How to Clear Cache in Firefox (2026 Guide)

Last updated: June 6, 2026

Firefox handles cached data differently from Chromium-based browsers. If a website isn't displaying correctly, looks outdated, or won't load at all, clearing the Firefox cache is one of the first things to try.

Method 1: Quick Cache Bypass

Force Firefox to reload the current page from the server, ignoring all cached files.

Hard refresh the page

Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + R

Mac: Cmd + Shift + R

This bypasses the cache for the current page only. Nothing else is affected — your passwords, bookmarks, and history stay intact.

Tip: You can also hold Shift and click the reload button in the toolbar for the same effect.

Method 2: Clear Cache via Keyboard Shortcut

Open the Clear Data dialog

Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + Delete

Mac: Cmd + Shift + Delete

This opens Firefox's "Clear Recent History" dialog directly.

Choose what to clear

Set "Time range to clear" to "Everything" (or a shorter period if you prefer)
Check "Cache"
Optionally check "Cookies and Site Data" — this will log you out of websites
Uncheck "Browsing & Download History" unless you want to clear that too

Click "Clear Now"

Firefox clears the selected data immediately. Go back to the website that was giving you trouble and reload it.

Method 3: Clear Cache via Firefox Settings

Open Firefox menu

Click the hamburger menu (☰) in the top-right corner of Firefox.

Go to Settings → Privacy & Security

Click Settings, then scroll down to the "Privacy & Security" section in the left sidebar. You can also type about:preferences#privacy in the address bar.

Find "Cookies and Site Data" and click "Clear Data"

Scroll down to the "Cookies and Site Data" section. Click "Clear Data...". Check "Cached Web Content" and click "Clear".

Method 4: Clear Cache for a Single Site

Firefox lets you clear data for just one specific website without affecting others.

Click the lock/info icon in the address bar

On the website you're having issues with, click the padlock icon (or shield icon) to the left of the URL.

Click "Clear cookies and site data"

In the dropdown panel, click "Clear cookies and site data...". This removes all cached data, cookies, and storage for that specific site only.

Tip: This is ideal when one specific site is misbehaving but everything else works fine.

Firefox on Android

Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) → Settings

Open the menu in the bottom-right corner of Firefox.

Tap "Delete browsing data"

Check "Cached images and files" and tap "Delete browsing data".

Firefox on iPhone / iPad

Tap the hamburger menu (☰) → Settings

Open Settings from the bottom menu bar.

Tap "Data Management" → "Clear Private Data"

Toggle on "Cache" and tap "Clear Private Data".

Firefox-Specific: Enhanced Tracking Protection

Firefox's built-in tracking protection can sometimes block parts of websites. If clearing the cache doesn't help:

Try disabling tracking protection for the site

Click the shield icon in the address bar, then toggle Enhanced Tracking Protection off for this site. Reload the page and see if the issue is resolved.

Note: Only disable tracking protection on sites you trust. Firefox will remember this setting for that specific site.

When Should You Clear Firefox Cache?

Website looks broken — missing styles, images not loading, old layout showing
Forms not submitting correctly — stale cached scripts can interfere
"Secure connection failed" errors — sometimes caused by cached certificate data
After a site redesign — Firefox may be showing the old version from cache
Firefox feels sluggish — a very large cache can slow down the browser

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