Surely every user of the Internet has encountered a problem, the code for loading pages recently visited is fast, but the actions performed on them, say, playing streaming audio or video (and even more so online games) are reduced to absolute zero. The situation can be restored to normal by the simplest procedure, which reduces to the question of how to clear the cache and cookies in the browser.
What is application cache ?
In fact, few even modern users of PCs, laptops, or mobile devices are aware of what an application cache and cookies are. Moreover, some do not even know how to clear the cache and cookies in browsers, not to mention why this is necessary at all. Now all the questions in order.
The cache is a folder, most often hidden from the user's eyes, which stores temporary files that are located on the hard drive to speed up access to frequently used Internet pages. In other words, if a certain resource has a lot of graphics, thumbnails are saved in a specific folder. They are called Thumbnails.
By the way, it is worth noting that in versions of Windows XP such files are sometimes found in the form of pictures or some additional files. In older versions, there is a single database with the extension .db, and in no case is it recommended to delete it. Actually, an uninitiated user will not even find it. It is located in a hidden directory and has the name Thumbnails.db.
No, of course, you may wonder how to clear the cache and delete cookies manually, but for this you need to know where such data is located and what should be deleted.
For a good example, you can use the old Internet Explorer, the folder of which was named as IE5.5 and contained all the user data, including the same temporary files in the hidden Temp folder. By the way, it could be removed without any problems. When you restart the browser, as they say, out of the blue created a new directory with the same name.
What are cookies and what are these cookies responsible for?
The situation with cookies is somewhat different. Not many users know that the so-called “cookies” belong to the category of text encoded files that contain almost complete information about the user, and not even the specific computer terminal, taking into account its external IP address, namely the registration data that we all enter when visiting the same social networks.
Now think about why and how to clear cookies and cache in the browser used by default for Internet surfing. As already clear, all these elements represent the story of your, so to say, privacy. In other words, these are just your real “tracks” on the Internet (unless, of course, you use an anonymous proxy server or a similar anonymizing program).
Winchester Location
In principle, the problem of how to clean, delete cache files and cookies (cookies) is solved quite simply if you know where the data is located.
As a rule, during installation, any browser creates the appropriate folders. They may be visible or hidden from the user's eyes.
However, you can find them even in the simplest case of enabling the display of hidden files and folders provided by the Windows operating system itself.
For example, in the same "seven" you need to use the menu of the standard "Explorer" view, where you can put a check mark in front of the line for displaying hidden files and folders.
Don't want it like that? Go into the Windows program files and clean the Temp folder (or the same folder at the location of your browser).
Why do I need to delete cache and cookies?
If you already understand the question of how to clear the cache and cookies in the browser, it is worth noting the fact that such temporary data speeds up the browser itself, but slows down the launch of other applications (depending on the system), and at the same time uses confidential data in the same search engines.
If anyone does not know, it is cookies that contain comprehensive information not only about which site you visited the last time, but also about the frequency of visits to a particular resource. In addition, almost any browser offers to remember your password for subsequent automatic login to a specific site.
If you still do not understand, this is your part open access to your registration data. And God forbid, if personal card numbers with passwords used for access are entered there.
How to identify temporary files?
As for the recognition of temporary files, everything is simple. Indeed, temporary files are created when any program is running. Have you noticed?
Indeed, even when saving the most ordinary Word document in Explorer, there is an original file with the extension .doc or .docx, as well as a temporary registration component in the form of some unrecognizable file (usually ~ $ 123456.doc.tmp). Well, like that. The name may vary. In any case, this is a temporary file that stores information about the structure and contents of the original file at a given time. Naturally, after saving the original, such a file will be deleted automatically. True, sometimes when the main application does not finish correctly, such files remain on the hard drive and, moreover, what is called “hang” in the main memory in order to restore the original document when the corresponding program is opened.
How to clear cache and cookies in Internet Explorer (Microsoft Edge for Windows 10)?
The simplest example of cleaning this type of data is the most common Internet Explorer. To do this, use the service menu, in which there are browser properties settings .
There you can choose either instant cleaning of history, cache and cookies, or full (at the moment), or cleaning and deleting all elements when you exit the program.
In the "top ten" this process looks a little easier. In the Edge browser, you need to go to the settings menu, indicated by the button with three dots in the upper right, and then select the option “Clear browser data”, where you will be prompted to select the elements necessary for deletion.
How to clear cookies and cache in a third-party browser?
As mentioned above, in any browser you need to go either to the settings menu or to the history menu.
For example, in the recently popular “360” browser from Chinese developers (in fact, as in the same Google Chrome), you need to use the History tab, where you will need to specify the cleaning using a time interval.
The same applies to the answer to the question about how to clear the cache and cookies of the Yandex browser, because it was created in the image and likeness of the same Chrome. By the way, this technique is suitable for most of the most famous and most popular tools for Internet surfing today.
By the way, here you need to pay attention to one more thing. In all, well, or almost all browsers (with rare exceptions), in the settings of your browsing history there is a special parameter for clearing the cache and cookies when you exit the program, in other words, upon completion of work. If you use it, cleaning, as already clear, will be performed automatically, saving the user from having to perform such actions manually.
Opera and Mozilla Firefox Browsers
Now consider two more popular browsers. As for Opera, here you need to use the main menu (the “Opera” button in the upper left corner or the keyboard shortcut Alt + P), in which you need to find the settings line, and then go to the security tab.
This section contains the command “All cookies and site data ...”. After entering the section, cleaning can be done using the full cleaning button or do it manually, highlighting the line in the history, and then clicking the cross icon.
If we talk about Mozilla Firefox, for such actions you will need to use the settings menu, where the “Network” section is selected in the additional parameters. There is a button for cached web content, which you need to click on. The "Clear Now" button will appear in front of you. This is about the cache.
Again, in the privacy section, you can set automatic cleaning on exit. At the same time, you can check the cache and cookies in the parameters. Cleaning will be done automatically, and the browser itself will remember the selected action and will use it constantly.
Using Optimizer Programs
No less convenient and quick way to clear history, cache and cookies are special applications for optimizing the system (CCleaner, Advanced System Care, AVZ PC Tune Up, Glary Utilities, etc.).
As a rule, all programs of this type have a special button for optimizing the system with one click. At the same time, the optimization process clears the history of the browser installed in the system by default.
In the extreme case, if these parameters are not activated, they can be enabled using the basic application settings for this. As you can see, everything is simple.
Total
In general, if we sum up some logical result, the question of how to clear the cache and cookies in the browser, as already understood, is solved quite simply. True, the nuance is only that in some programs, as long as you find the appropriate settings, as they say, you can break your head. Nevertheless, they are everywhere. The main thing is to know where to look and what parameters to use.
However, today you can find a lot of automatic optimizer programs that, along with regulating the system, also clear data in the form of a cache or cookies. When you start applications of this type of “one-click”, you just need to use the corresponding function or put a checkmark (checkmark) opposite the desired line or parameter.
Thus, it is possible to ensure not only increased system performance, but also to maintain their own privacy, which is often simply ignored by many.