Clear Chrome, Safari, Edge and Arc Cache Without Losing Passwords or Bookmarks

A browser cache holds copies of the images, scripts and stylesheets from pages you've visited, plus graphics and code caches the browser builds to display pages faster. The next time you open the same site, less has to be downloaded. Over time, a few browsers together can easily take up several gigabytes.

Many people hold off on clearing it because they're afraid of losing passwords, bookmarks and sign-ins along the way. Those are stored separately, though. As long as you select only the cache, none of them are affected.

#Cache, cookies, passwords and bookmarks

If you want space back without signing in again, select only the cache.

#Chrome

1. Click the More icon (three dots) in the upper-right corner and choose Delete browsing data.
2. Pick a time range. To clear everything, choose All time.
3. Select only Cached images and files, and deselect Browsing history, Cookies and other site data and everything else.
4. Click Delete data.

Google's help article notes that after you delete cookies, you'll usually have to sign in to sites again, and that saved passwords are managed separately in Google Password Manager.

#Safari

Safari doesn't show a ready-made "clear cache" button, so turn on the developer features first:

1. Choose Safari > Settings, then click Advanced.
2. Select "Show features for web developers", then close the settings window.
3. From the Develop menu in the menu bar, choose Empty Caches.

That empties the cache and nothing else. Two other options are easy to confuse with it. History > Clear History removes your browsing history, frequently visited sites, recent searches and similar records, and if Safari uses iCloud, it removes that history from your other Apple devices too. Manage Website Data in Settings > Privacy removes cookies and website data, which can sign you out of sites. Safari's saved passwords live in your keychain, and none of these actions delete them.

#Edge

1. Click Settings and more in the upper-right corner, choose Settings, then go to Privacy, search, and services.
2. Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear next to Clear browsing data now.
3. Choose a Time range, select only Cached images and files, and deselect Cookies and other site data, Passwords, Autofill form data (includes forms and cards) and anything else.
4. Click Clear now.

#Arc

Arc is built on Chromium, and the option lives in its settings: choose Arc > Settings, open Profiles, pick the profile to clean and click Clear Browsing Data. Choose a time range, select only Cached images and files, then confirm. If you use more than one profile, repeat this for each.

#Clear browser caches with WashBear

WashBear can clear browser caches in two places, and neither deletes bookmarks. Files are deleted directly rather than moved to the Trash, and each cleanup is recorded in Operation History.

#Deep Cleanup: cache only

Open Deep Cleanup and click Start Scan. Under Browser data, you'll see items such as Chrome cache, Edge cache, Arc cache and Firefox cache. Each one states that passwords, cookies, history, extensions and bookmarks are kept, and Arc cache keeps your Spaces too. Chrome offline cache and Edge offline cache hold website data saved for faster or offline use. They also keep passwords, history and bookmarks, though some sites may download their offline content again.

These items need the browser closed first. Select it under Close running apps (optional) in Confirm cleanup and WashBear closes it for you; save anything you're typing into a web page first. Safari's cache isn't listed here. Use Privacy Cleanup for it, as described next.

#Privacy Cleanup: cache plus browsing history

Privacy Cleanup supports Safari, Chrome, Edge, Firefox and other browsers, with results grouped by browser and profile. After a scan, Smart recommendation preselects lower-impact items such as browsing history, download history and Browser cache. Cookies and sign-in state, Site storage, Saved passwords and Autofill data are never selected automatically.

• Cache only: set Selection at the bottom to Select none, then select Browser cache for each browser. Choose All time as the time range to free the most space.
• Keep the tabs you had open: deselect Browser sessions, or the browser can't restore your previous windows the next time it starts.
• Safari shows Access limited: Safari's data is protected by macOS, so WashBear needs Full Disk Access. See Getting Started for how to turn it on.
• Cookies or passwords selected: before you can confirm, you must tick I understand that selected items may sign out accounts or permanently delete personal data. This step doesn't appear when you clear only the cache.

#FAQ

#Will I have to sign in again after clearing the cache?

No. Sign-in state is kept in cookies, and clearing only the cache doesn't touch them.

#Does clearing affect other devices if sync is on?

The cache exists only on this Mac and doesn't sync. Browsing history is different: clearing history in Safari also removes it from your other devices that use iCloud for Safari, and when WashBear clears browsing history, some of those changes may sync to your other devices as well.

#Why do pages load slower right after clearing?

That's expected. Without a cache, a site's images and scripts have to be downloaded again the first time you open it, and things speed up afterward. For more about caches in general, see How to clear cache on Mac.