Clearing the cache regularly improves the speed and general performance of the machine. A cache on a computer stores temporary files and recently accessed data from the hard disk so that it may be reused by the computer’s applications, programs, and processes.
A cache is used when primary storage cannot meet application requests. Cache speeds up data access by lowering latency and improving input/output (I/O). The caching method enhances application performance since practically all applications rely on I/O operations.
While this improves the overall speed and performance of the apps, the computer’s Cache ultimately becomes clogged with outdated files, causing the machine to slow down. Files saved in the Cache might get damaged or corrupted over time, resulting in improper app operation and other issues on the device. As a result, it is necessary to delete all temporary and cached files from the computer, especially if it is functioning slowly or experiencing issues. If you’re using Windows 10, please see this detailed guide on How to Clear Cache on Windows 10.
Please see the following related guides: How to Clear Cache on Windows 1, macOS: How to clear cookies, history, and cache in Safari, How to setup a cache-only DNS server, Windows Cached Credentials: How does cached domain logon work?, how do you change the account that Office says it belongs to on a Mac, and how to remove Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Words PowerPoint, and Excel apps from Mac.
In this post, we will be looking at 5 different ways to clear the system caches to have a smooth running experience using our system.
1. Clear Temporary Files Cache Using Disk Cleanup
The built-in Disk Cleanup tool in Windows 11 is the easiest way to delete Cache data on a Windows machine.
Enter “Disk Cleanup” in the Windows Start menu and choose “Run as administrator” on the right pane of the Windows search results.
Disk Cleanup will start calculating how much space you can free up on the operating system drive after you select it.
Scroll down and tick the “Temporary Files” checkbox. You may also remove files from other folders, such as the “Recycle Bin” or “Downloads.” After you’ve decided what you want to delete, click “OK.”
A warning will display, asking you to confirm that you really wish to remove the data permanently. Choose “Delete Files.”
Disk Cleanup will now remove any unwanted files from your computer. This procedure might take a few minutes.
2. Delete System Temporary Files
The operating system creates temporary files for the various programs that are running on the computer. Temporary files can grow in size over time and slow down system performance if they are not deleted.
To delete temporary files, use Windows key + R to enter the Run dialog box, then type %temp% and press “OK.”
After that, use Ctrl + A to highlight and then erase everything in the folder.
If the temporary files include an active running application, you will see the prompt displayed below.
You can tick the “Do this for all current items” box and then click on “skip” or “cancel” to postpone the operation until the open files and folders are closed.
3. Clear DNS Cache
If you want to clear your Windows 11 PC’s DNS Cache, open the Command Prompt as an admin. To do this, type “cmd” in the Windows Start menu and select “Run as administrator” in the right pane of the Start menu.
Next, run the following command: ipconfig/flushDNS
Once the command is processed, you will see a “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache” message.
4. Clear Windows Store Cache
To clear the Windows Store Cache, open “Run” by pressing Windows key + R on your keyboard. The “Run” window will appear. In the text box, type WSReset.exeand then click “OK.”
Once selected, a blank window will emerge. There’s nothing you can do here, so simply wait a few seconds as it clears the Cache.
After the blank screen disappears, the Windows Store will open on your computer.
5. Clear Browsing Cookies
To delete the Cache and cookies in Chrome, go to the Settings menu. To get there, click the three dots icon in the top-right corner of the screen, then hover over “More Tools” and select “Clear Browsing Data.” For Mac users, please see macOS: How to clear cookies, history, and Cache in Safari.
You may have seen in the above image that there is a shortcut key you may utilize. To get directly to the page where you can erase your Cache and cookies, hold down the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys at the same time.
The first step is to specify a time period for removing the cookies and Cache. To expand the menu, click the arrow next to “Time Range,” then pick the desired time range. This is set to “All Time” by default.
Next, tick the boxes next to “Cookies And Other Site Data” and “Cache Images And Files.” You can also delete your internet history from this page. When all of the boxes are ticked, click the “Clear Data” button.
After a few moments, your Cache and cookies will be removed.
I hope you found this blog post helpful. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comment session.