Since coming onto the scene in 2011, Chromebooks have gained a massive following in the computing world. They are the preferred choice of students, writers, and even professionals who prioritize speed, simplicity, and cloud-based efficiency. However, even these streamlined machines are not exempt from the universal computing law: eventually, they slow down.
Is your laptop that was once lightning-fast now becoming second slow?Does it take you a couple of extra seconds to load a webpage or do pictures refuse to show up properly? Don’t start worrying and go out to buy a new device just yet, because most probably it is digital clutter that is causing the problem. To be more specific, it’s probably your cache.
With this guide, you will be able to clear the Chromebook cache and recover your device’s performance. We will discuss not only how to clean your browser in the most basic way but also how to manage data from your Android apps in order to get the best performance possible from your Chromebook, whether you are a total beginner or an advanced user looking for maintenance tips.
Understanding the ‘Digital Clutter’
First, you have to understand what the problem really is, before you can solve it. Cache is a word that’s used all the time on tech support forums, yet what it really does is rarely explained.
What is Cache Really?
Cache, simply put, is the part of your hard drive where temporary files are stored. The main function of it is to help websites load faster on second and subsequent visits. The first time you surf a website your browser has to download the logo, the images, the scripts, and the layout files. Obviously, this takes some time and data.
The cache essentially saves a copy of these files on your Chromebook. When you visit that web site the next time, instead of downloading the files all over again, your web browser will go to your hard drive and fetch the images and logo that it already knows.
Imagine your physical workspace to be the equivalent. When you are on a project, you tend to keep the files you need within immediate reach on your desk (cache). You don’t go to the filing cabinet (the internet server) every time for one single document. It is indeed an efficient way of working-until your desk becomes so cluttered with papers that you can’t find anything and your work slows down.
Cache Types on Your Chromebook
There are mainly two kinds of temporary data that using a Chromebook exposes you to:
- Browser Cache: This is the biggest troublemaker. It saves elements such as images, HTML files, and scripts from the websites you visit with Chrome browser.
- System/App Cache: Despite Chrome OS being predominantly cloud-based, it still sometimes runs Android apps. Similarly, these apps locally store the required data in order to operate smoothly, just like on a smartphone.
The Double-Edged Sword
Cache is mainly for the purpose of optimizing Chrome OS speed but in the end, it may even become the opposite. One of the reasons is that when the cache becomes old, for example if a website changes its look and your browser still tries to get the old version stored on your drive, it creates problems. Besides that, cached files may get damaged which ultimately leads to crashes.
Besides that, the issue of storage space is probably the biggest concern. Browser cache can store hundreds of megabytes, or even gigabytes, of data in just a month if the usage is heavy. Considering the fact that Chromebooks generally have smaller hard drives than Windows or Mac machines, this storage wastage can result in performance deterioration of the system.
Step-by-Step: Cleaning Cache on Chromebook
Having decided on “why” to do it, let’s now see the “how”. We will begin with the default method through the Chrome browser settings.
Method 1: Using Settings Menu
To be sure of what you are deleting and avoid deleting your important passwords, this is the safest method of clearing cache.
- Launch Chrome browser.
- Find the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner, which is the “More” menu, click on it.
- Move the mouse cursor over More tools.
- From the sub-menu, pick Clear browsing data.
Once the window opens, the different options will be visible. To learn how to set these options so as to clear Chromebook cache properly read below
- Time range: This dropdown is very important. Suppose you only want to fix a glitch that happened this morning, why choose anything else except “Last hour.” On the other hand, if you are completely cleaning your system and releasing space, then go for “All time.”
- Browsing history: This is the list of all the websites you have visited. From the perspective of privacy, it is a good idea to delete them, but for the speed of the computer, it is not a must.
- Cookies and other site data: This will sign you out of most of your accounts. (We will talk about this more in the troubleshooting section).
- Cached images and files: This choice is the most significant. It takes aim at the temporary storage which ultimately is the one that is dragging your system down.
After ticking the box “Cached images and files”, hit the blue Clear data button.
Method 2: The Keyboard Shortcut (The “Power User” Move)
If you are trying to be efficient by not going through the clicks with the mouse, the Chrome OS has a shortcut for you. This shortcut has the effect of taking you directly to the clearing menu.
- Launch Chrome.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Backspace simultaneously.
- Without delay, the window for “Clear browsing data” will pop up.
- Just choose your time range and tick “Cached images and files.” As described in the previous method.
- Press Enter or click Clear data.
This shortcut can really help you keep up with device cleanup without it interrupting your work cycle.
Method 3: Clearing Cache for Android Apps
Chromebooks nowadays being very versatile devices, the latest models are already supporting Google Play Store. Using Netflix, Spotify, or Microsoft Word on your Chromebook means that all these apps have their individual cache, which is different from that of the Chrome browser and that is completely separate from the Chrome browser cache.
During the time when a certain app is freezing or just not responding properly, the steps to be followed are the same below:
- Bring up the system tray by clicking on the time which is located at the bottom right.
- Open Settings by clicking the gear icon.
- Select Apps from the menu on the left.
- Choose Manage your apps.
- Locate the app having trouble (e.g., Netflix) and click on it.
- Click More settings and permissions.
- Choose Storage & cache.
- Clear cache.
Be aware that you are almost completely deleting the app if you click on either “Clear storage” or “Clear data” which will get rid of your login details as well as the downloaded content.
