How to Clear Your Browser Cache to See the Latest Version of a Website

by | Last updated Oct 1, 2022

When your web developer makes changes to a website, you might not see those changes in your browser because of something called “browser caching”.

Basically, that means that the browser keeps old copies of parts of the website locally so it doesn’t have to re-load them each time you visit a new page on the site.

That’s great for making pages load fast, but it could mean that you’re viewing an old version of the site, especially if your developer has made changes recently.

Here’s how to do a “hard refresh” to clear your desktop computer’s browser cache:

Windows Chrome and Edge

Hold the CTRL key, then click the “Reload” button on your browser.

Windows Firefox

Hold the CTRL key down and press F5

Mac Chrome, Firefox, and Safari

Hold the SHIFT key, then click the “Reload” button on your browser.
On Chrome, you can also hold down COMMAND SHIFT and press the R key.

Mobile Browsers


On mobile devices such as iPhones, iPads, and Android devices, you need to completely clear the browser history to see the latest version of a website.

iOS Chrome

  1. Open the Chrome app.
  2. Tap the three dots at the bottom to get to the main options
  3. Tap History
  4. Tap “Clear Browsing Data” in red at the bottom of the screen
  5. Confirm all of the types of data are checked off, then tap the red “Clear Browsing Data” at the bottom of the screen again.
  6. In the popup, tap “Clear Browsing Data” yet again!
  7. Tap “Done”.
  8. Tap “Done” again.

iOS Safari

  1. Go to the Settings app and find Safari. I find it easiest to type “Safari” in the search field.
  2. Tap “Clear History and Website Data”.
  3. Tap “Clear History and Website Data” again.

Android Chrome

  1. Open the Chrome app.
  2. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner of the browser.
  3. Tap History
  4. Tap “Clear browsing data…”
  5. Tap the “Clear data” button at the bottom.
  6. Tap X to close the window.

Conclusion

If you do this, you should be able to see the latest version of the website. The browser cache will clear itself naturally over time, so your visitors will eventually be able to see the latest changes as well without having to do a hard refresh. – Brian

Subscribe to My Posts

Leave a Comment or Question

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Articles

20 Critical Problems Your WordPress Website Probably Has Right Now

20 Critical Problems Your WordPress Website Probably Has Right Now

These are the most common and dire problems that I find on existing client websites that I work on for the first time. Check your website for these issues today, or contact a web developer to do a site audit! 1. Your site is not getting backed up regularly Many...

What You Need to Know About Privacy Laws and Your Website

What You Need to Know About Privacy Laws and Your Website

There has been an avalanche of legislation in the United States and Europe regarding online privacy since the rise of the Internet. Today, publishing anything on the web requires familiarity and compliance with privacy laws to avoid the possibility of legal action or...

What You Need to Know About Using Contact Forms on your Website

What You Need to Know About Using Contact Forms on your Website

A contact form is a common feature of many business websites. After all, you want to make it as easy as possible for your visitors to get in touch with you to purchase your goods or services. However, contact forms have several important pitfalls that you may not know...

What You Need to Know About Using Fonts on Your Website

What You Need to Know About Using Fonts on Your Website

Often designers will hand me a website design that uses custom fonts (i.e., not the free ones available online). And just as often, they and the client are unaware of the costs and implications of using these fonts on the web. Web Font Licensing Costs Unfortunately,...

How to Set Up Your Domain Name, Custom Email, and Web Hosting

How to Set Up Your Domain Name, Custom Email, and Web Hosting

Sometimes I get a client who is starting from scratch and needs to get a domain name, branded email accounts, and web hosting (or sometimes they have the domain name already). Here's my process to get that all set up, along with some tips and tricks. Note, the order...

Why I Use the WordPress Divi Theme

Why I Use the WordPress Divi Theme

If you ask a WordPress developer what their favorite builder theme is, you'll get a very opinionated answer, kind of like asking a photographer what brand of camera is best, or a gamer what console is best. The truth is, there are a lot of great themes out there. Many...

My Website Accessibility Checklist

My Website Accessibility Checklist

Before I begin, let me stress that I am not a lawyer and this article is for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice! Per United States and European law, odds are that your website needs to be designed so that folks with various types of physical or...

Why You Should Own Your Own Domain Name and Web Hosting Accounts

Why You Should Own Your Own Domain Name and Web Hosting Accounts

I always tell my clients to set up their own domain name and web hosting accounts and pay for with their own credit card. I do not provide hosting. Here's why I think you should not let your web developer, agency, or any third party own your web and domain name...

My Website Project Kickoff Questionnaire

My Website Project Kickoff Questionnaire

These are some questions I think about before starting a new website project. It's a great checklist to go through before starting to help you scope out your project. 1. Audience and Purpose Who is the target audience of the website? What is the site tagline, in...

Pin It on Pinterest