Your android phoneThe web browser collects a lot of data from every website you visit, and much of it doesn't need to 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 certain cases. This is what allows you to quickly load websites you access frequently and keep you logged in to the accounts you have. This is good, but cookies and your browser cache contain a lot of information that is not necessary and could even be a privacy risk.
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Why you should regularly clear your cookies and cache
Much of what ends up accumulating in your cookies and cache is just junk. Some of this information could come from websites you have only visited once. Others seem to be track your browsing history actively, helping to serve ads based on what you buy or stream on the Internet. For example, I constantly receive advertisements for buy glasses online after browsing a few stores or Amazon ads that show what was last in my cart.
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For this reason, it is good to clear your cache from time to time. It allows you to delete data you don't need on your phone, especially if an unknown data tracker is among your phone's cookies. Clearing your cache is a minor inconvenience: you'll have to log back into some of your favorite websites, but it's a small price to pay to make sure your phone doesn't store unnecessary data.
The steps differ slightly depending on the type of phone and web browser application you are using. Below we'll see how to clear this data for Google's Chrome browser (often the default for many Android phones, like the Google-Pixels line), Samsung's Internet browser (often the default one on the Galaxy phone series) and Mozilla's Firefox browser. You can also check out our separate guide on how to clear your cache on an iPhone web browserin case you also have a few Apple devices to store.
The “Clear browsing data” menu in Chrome on Android.
Google Chrome
You can delete your cookies and cache from the Android version of Google Chrome by first pressing the button More button in the upper right corner of the browser, indicated by a column of three dots, then tapping HistorySO Clear browsing data. You can also access it from Chrome Settings menu, by pressing Privacy and Security and then Clear browsing data.
Chrome also offers Basic And Advance settings to clear your Navigation history, Cookies and site data And Cached images and files. You can use the Time interval drop-down box to choose whether you want to delete the entire history or a selection from the last 24 hours up to the last four weeks. Tapping Advance will also give you access to delete Saved passwords, Autofill form data And Site Settings. After selecting what you want to delete, press the blue button Erase data button. You might receive an additional prompt in case Chrome considers certain websites “important” to you, and if so, you'll be given the option to confirm before clearing. Otherwise, if you don't receive this prompt, Chrome will immediately proceed with the wipe as you requested.
Learn more: Ditch Google Chrome and use this privacy-focused browser instead
Samsung Internet
“Clear data” and “Clear cache” options for Samsung Internet.
There are two different ways to clear the cache and cookie data of your Samsung Internet browser. You can clear from the browser itself or go to your phone's Settings app.
To clear in the Samsung Internet Browser app, first tap the Options button in the lower right corner represented by three horizontal lines, then Settings; scroll down and tap Personal datathen touch Delete browsing data to get a menu of options to delete. You can delete your Navigation history, Cookies and site data, Cached images and files, Passwords And Autofill forms in any combination. After typing Delete dataYou will then receive a prompt asking you to confirm your choices before deleting them.
Going through the browser application itself allows you to customize as much as possible what you want to delete. If you want to access similar options from your phone's settings menu, open the Settings application and press appsthen scroll down and tap Samsung Internet and then Storage.
At the bottom of storage you have separate options for Empty the cache And Erase data. Tapping Empty the cache will immediately delete the cache, but Erase data displays a prompt that warns you that all data in the application will be permanently deleted, including files, settings, accounts, and databases. Although it doesn't specify cookies, this “go nuclear” approach should delete any remaining data, allowing you to restart the Samsung Internet browser as if it were brand new.
Learn more: Change These Android Settings to Get the Most Out of Your Phone
Mozilla Firefox
Just like with Google Chrome, you can clear the cache from the Mozilla Firefox Android app. To access this function, press the More button to the right of the address bar, again symbolized by three points aligned vertically. Then press Settings and scroll down to Delete browsing data.
The “Delete browsing data” menu in Mozilla Firefox on Android.
Among the three browsers we are talking about here, Firefox gives you the most options under the heading Delete browsing data menu, also allowing you to delete any existing item Open tabsyour Navigation history and site data, Site permissions and even your Downloads folder next to it Cookies And Cached images and files.
Although you can't choose a time range like you can for Chrome, you can be more specific about what type of data you want to delete.
Learn more: Browser privacy settings to change ASAP in Firefox, Chrome and Safari
And Firefox has an additional option for those who never want to keep their browsing data once they've finished using the app. Inside Settings is a Delete browsing data when exiting option, which tells Firefox to clear any combination of these same settings every time you exit the application. This is a useful feature if you want to keep the browser tidy and, for example, avoid accidentally giving your browser history to someone who might have stolen or gained access to your phone.