Cache Management Beyond Basics
Sometimes, going wild and clearing everything will not be the right way. You may want to log in automatically and at the same time clear the cache of a single broken page. How you can do it is explained below.
Clearing Cache for Specific Websites Only
Suppose that the only problem you have with Facebook is that it won’t load properly but you do not want to empty your cache completely thereby losing your fast email and news site opening time. You can clear the cache of a specific site.
- Visit the particular site you think brings you trouble.
- To the left in the address bar, click the Lock icon.
- Press Site settings.
- You will then be redirected to a new tab where the data for use on this domain will be shown.
- Under the Usage section, tap the Clear data button.
This method is almost like a surgical operation: it gives the opportunity to diagnose development issues or just broken images (if you have gotten used to the Chrome extensions) on a specific site without impacting the rest of browsing.
One-Click Cleaning Extensions to the Rescue
Chrome Web Store is abundant with extensions capable of executing an automatic cleaning process. Some well-known examples include “Clear Cache” or “Click&Clean,” and with either of them, you can get rid of your Chromebook cache single-handedly for only one click directly from the toolbar.
Pros:
- Speed: It works instantly.
- Granular Control: Many of these extensions allow you to customize exactly what gets deleted (e.g., app cache, downloads, file systems) every time you hit the button.
Cons:
- You may find that, ironically, attempting to speed up your browser by installing loads of extensions results in the browser slowing down because these extensions consume RAM.
For most beginners, the built-in keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + Shift + Backspace) will suffice, but power users might be more than willing to trade-off for a more customizable experience that only an extension can provide.
Troubleshooting: When Cache Cleaning Doesn’t Help
Everything was done by the book, you followed the steps and pressed the buttons. After the entire operation, both you and your Chromebook are waiting for some improvement in speed. But nothing comes.
The “My Chromebook Is Still Slow”
Another problem that might cause a sluggish device even after a successful cache cleaning may be extensions. Extensions run in the background and consume system resources.
- In the Chrome address bar, type chrome://extensions.
- Disable extensions one by one to check if the performance of the device is improving.
- If you see an extension that you don’t know or you haven’t been using for a long time, get rid of it by clicking the Remove button.
The “Logged Out” Surprise
Beginner users are often puzzled by the fact that after cleaning their browsers, they have been logged out of Gmail, Amazon, and Facebook accounts. This problem occurs upon checking the “Cookies and other site data” option.
Cookies are small files that store your user preferences and logged-in status. Usually, if all you want is to increase computer speed, only “Cached images and files” should be cleared. If you are compelled to clear cookies to eliminate an error on a website, ensure that you already know your passwords or use a password manager that will help you in the process of signing in later.
Hard Refresh Versus Clearing Cache
There may be times when one does not even need to access settings. The first thing to try if a page looks broken would be Hard Refresh.
- Regular Reload (Ctrl + R): The cache is checked first. The file, if present in the cache, is loaded.
- Hard Refresh (Ctrl + Shift + R): The browser is instructed to disregard the cache and to get the webpage from the server.
Instead of clearing cache totally, try to freshen up the page forcibly since it tends to work in a flash to fix some minor faults in display.
Best Ways to Make Chromebook Last at Top Speed
It is definitely nice to know the way to clear Chromebook cache. However, slowing down prevention in the first instance is even better. Here is a list of regular maintenance activities that are recommended for keeping the device in good condition.
Establish a Cleaning Schedule
Clearing the cache every day is not necessary. In fact, such a practice is contrary to the essence of cache that is intended to help your computer to avoid redownloading images.
- Occasional Users: It is enough to only clear your cache once a month.
- Heavy Users/Students: You can clear the cache weekly or every time you notice your device becoming slow.
Take Care of Your Tabs
Chromebooks are known to work very efficiently, however, they cannot be stretched beyond a certain limit. Your RAM (Random Access Memory) is essentially a worker that has to do 50 different jobs at the same time if you have 50 tabs opened. Browser cache clearing will not do anything to improve the situation of a shortage of RAM.
Should you be a ‘tab hoarder,’ a tab suspender extension might be a good option for you. Essentially, these ‘tab suspender extensions’ put a tab that you are not currently viewing into a ‘frozen’ state, which means that it will not be using system resources anymore until you click on it again.
Keep Chrome OS Up to Date
Google doesn’t just promise but really keeps its word on Chrome OS updates – the frequency is such that you get one almost every few weeks. There are security patches as well as performance fixes in these updates. A bug in the operating system, for instance, can be a cache issue mimic.
To check for updates:
- Go to Settings.
- At the bottom-left, choose About ChromeOS.
- Press the Check for updates button.
Make Your Chromebook Feel Like Brand New
It gets very frustrating when things do not happen at the speed of your thoughts, especially with machines. But once you understand exactly how your device handles data, you will be the one in control.
After discovering how to clear the cache on a Chromebook, you have acquired an important skill in digital hygiene. It is a low-risk, simple procedure capable of solving a wide range of problems. From slow websites loading to photos not displaying properly, the number of issues that can be resolved by this single action is impressive. The settings menu, keyboard shortcut, or Android app direct management can each lead you to the same result: faster, smoother browsing with just a few minutes of maintenance.
Therefore, press the shortcut (Ctrl + Shift + Backspace) a couple of times and see for yourself how much quicker your web surfing goes.
Moreover, make sure to bookmark this page – next time your screen freezes or the websites misbehave, you will know what to do first.
