Clear Chrome's Cache and Cookies the Right Way (Without Logging Out of Everything)

A site is stuck on an old version, a login won’t take, or a page renders broken — and the usual advice is “clear your cache.”

Why: Chrome stores cached files and cookies to load sites faster and keep you signed in. When those get stale or corrupt, pages misbehave. The trick is clearing the cache (and sometimes cookies) without nuking everything and logging out of every site you use.

Fix 1: Clear only the cache for a quick page fix

This fixes most “old version of the page” and broken-layout problems and keeps you signed in everywhere.

1. Open the More menu (three dots, top right) → Delete browsing data (or press Ctrl+Shift+Delete).
2. Set Time range to All time (for a stubborn page) or Last hour for something recent.
3. Tick Cached images and files only. Leave Cookies and other site data unchecked.
4. Click Delete data, then reload the page.

Cached images and files are parts of pages Chrome saved to open them faster — removing them forces a fresh download.

Fix 2: Add cookies when a login or session is broken

If a site won’t log you in, keeps logging you out, or shows the wrong account, the cookies are stale.

1. Same path: Delete browsing data (Ctrl+Shift+Delete).
2. Tick Cookies and other site data as well as Cached images and files.
3. Choose All time, click Delete data.

Heads-up: clearing Cookies and other site data signs you out of websites. If you’re signed in to Chrome, it refreshes the Google cookies that keep you signed in, so you stay logged in to Chrome itself. To clear those too, sign out of Chrome first.

Fix 3: Clear it for one site only (the surgical option)

When just one site is broken, don’t wipe everything — clear that single site.

1. On the broken page, click the tune/View site information icon to the left of the address (or open Settings → Privacy and security → Third-party cookies → See all site data and permissions).
2. Find the site and delete its data — that clears its cache and cookies while leaving every other site alone.

FAQ

What’s the difference between cache and cookies? Cache is saved page files for speed (clearing it never logs you out). Cookies are how sites remember you’re signed in (clearing them does log you out).

Will this delete my passwords or bookmarks? No. Those are separate items in Delete browsing data — as long as you only tick Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data, passwords and bookmarks stay.

Sources: Google Chrome Help — Delete browsing data in Chrome