Will clearing cookies delete my saved passwords?

No, not unless you also tick passwords. Cookies and passwords are separate boxes in Delete browsing data.

What is the difference between cache and cookies?

The cache stores parts of pages, such as images, so they load faster. Cookies are small files sites use to remember you, including that you are signed in.

Will websites be slower afterwards?

A little, the first time. Pages and images have to download again, then the cache fills up and they load quickly.

How often should I clear my cache?

Only when something is wrong. Chrome manages the cache on its own; clearing it regularly just makes sites load more slowly.

Chrome guide

How to clear the cache and cookies in Chrome

18 October 2026 · 1 min task · Tested

By Daniel Okonkwo

Daniel Okonkwo writes about phones and mobile apps for Appcyclopedia, working on a MacBook Pro, a Pixel 9 Pro and an iPhone 15.

Windows
macOS
Android
iOS

Short answer

On a computer, select More (three dots) at the top right, then Delete browsing data. Choose a time range, tick Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files, and select Delete data. On a phone, tap More, then Delete browsing data.

You will be signed out of sites: clearing cookies signs you out of most websites, so check you know your passwords first.

Below: the steps on each device, which boxes to tick, and what changes after you clear them.

How to delete cached files and cookies in Chrome

To clear the cache and cookies in Chrome, open Delete browsing data from the menu. The first group covers a computer, the second Android and iPhone.

On a computer

Open More, then Delete browsing data

In Chrome, select More, the three dots at the top right, then Delete browsing data. A window opens with the types of data and a time range.
Choose a time range

Pick how far back to clear: Last hour, Last 24 hours and so on up to All time. For a single broken site, a short range is usually enough.
Tick cookies and cached files, then Delete data

Tick Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. Untick browsing history and passwords if you want to keep them. Select Delete data.
On a phone

On Android, tap More, then Delete browsing data

In Chrome, tap More to the right of the address bar, then Delete browsing data. Tap More options to choose the types, tick cookies and cached files, set the time range and tap Delete data. The default range is 15 minutes.
On an iPhone, tap More, then Delete Browsing Data

In Chrome, tap More, then Delete Browsing Data. Next to Time Range, choose how far back. Tap Browsing Data to pick cookies and cached files, tap Confirm, then Delete Browsing Data.
Reload the site and sign in again

Go back to the website and reload it. It downloads a fresh copy of the page. Sign in again where you were signed out.

A shopping site keeps showing an old page and the basket will not update: clear cookies and cached files for the Last hour, reload the site and sign in again. The fresh copy loads and the basket works.

Start with a short time range: clearing the last hour or day fixes most broken pages without signing you out of everything.

More about Chrome

Google’s free web browser, built on the open-source Chromium project.

Read Chrome’s profile →

If clearing the cache did not fix the site

The page still looks broken: Try the site in an incognito window. If it works there, an extension may be the cause; turn extensions off one by one.
You were signed out of everything: Clearing cookies signs you out of sites. Sign back in; saved passwords in Chrome fill them in if you kept passwords when clearing.
You are still signed in to Google: With sync on, Chrome keeps you signed in to the Google Account you sync with. Sign out of Chrome to sign out of Google on every site.

Which boxes to tick

Delete browsing data lists several kinds of data. These are the ones people mean when they say clear the cache and cookies, and what each costs you.

Box	What it deletes	What you lose
Cached images and files	Stored copies of page parts	Pages load a little slower once
Cookies and other site data	Sign-ins and site settings	You are signed out of most sites
Browsing history	The list of pages you visited	History and address bar suggestions
Passwords	Saved passwords	You must type or reset them

Tick the first two and leave history and passwords alone: that fixes loading problems without losing anything you cannot get back.

What happens after you clear them

Websites forget that you visited: you are signed out, site settings such as language or cookie choices are reset, and pages download in full again. If you use Chrome sync, you stay signed in to the Google Account you sync with, so your bookmarks and passwords are safe.

What to do after clearing your cache

Reload the site that was misbehaving. In most cases it now loads properly, and you only need to sign in again.

Open Delete browsing data, choose a short time range, tick cookies and cached files and delete. If you want Chrome to open your links by default, the guide to making Chrome your default browser covers that.

Clearing Chrome cache and cookies: what to know

Will clearing cookies delete my saved passwords?: No, not unless you also tick passwords. Cookies and passwords are separate boxes in Delete browsing data.
What is the difference between cache and cookies?: The cache stores parts of pages, such as images, so they load faster. Cookies are small files sites use to remember you, including that you are signed in.
Will websites be slower afterwards?: A little, the first time. Pages and images have to download again, then the cache fills up and they load quickly.
How often should I clear my cache?: Only when something is wrong. Chrome manages the cache on its own; clearing it regularly just makes sites load more slowly.

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Test log

Followed the steps? Tell us how it went on your device. Entries appear here after we check them.

Worked Every step, start to finish · Elias Brandt and Marta Kowalczyk Team 17 October 2026

I tested this

Steps performed and confirmed 17 October 2026 5 days ago

When you need this

When a website loads wrongly or will not update in Chrome, clear the cache and cookies from Delete browsing data. Clearing cookies signs you out of most sites.

Describes: Chrome on Windows and Mac · Chrome for Android and iPhone
Takes: Under a minute
Platforms: Windows · macOS · Android · iOS
Published: 18 October 2026
Facts checked: 10 October 2026

Steps repeated and verified by Elias Brandt and Marta Kowalczyk on 17 October 2026

Elias Brandt: the Windows steps on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Windows 11 Pro).
Marta Kowalczyk: the Mac steps on a MacBook Air (macOS 27.0.1), the iPhone steps on an iPhone 16 Pro (iOS 27.0.1) and the Android steps on a Galaxy A55 (Android 16).

Limits quoted here come from Chrome’s documentation and were not tested.

Sources: Google Account Help, Clear cache & cookies (computer)Google Account Help, Clear cache & cookies (Android)Google Account Help, Clear cache & cookies (iPhone & iPad)