How to Clear the Cache in IE11 GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Internet, Networking, & Security > Browsers 55 55 people found this article helpful
How to Clear the Cache in IE11
Ctrl+Shift+Del is the shortcut to delete temp internet files and free up space
By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 6, 2022 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Browsers Microsoft Chrome Safari Firefox What to Know
Select IE's gear icon, and then go to Safety > Delete browsing history.Or, press Ctrl+Shift+Del to open the same window.Then, uncheck all options except Temporary Internet files and website files. Select Delete. This article explains how to clear temporary internet files, or the cache, in Internet Explorer 11. Learn how to clear the cache in other browsers if you use Chrome, Edge, or Firefox. How to Clear the Cache in Internet Explorer 11
The cache includes copies of the text, images, videos, and other data from recently viewed websites that are stored on your hard drive. These temporary files remain on the computer until they expire, the cache becomes full, or you remove them manually. Locate the gear icon from the right side of the browser, and choose Safety > Delete browsing history. If you see the menu bar, select Tools > Delete browsing history. Or, press Ctrl+Shift+Del on the keyboard. Uncheck all options except the one labeled Temporary Internet files and website files. Select Delete at the bottom of the window. That window closes, and the mouse icon changes to the wait cursor for a few moments. When the cursor returns to normal or the success message displays at the bottom of the screen, the temporary internet files are deleted. Deleting temporary internet files is safe and won't remove other things like cookies, passwords, or other stored data. Tips for Clearing the Internet Explorer Cache
Here are a few tips to follow: Older Internet Explorer versions, like IE10, IE9, and IE8, have similar procedures for clearing the cache. Avoid clearing the cache in IE manually by using a program that does it for you. One popular system cleaner is CCleaner. Make sure Temporary Internet Files is chosen under the Internet Explorer area of the Custom Clean > Windows section. If you want to delete other Internet Explorer data like cookies, browsing or download history, form data, or passwords, put a check in the box next to that option while in Step 2. IE's temporary internet files settings can be changed through Internet Options. Enter the inetcpl.cpl command in the Run dialog box (WIN+R) and then go to General > Settings to find the Website Data Settings window. Go to Internet Options to choose the maximum size of the cache. You can also force IE to check for new website data and avoid the cache every time you visit the page, every time you use IE, automatically (the default option), or never. By default, IE stores temporary internet files in this folder, but you can change the location. Microsoft no longer supports Internet Explorer and recommends that you update to the newer Edge browser. Head to their site to download the newest version. Of course, there are other web browsers you could use instead. Why IE Stores Temporary Internet Files
The idea behind temporary internet files is that you can access the same content again without loading it from the website. If the content is stored on your computer, the browser can pull up that data instead of downloading it again, which saves bandwidth and page loading times. What ends up happening is that only the new content from the page downloads, while the rest that's been unchanged is pulled from the hard drive. Besides better performance, temporary internet files are used by some agencies to collect forensic evidence of someone's browsing activities. If the content remains on the hard drive (that is, if it hasn't been cleared away), the data can be used as evidence that someone accessed a particular website. This procedure isn't the same as removing Windows tmp files, which is appropriate for deleting data left over by programs not specific to IE, like third-party installers. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Manage Browsing History and Other Private Data in IE11 How to Clear Your Internet Explorer History How to Delete Temporary Internet Files in Internet Explorer How to Clear Internet Cache in Every Major Browser Delete Temporary Internet Files and Cookies How to Delete Cookies in Every Major Browser How to Manage AutoComplete in Internet Explorer 11 How to Activate InPrivate Browsing Mode in IE Where to Find Internet Explorer's Temporary Internet Files How to Clear Your Search Bar History How to Clear Cookies for a Specific Site How to Clear Your iPhone Cache How to Activate InPrivate Browsing Mode in IE 10 How to Fix It When WhatsApp Isn't Working How to Use the Pop-Up Blocker in Internet Explorer 11 How to Clear the Cache Windows 10 Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies