Understanding Your Browser Cache

When you browse any website, your browser is storing information in its local cache so that it doesn't need to re-request resources from the website.

This is useful, but can come with downsides:

  • Your browser may be storing outdated information

  • More often than you'd expect, the browser cache can become corrupt, causing all sorts of weird issues to arise

You generally should not need to worry about clearing your browser cache, but there are situations where this can be the exact fix you need to get your browser working properly. Specifically, if you are experiencing 502 or 504 errors, this can be a sign that your browser has cached an outdated response and needs to clear the cache.

Here's how to clear your cache and hard reload your browser:


Jump to Instructions for Your Browser:


Google Chrome

1. Open the Developer Console

There are a few ways to do this

  • Control+Shift+I (Windows)

  • Option+Command+I (Mac)

  • View > Developer > Developer Tools

  • Simply right click anywhere on the page and choose "Inspect"

2. Press and hold the Refresh Icon

3. Choose Empty Cache and Hard Reload from the dropdown


Brave

1. Open the Developer Console

There are a few ways to do this

  • Control+Shift+I (Windows)

  • Option+Command+I (Mac)

  • View > Developer > Developer Tools

  • Simply right click anywhere on the page and choose "Inspect"

2. Press and hold the Refresh Icon

3. Choose Empty Cache and Hard Reload from the dropdown


Firefox

1. Click the Menu button:

2. Click History

3. Choose Clear Recent History...

4. Make sure "Time range to clear" is set to "Everything"

5. Make sure "Cache" is checked (you can keep the other options unchecked)

6. Choose OK

7. Reload the page


Safari

  1. Choose Safari in the top menu

  2. Choose Preferences...

  3. Go to Advanced

  4. Make sure "Show Develop menu in menu bar" is turned on

5. Go to Develop in the top menu and choose "Empty Caches"

6. Reload the page


Microsoft Edge

1. Open the Developer Tools

There are a few ways to do this

  • Control+Shift+I (Windows or Linux)

  • Option+Command+I (Mac)

  • Tools > Developer > Developer Tools...

  • Simply right click anywhere on the page and choose "Inspect"

2. Press and hold the refresh icon

3. Choose "Empty cache and hard refresh"

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