If you have technical problems like difficulties to log in, page loading delays, impossible to post, and so on, the first steps to take is to erase the cache of your browser, AND erase the cookies of your browser.
Depending on your settings, the cache can grow quite big, use a lot of disk space on your computer and cause slow web browsing. The cache can also cause issues when viewing new versions of previously visited web pages. Deleting the cache and cookies data regularly helps to troubleshoot, increases the loading time of web pages, loads new versions of web pages and increases the performance of your computer[1]. When you use a browser, like Chrome, it saves some information from websites in its cache and cookies. Clearing them fixes certain problems, like loading or formatting issues on sites[6][9].
Clearing Cache and Cookies on Different Browsers :Here are the steps to clear cache and cookies on different browsers for both PC and mobile devices:
### **Google Chrome****On a Computer:**
1. Open Chrome.
2. At the top right, click **More** (three dots) and then **Delete browsing data**[9].
3. In time range, choose **All time**[9].
4. Check the boxes next to **Cookies and other site data** and **Cached images and files**[1][5].
5. Click **Delete data**[9].
6. Close and re-open Chrome to save your changes. If on an Apple computer, go to the **Chrome** menu on the top menu bar and select **Quit** for the changes to take effect[1][7].
**On an Android device:**
1. Open the Chrome app[4].
2. Tap **More** (three dots) at the top right[4].
3. Tap **History**, then **Clear Browsing Data**[4].
4. Choose **All time** in time range [4].
5. Ensure **Cookies and site data** and **Cached Images and Files** are checked[4].
6. Tap **Clear data** to confirm[4].
### **Mozilla Firefox****On a Computer:**
1. Open Firefox[3].
2. Access the **menu** (three horizontal lines), then click **Settings**[3].
3. Select **Privacy & Security**, find **Cookies and Site Data**, then click **Clear Data**[3].
4. Ensure **Cookies and Site Data** and **Cached Web Content** are selected, then click **Clear**[3].
**On an Android device:**
1. Open the Firefox app[4].
2. Tap the menu, then select **Settings**[4].
3. Tap **Delete browsing data**. Ensure **Cached images and files** is checked[4].
4. Tap **Delete browsing data** to confirm[4].
### **Safari****On iOS:**
1. From the home screen, go to **Settings > Safari**[2].
2. Toward the bottom of Safari's settings screen, tap the button for **Clear History and Website Data**, then tap **Clear History and Data** to confirm[2].
### **Additional Tips**
* **Keyboard Shortcut**: If you are using Internet Explorer, Edge, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox, you can quickly clear cache with a keyboard shortcut: **Ctrl + Shift + Delete** simultaneously[7].
* **Restart Browser**: Be sure to close/quit the browser and restart it after clearing the cache and cookies[1][7].
* **Regular Cleaning**: Set a monthly reminder to tidy up your digital space[4].
Citations:
[1]
https://uaptc.edu/clear-cache[2]
https://help.overdrive.com/en-us/0518.html[3]
https://helpcenter.trendmicro.com/en-us/article/tmka-20816[4]
https://helpcenter.trendmicro.com/en-us/article/tmka-19879[5]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trjRAD9YkCY[6]
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid[7]
https://its.uiowa.edu/services/how-clear-cache-and-cookies-your-web-browser[8]
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/105082[9]
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32050?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop**On an iPhone **To clear the cache, cookies, and browsing history in Safari on your iPhone, follow these steps[1][2]:
1. Go to the **Settings** app on your iPhone[1][2].
2. Scroll down and tap **Safari**[1][2].
3. Scroll down to the bottom and tap **Clear History and Website Data**[1][2].
4. Confirm that you want to clear your history, cookies, and other browsing data. Note that this action will delete the history of websites you've visited, recent searches, cookies, and permissions granted to websites[1][2][10]. You may be logged out of websites you are currently logged into, and form data may be deleted[1].
5. If prompted, select a timeframe for clearing your history[3][5][10].
6. Tap **Clear History** to complete the process[5][10]. The blue link will turn gray when the data has been erased[1].
Alternatively, to clear cookies and cache while keeping your history, go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data, then tap "Remove All Website Data"[4].
You can also block cookies by going to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced and turning on "Block All Cookies"[4]. Keep in mind that blocking cookies may cause some webpages to not work correctly[4].
Citations:
[1]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jrI4_jGivU[2]
https://www.whatismybrowser.com/guides/clear-cache-history-cookies/safari-iphone[3]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNlSaqlf6tc[4]
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/105082[5]
https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/clear-your-cache-and-cookies-iphacc5f0202/ios[6]
https://harvard.service-now.com/ithelp?id=kb_article&sys_id=e934a5cf6fc9a204a3a79b9eae3ee4bf[7]
https://www.aboutcookies.org.uk/managing-cookies/how-to-clear-cookies-safari[8]
https://usqassist.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3199/~/how-do-i-clear-my-cache,-cookies-and-history-in-safari%3F[9]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2EUSy47Nrs[10]
https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/iphone/iphacc5f0202/ios### **Opera**Here's how to clear the cache and cookies in the Opera browser on both PC and mobile devices:
**On a Computer:**
1. **Using Settings:**
* Click the **three horizontal lines** in the top-right corner of the Opera browser[1].
* Scroll down to **Privacy and Security**, then click the **Clear** button next to **Browsing data**[1]. This opens the "Clear browsing data" window[1].
* Select the box for **Cookies and other site data**, and also select **Cached images and files**[1][3].
* Click **Clear data**[1].
2. **Using the Address Bar:**
* Type `opera://settings/clearBrowserData` in the address bar and press Enter[3].
* Choose the time range and select "Cached images and files" before clicking "Clear data"[3].
3. **For a Specific Site:**
* Go to the website for which you want to clear the cache[3].
* Click the padlock icon in the address bar next to the URL[3].
* Select **Site settings**[3].
* Find and click **Clear data** in the site settings menu[3].
4. **Using a Keyboard Shortcut:**
* Press **Ctrl + Shift + Delete** simultaneously to open the "Clear browsing data" options[7].
* Make sure **Cookies and site data** is selected[7].
* Click **Clear data**[7].
**On an Android device:**
1. Launch the Opera app[3].
2. Tap the Opera icon at the bottom of the screen, then tap **Settings**[3].
3. Tap on **Privacy**[3].
4. Tap on **Clear browsing data**[3].
5. Choose the time range for which you want to clear the cache. To delete all cache, select **All time**[3].
6. Check **Cached images and files**[3].
7. Tap **Clear data**[3].
**On an iPhone (iOS):**
1. Launch the Opera app[3].
2. Tap the Opera icon, then tap **Settings**[3].
3. Tap **Privacy**[3].
4. Tap **Clear browsing data**[3].
5. Ensure that **Cached images and files** is checked. You can also select other types of data you want to clear[3].
6. Tap **Clear browsing data** at the bottom of the screen[3].
Citations:
[1]
https://allaboutcookies.org/how-to-clear-cookies-opera[2]
https://addons.opera.com/en/extensions/details/clear-browsing-data/[3]
https://www.aboutcookies.org.uk/managing-cookies/how-to-clear-cache-opera[4]
https://help.opera.com/en/opera36/be-safe-and-private/[5]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCOY2Aaztbo[6]
https://help.opera.com/en/mobileios/history/[7]
https://blogs.opera.com/tips-and-tricks/2023/04/clean-browser-and-remove-trackers/[8]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxXzY7tXHNA--
Additional Note:If you still have issues after clearing the cache and cookies, the next step is a complete reboot of your device - not a "restart", a complete shut down, than you wait 5 seconds, and then you restart the device.
