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Clean Temporary Files from Browser Cache

Summary

Your computer saves temporary files of pictures, text, and cookies as you browse the Web. Removing these may improve the speed of your computer (slightly) and may remove adware and virus installers that hide within the temporary folders.

Are cookies good to keep or an invasion of your privacy?

+ Some feel cookies are helpful because they remember some passwords and preferences.

- Others feel cookies are an intrusion - do you really want Amazon to remember your book preferences and then present targeted ads when you shop on-line? Maybe you like that personalized service or maybe you sense Big Brother looking over your shoulder.

- Some don't like the thought of thousands of unwanted cookies building up. A few might be useful but the vast majority are unwanted and were placed on you computer without your knowledge.

+ You decide - leave the cookies or clear them as you follow the steps below.

These sections follow:

screen shot of Safari icon

Empty Safari's Cache (Macintosh OS X)

  1. Launch the Safari browser.
  2. Open the Safari menu.
  3. Choose Empty Cache.
  4. Click the Empty button.
    The following steps are optional. Some people like cookies.
  5. Open the Safari menu.
  6. Choose Preferences.
  7. Choose the Security icon at the top.
  8. Click the Show Cookies button.
  9. Click the Remove All button.
  10. When asked to confirm, click the next Remove All button.
  11. Click the Done button.
  12. Close the Security dialog box.
screen shot of Firefox icon

Empty Firefox's Cache

Firefox 1.5 for Windows

1. Run Mozilla Firefox.

2. Open the Tools menu.

3. Choose Options.

4. Choose Privacy.

5. Select any tab.

6. Use the tab's clear button, if desired.

7. Optionally use the Settings button to set cache clearing when Firefox closes.

Firefox 1.5 for Macintosh OS X

1. Run Firefox.

2. Open the Firefox menu.

3. Choose Preferences.

4. Choose Privacy on the left.

5. Click an individual Clear button or the Clear All button.

For example, if you want to keep the cookies, don't use Clear All.

6. Confirm that you want to clear the items.

7. Click OK.

Firefox 2.0 for Windows and Macintosh OS X

1. Run Firefox.

2. Open the Tools menu.

3. Choose Clear Private Data

4. Check boxes for items to be cleared and uncheck boxes for items to be retained.

5. Click the Clear Private Data Now button and the window closes on its own.

screen shot of Internet Explorer icon

Empty Internet Explorer's Cache, Ver. 6 & Older

IE for Windows, older versions

Information for IE 7 is farther down the page in another section.

  1. Run Internet Explorer.
  2. Open the Tools menu.
  3. Choose Internet Options.
  4. Optional: Click the Delete Cookies button.
  5. Click the Delete Files button.
  6. Click the Clear History button (optional).
  7. Click OK.

IE for Macintosh OS X

  1. Launch Internet Explorer.
  2. Open the Explorer menu.
  3. Choose Preferences.
  4. Choose Advanced on the left under Web Browser.
  5. Click the Clear History button.
  6. Click the Empty Now button for cache.
    The following steps are optional. Some people like cookies.
  7. On the left, under Receiving Files, choose Cookies.
  8. Single-click any one cookie in the list.
  9. Use Command-A to select all.
  10. Click the Delete button.
  11. Click OK.
screen shot of Internet Explorer 7 icon

Empty Cache in Internet Explorer 7

1. Run Internet Explorer 7.

2. Open the Tools menu.

screen shot of toolbar

3. Choose the item(s) you want to clear.

a. Delete all, which is at the bottom, is not selective and clears everything.

b. Delete files will remove general Internet clutter. This is a safe choice.

c. Delete cookies does what it says.

This is generally safe, but some users like and want to keep the cookies.

d. Delete history clears the log of pages that you have visited recently.

e. Form data is information you typed on a Web page, perhaps on a purchasing form for online shopping.

f. Passwords - a security issue

IE (and other browsers) can remember usernames and passwords that you type on Web pages. Examples might be logging into GMail, Netflixs, ordering on EBay, and so on.

There are many potential problems. Here's a specific case. I visited my daughter and ordered some Netflix movies on her computer. A couple of days later she wrote to critique my movie choices and she changed my queue. No great harm was done, but you can imagine more serious situations where someone could use Web mail in your name or view your retirement account and so on. If I had cleared passwords before walking away from her computer, this would not have happened. What if I had been in the public library or a cyber café when my password was memorized?

Keep in mind that this issue is important on any computer, not just borrowed or public computers. The next person sitting down to use your home computer will be able to use your saved passwords.

4. Close after clicking the appropriate button(s).

Related Information

More Thorough Cleanup

To clean more types of temporary files in Windows XP with Disk Cleanup, please see:

http://www2.skidmore.edu/cits/students/CleanXP.html or type the following in your browser

http://www2.skidmore.edu/it/students/CleanXP.html

Stop IE from Saving Passwords

1. Open Tools menu → Internet Options → Content tab → AutoComplete Settings button

2. Remove two checks: Forms and User names ...

3. Have IE delete any saved passwords.

Stop Firefox 2 from Saving Passwords

1a. In Windows, Tools menu → Options → Security

1b. On a Mac, Firefox menu → Preferences → Security

2. Uncheck Remember passwords for sites.

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This page is maintained by Brien G. Muller

IT Help Desk, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY

Revised 01/12/2007

Last Revision: Added IE7 and Firefox 2; removed Netscape 4.79; added info on disabling password saving