Refresh your Android phone browser by clearing cache, cookies

Your Android phoneA user’s web browser collects a lot of data from all the websites you visit, many of which may not be on your phone. Whether you use Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Samsung Internet, this data stored in your cookies and cache can be useful in some cases. This is what gives you quick access to the websites you access frequently and keeps you signed in to the accounts you have. That’s nice, but there’s a lot of information in your browser’s cookies and cache that isn’t necessary and can even pose a privacy risk.

Why you should regularly clear cookies and cache

A lot of what accumulates inside your cookies and cache is just junk. Some of it could have come from websites you’ve only visited once. Others seem to be tracking your browsing history on an active basis, helping to serve ads based on what you buy or stream online. For example, I keep getting ads for buying glasses online after browsing a few stores or Amazon ads that just happen to show what was last in my cart.

That’s why it’s good to clear the cache every now and then. It allows you to remove data that you don’t need on your phone, especially if there is an unknown data tracker among your phone’s cookies. Clearing the cache is a minor inconvenience — you’ll have to log in to some of your favorite websites again, but it’s a small price to pay to make sure your phone isn’t hoarding redundant data.

The steps vary slightly depending on the type of phone and web browser application you are using. Below, we’ll go through how to clear this data for Google’s Chrome browser (often the default for many Android phones, such as Google Pixel line), Samsung’s internet browser (often defaults to Galaxy series of phones) and the Mozilla Firefox browser. You can also check out our separate guide on how clear cache in iPhone web browserin case you also have several Apple devices to clean up.

Google Chrome

You can clear your cookies and cache within the Android version of Google Chrome by tapping first More button in the upper right corner of the browser, indicated by a column of three dots, then tap Historythen Clear browsing data. You can also access this from Chrome settings menu, touch Privacy and security and then Clear browsing data.

Chrome also offers Basic, fundamental and Advanced settings to delete your Search history, Cookies and site data and Cached images and files. You can use Time range drop-down menu to choose whether you want to delete the entire history or select anywhere from the last 24 hours to the last four weeks. Tapping Advanced it will also give you delete access Saved passwords, Autofill form data and Page settings. Once you’ve selected what you want to delete, tap the blue one Clear data button. You may receive an additional notification if Chrome considers certain websites to be “important” to you, and if so, you’ll be given a chance to confirm before deleting. Otherwise, if you don’t receive that prompt, Chrome will immediately proceed with the deletion as per your instructions.

Read more: Ditch Google Chrome and use this privacy-focused browser instead

Samsung Internet

There are two different ways you can clear the cache and cookie data of your Samsung Internet browser. You can delete from the browser itself or you can go through the Settings app on your phone.

To delete while in the Samsung web browser app, tap first Options button in the lower right corner represented by three horizontal lines, then settings; scroll down to and tap Personal datathen tap Deleting browsing data to get a menu of delete options. You can clean yours Search history, Cookies and site data, Cached images and files, Passwords and Autofill forms in any combination. After tapping Data deletionyou will then receive a prompt asking you to confirm your selections before deleting.

Going through the browser app itself provides the most customization of what you want to delete. If you want to access similar options from your phone’s settings menu, open settings app and tap applicationsthen scroll down to and tap Samsung Internet and then Storage.

At the bottom of Storage you have separate options for Clear the cache and Clear data. Tapping Clear the cache it will clear the cache immediately, but Clear data displays a prompt warning you that all app data will be permanently deleted, including files, settings, accounts, and databases. Although it does not specify cookies, this “nuclear” approach should destroy all remaining data, allowing you to restart your Samsung Internet browser as if it were brand new.

Read more: Change these Android settings to get the most out of your phone

Mozilla Firefox

As with Google Chrome, you can clear the cache within the Mozilla Firefox Android app. To access this function, tap More button to the right of the address bar, again symbolized by three vertically aligned dots. Then tap settings and scroll down to Deleting browsing data.

Of the three browsers we’re discussing here, Firefox gives you the most options under Deleting browsing data menu, which also allows you to delete any existing ones Open cardsyour Search history and location information, Site permissions and even yours Downloads map beside cookies and Cached images and files.

While you can’t select a time range like you can with Chrome, you can be more specific about the type of data you want to remove.

Read more: Browser privacy settings to change as soon as possible in Firefox, Chrome and Safari

And Firefox has an additional option for those who never want to keep their browsing data after they’re done using the app. From the inside settings is Clear browsing data on checkout option, which instructs Firefox to delete any combination of those same settings every time you exit the application. It’s a useful feature if you want to keep your browser tidy and, say, avoid accidentally handing over your browser history to someone who may have stolen or otherwise gained access to your phone.