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How to Clear Cache and Cookies in Safari for Mac, iPhone, and iPad
Apple’s Safari browser has introduced new features and an updated interface in recent years. You can now utilize tab groups on Safari for macOS and extensions on iPad, making it a superior choice to competitors such as Microsoft Edge. If Safari is your preferred browser on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, it’s vital to keep it running smoothly and quickly. To achieve this, you must remove all accumulated website data and cookies.
When Safari takes longer to open web pages or shows a mangled web page, it’s time to clear the cache and cookies. Clearing this data is different for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. This guide will show you how to clear cache and cookies in Safari on Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
Why Should You Clear Cache and Cookies From Safari
Every browser stores website cache and cookies to make browsing faster and more convenient. For example, if you often visit Facebook or Twitter, those sites will load quickly on Safari compared to a new site you visit for the first time.
Faster loading experience occurs because Safari stores cookies for quick login and faster website element loading. However, over time, Safari’s website data becomes outdated, resulting in delays or the need to log in again. Clearing the cache resolves this issue. Additionally, cached data can accumulate and take up significant storage on your devices. Cookies allow websites to track your browsing patterns, store your preferences, and expedite login processes. However, some may view this as an invasion of privacy, prompting periodic cookie purges.
Removing cache and cookies may make Safari feel slower. When Safari collects enough new cache and data, it will provide the normal browsing experience.
How to Clear Cache and Cookies in Safari on Mac
Many Mac users prefer Safari and often don’t want to clean up the cache and cookies. However, Apple makes it easy to do that and customize Safari on Mac for your usage. Here’s how to clear cache and cookies in Safari on Mac. Open Safari on your Mac.
Step 2: Click the Safari tab in the top-left corner to access the menu.
Step 3: Select Preferences.
Step 4: Go to the Advanced tab in Preferences.
Step 5: Tick the checkbox next to ‘Show Develop menu in the menu bar.’ Close the preferences window.
Step 6: Click Develop in the menu bar.
Step 7: Select the Empty Caches option.
To clear Safari’s cache on your Mac, follow these steps:
1. Clear up the cookies as well.
2. Click on the Safari tab in the menu bar.
Step 9: Select Preferences.
Step 10: Go to the Privacy tab.
Step 11: Click Manage Website Data.
Here, you can view all websites that have stored cookies during your browsing.
Step 12: Remove all cookies from Safari.
Step 13: Click Remove Now when prompted.
The macOS will remove all cookies in Safari on your Mac. You can also select the Block all cookies option in Privacy Preferences if you don’t want any cookies stored in the future. However, this will make browsing inconvenient, and you’ll need to log in to your favorite sites manually.
If you use another browser on your Mac, you can check our guides on how to clear the cache on Google Chrome and clear cache and cookies on Microsoft Edge.
How to Clear Cache and Cookies in Safari on iPhone and iPad
The steps to clear Safari cache and cookies on an iPhone and an iPad are the same. While they might offer different operating systems, Safari follows the same routine for saving browser cache and cookies.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and scroll down to the Safari option.
Step 2: Scroll down and tap on Advanced.
Step 3: Select Website Data.
Step 4: Access Safari settings and clear website cache and cookies on your iPhone or iPad by following these steps:
1. Open the Safari app.
2. Go to the Settings menu.
3. Select the option to clear website data.
4. Confirm by tapping on the “Remove All” button.
By following these steps, you can easily remove all the website cache and cookies stored by Safari on your iPhone or iPad.
Step 5: Tap Remove Now to confirm your action.
To clear the cache and cookies in Safari on your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps:
1. Go to Safari Settings.
2. Open the Clear History and Website Data option.
3. Confirm your selection to clear all data.
You can also prevent any cookies from being stored in the future by enabling the Block All Cookies toggle in the Safari Settings menu. However, keep in mind that this will treat every website as new and you may need to log in manually to your favorite sites.
Clear Cache and Cookies for a Smooth Browsing Experience
Clearing cache and cookies regularly is important, but you don’t need to do it every week. Once a month is sufficient. These steps can also help fix issues like Safari crashing on your Mac.
As Fred Humiston, the author behind Twothirds.us, I focus on providing practical and easy-to-follow guides and solutions for a variety of technical issues that people commonly face.
My articles cover a wide range of topics, from troubleshooting out-of-sync audio on TikTok and managing Firestick devices, to understanding the impact of Capcut on video quality and resolving sound issues on Hisense Roku TVs.
I also delve into more general tech tips, like how to block numbers on landlines or use VPNs without Wi-Fi. My goal is to make technology more accessible and less intimidating for everyone, whether you’re a tech novice or a seasoned user. I strive to offer clear, concise, and helpful advice to make your digital experience smoother and more enjoyable.