The cache's temporary files may also be a target for adware, malware, and viruses. The cache can also store private data required by some websites, which could give the next user on the computer access to sensitive or personal information. If you don't clear your cache, then anyone who uses the computer after you may be able to see your browser history. If you are using a public or shared computer, clearing your cache may help protect your privacy. By periodically clearing your cache, you force your browser to start afresh, ensuring that you view the latest pages and information. However, this doesn’t always happen: sometimes the cache will load its older stored pages instead, which means you may not see the newest version. In theory, whenever you revisit a website, your cache checks to see if it has changed so it can show you the most up-to-date pages. Deleting your cache can help increase website loading times and improve the performance of your device. The more information saved in the cache, the slower your computer will be when browsing online. Some of the reasons why you may want to clear browsing history include:ĭepending on your settings, your cache can grow quite large and take up significant disk space on your computer.

So, why clear cache?Ĭlearing your cache means deleting all the saved information from your local hard drive that has been stored in the cache. The cache stores these files locally, so future website visits are quicker, improving your overall internet experience. Cumulatively, these can add up to dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of files for just one website. This includes elements like the website logo, background images, fonts, plus technical aspects such as CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. Without this feature, your browser would operate more slowly since every website you opened would need to download a large number of files from scratch each time. The term ‘cache’ refers to the portion of your hard drive dedicated to storing browser files that your browser thinks it may use again.

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