the full user experience on certain websites.
Why is blocking all cookies not recommended? ›Cookies are small text files created by websites you visit. Websites use cookies to deliver a good user experience, remember your preferences and login information etc. Blocking cookies can result in websites not functioning properly on your browser.
What is the difference between cache and cookies? ›
Cache stores Javascript, CSS, HTML pages, media (images and videos), etc. Cookies store temporary data for tracking, such as browsing sessions, history of using websites and apps, etc.
What is the shortcut to clear cache? ›The fastest way to the Clear browsing data menu is via the Ctrl+Shift+Del keyboard shortcut. Another option is via the More button (that little icon with three horizontal dots), followed by Settings and then the Choose what to clear button under the Clear browsing data heading.
Where is Firefox history and cache stored? ›Firefox stores your history and bookmarks together in a database file named places. sqlite which is in your profile folder. You may want to take a look at these articles: Profiles - Where Firefox stores your bookmarks, passwords and other user data.
Why can't I clear my Firefox history? ›This can be caused by a problem with the places. sqlite and favicons. sqlite databases in the Firefox profile folder. If errors are reported with "Verify Integrity", close and restart Firefox or reboot and retry.
Does Firefox Keep history forever? ›Chosen solution
Current Firefox versions keep a maximum number of visited page and do not have a time limit for the history. You can see the current value of this maximum as the value of the read-only pref places.
Backup copies of deleted Firefox history are stored in hidden files named as index. dat files. If you have accidentally delete Firefox history, you can recover it by locating the index. dat file.
How do I completely clear my browser history? ›- Press the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys while in Chrome, and you get Google's options on-screen.
- Check the boxes next to the categories that you want to clear. Be sure to examine all the options from the drop-down menu at the top. ...
- Select Clear browsing data.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google app .
- At the top right, tap your Profile picture or initial. Search history.
- Choose the Search history you want to delete. You can choose: All your Search history: Above your history, tap Delete. Delete all time.
Chosen solution. Websites remembering you and automatically log you in is stored in a cookie. So, you will have to remove those cookies to make the website forget you. If clearing cookies doesn't work then it is possible that the cookies.