A Website Won't Load or Looks Broken? Try Clearing Your Cache (Here's What That Means)

You open your bank, your email, or your favorite news site and something is wrong. The page is a jumble of text with no pictures. A button does nothing. Or you get a message saying the page can't be displayed, even though every other website works fine. Before you assume the site is down or your computer is broken, there is a quick fix worth trying: clearing your browser's cache.

What is a cache, and why does it cause trouble?

Your browser (Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox, or whatever you use to visit websites) saves copies of things like logos, pictures, and page layouts on your device. That saved stash is called the cache. It is a time-saver: the next time you visit, your browser reuses the saved pieces instead of downloading them again, so pages load faster.

The trouble starts when a website changes its design or code, but your browser keeps using the old saved copy. The old and new pieces no longer fit together, and the page looks broken or stops working. Clearing the cache forces your browser to fetch fresh copies.

What are cookies, and should I delete those too?

Cookies are tiny notes a website leaves in your browser so it can remember you: that you are signed in, what is in your shopping cart, or your preferred language. Occasionally a cookie gets corrupted or out of date, which can cause endless login loops or errors like "too many redirects."

Deleting cookies is a bit more disruptive than clearing the cache, because you will be signed out of sites and will need your passwords again. So start with the cache only. Clear cookies as a second step, and only if the problem remains.

Quick checks before you clear anything

First, press the refresh button, or hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) while you press R. This "hard refresh" tells the browser to skip its saved copy for that one page, and it fixes the problem more often than you might expect. Second, try the same site on a different device or a different browser. If it works there, the cause is on your end, and clearing the cache is a good bet. If it fails everywhere, the website itself is probably having a problem, and you simply need to wait.

How to clear the cache, step by step

Chrome or Edge on a computer

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (on a Mac, Command + Shift + Delete). A "Clear browsing data" window opens. 2. Set the time range to "All time" if the problem is stubborn, or "Last 24 hours" to be gentler. 3. Tick "Cached images and files." Leave "Cookies" unticked for now, and leave "Passwords" unticked always. 4. Click "Clear data," then close and reopen the browser and try the site again.

Safari on a Mac

Open Safari, choose Safari from the top menu, then Settings, then Advanced, and tick "Show features for web developers" (newer versions may word this slightly differently). A new Develop menu appears in the top bar. Choose Develop, then "Empty Caches." Alternatively, Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data lets you remove data for just the one troublesome site, which is the gentlest option.

iPhone or iPad

Open Settings, tap Apps, then Safari (on older iOS versions, scroll down to Safari directly), and choose "Clear History and Website Data." Be aware this also signs you out of websites. For one site only, go to Safari > Advanced > Website Data, search for the site, and swipe to delete it.

Android phone or tablet (Chrome)

Open Chrome, tap the three dots, then History, then "Delete browsing data." Choose a time range, tick "Cached images and files," and tap Delete. Menu names shift a little between phone makers and versions, but the words "browsing data" and "cached" are what to look for.

What you will notice afterward

The first visit to each site will be a little slower, because your browser is rebuilding its stash. That is normal and temporary. Clearing the cache does not delete your bookmarks, photos, documents, or saved passwords. If you also cleared cookies, expect to sign in again, so make sure you know your passwords first.

Still not working?

Try these next: turn off browser extensions (add-on tools) one at a time, since ad blockers and similar add-ons sometimes break pages; check that your device's date and time are correct, because wrong clocks cause security errors; and update your browser to the latest version. If only one website fails and everything else is fine, contact that site's support, since the fault is likely theirs.

The short version

When one site looks broken and the rest of the internet is fine, do a hard refresh, then clear the cache, then (only if needed) the cookies. It takes about a minute, costs nothing, and does not touch your personal files.