How to clear the Firefox cache

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  • Creator: AliceWyman
  • Comment: updated image: Fx91CookiesAndSiteData-ClearCache
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  • Reviewed by: AliceWyman
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The Firefox cache temporarily stores images, scripts, and other parts of websites you visit in order to speed up your browsing experience. This article describes how to clear the cache.

Clear the cache

  1. In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click Firefox and then select Preferences or Settings, depending on your macOS version.Click the menu button Fx89menuButton and select Settings.
  2. Select the Privacy & Security panel.
  3. In the Cookies and Site Data section, click Clear Data….
    Fx91CookiesAndSiteData-ClearCache
  4. Remove the check mark in front of Cookies and Site Data.
  5. With Cached Web Content check marked, click the Clear button.
  6. Close the Settings page. Any changes you've made will automatically be saved.
Tip: Here's another way to clear the Firefox cache:
  1. Click the menu button Fx89menuButton to open the menu panel. Click the Library 57 library icon button on your toolbar. (If you don't see it, click the menu Fx89menuButton button.)
  2. Click History and select Clear Recent History….
  3. Next to Time range to clear, choose Everything from the drop-down menu, select Cache in the items list, make sure other items you want to keep are not selected and then click the OK button.
See this article for details.

Automatically clear the cache

You can set Firefox to automatically clear the cache when Firefox closes:

  1. In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click Firefox and then select Preferences or Settings, depending on your macOS version.Click the menu button Fx89menuButton and select Settings.

  2. Select the Privacy & Security panel and go to the History section.

  3. In the drop-down menu next to Firefox will, choose Use custom settings for history.
  4. Select the check box for Clear history when Firefox closes.
    Fx60Custom-ClearHistoryWhenFirefoxCloses
  5. Beside Clear history when Firefox closes, click the Settings… button. The Settings for Clearing History window will open.
  6. In the Settings for Clearing History window, put a check mark next to Cache.
    SettingsForClearingHistoryFX42bd
  7. Click OK to close the Settings for Clearing History window.
  8. Close the Settings page. Any changes you've made will automatically be saved.
Tip: There are several add-ons available that will allow you to clear the cache using an icon on your toolbar. Go to the Mozilla Add-ons Web Page to do a search. The Mozilla community is not responsible for maintaining and supporting third-party add-ons. Please contact the add-on developer directly if you need assistance with an add-on.