By: Valora Hodges
What does clearing my browser history actually do and why does Idaho Digital Learning technical support always ask me to clear it when I’m having issues with things loading in my class?
Web browsers like Firefox and Chrome have a special storage folder on your computer called a cache. In the cache folder the browser will store web items (sometimes called cookies) that it thinks you will need again when hopping from page to page. This is done to help speed up future loading time for a given webpage and allows the website to run effectively giving the user (you) a pleasant online experience. Yet sometimes this system that is designed for efficiency is what is causing the webpage to only load partially or not load at all.
The reason why “cached” items cause loading nightmares is because websites are constantly updating to newer and better versions of themselves. The browser(s) on your computer might have items stored in the cache folder that are outdated and so when a newer version of that website is trying to load, the old outdated files and cookies cause errors.
Different browsers have different ways for clearing cache and cookies yet the process is usually quick and easy. With a few clicks and a refresh, you can be back to your online work in no time. Below are a few links from Idaho Digital Learning recommended browsers that walk you through how to clear your browser history.
Clear Chrome Cache Clear Firefox Cache
