When browsing the web, your browser stores cached files (images, scripts, CSS) to speed up
loading. Sometimes this cache prevents you from seeing the most recent updates. You can solve
this by performing a hard refresh (reload the page with fresh files) or by clearing your cache
entirely.
1. Google Chrome
Hard Refresh (Current Page Only)
- Windows/Linux: Press Ctrl + F5 or Ctrl + Shift + R
- Mac: Press Cmd + Shift + R
- Alternate: Open Developer Tools (F12 or Ctrl+Shift+I), right-click Reload button → select “Empty
Cache and Hard Reload”
Clear Cache / Browsing Data
1. Click the three dots menu (top-right) → Settings
2. Go to Privacy and security → Clear browsing data
3. Select a time range (e.g. Last 24 hours, All time)
4. Check “Cached images and files” (optionally Cookies and other site data)
5. Click Clear data
6. Reload the page (preferably with a hard refresh)
2. Internet Explorer (IE)
Hard Refresh (Current Page Only)
- Press Ctrl + F5
- Or hold Ctrl and click the Refresh button
Clear Cache / Temporary Internet Files
1. Click the gear icon (Tools) → Safety → Delete browsing history…
2. Tick Temporary Internet files and website files (and Cookies if needed)
3. Optionally tick Preserve Favorites website data
4. Click Delete
5. Reload the page with a hard refresh
3. When to Use Each
- Page not showing updates → Try a Hard Refresh first, then Clear Cache
- Broken layouts or login issues → Clear Cache, then restart browser
- Testing frequent changes → Use Dev Tools “Disable cache” option and refresh often
4. Tips
- Clearing cookies will log you out of sites.
- Avoid clearing full history unless necessary.
- Developer Tools in Chrome lets you temporarily disable cache while testing.
- For long-term support, migrate from IE to a modern browser like Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.
