Browser Cache, Cookies and Incognito windows

Author: Blagoy Dzhiganski

Last Updated: April 29, 2023 01:02

Introduction

Very often, you might get a suggestion from the Support team to clear your browser cache/cookies, or try opening the page in an Incognito window. It might sound trivial, but it's actually a very sound advice!

In order to increase loading speeds and reduce the amount of traffic, every browser stores data like old versions of a website, login credentials, etc. Whenever you open a website, this locally stored data is used instead of downloading it again.

Of course, various checks are performed to make sure what you're viewing is up to date, but sometimes things go wrong. This might cause several issues, such as seeing outdated information, inability to log in, or failure to load something altogether.

To rule out any issues caused by your own device, we usually suggest clearing your cache or using a Private/Incognito window. If the problem persists, then the issue is most likely somewhere else, and we can proceed to investigate.

What's the difference between using Incognito and clearing your cache/cookies?

Clearing cookies and data will affect your entire browser, including other sites you may be using. If you clear all your cookies, you'll be logged out of all websites you're currently logged into.

Using an Incognito window, on the other hand, will allow you to test if the problem you are encountering persists, without losing anything. Every time you close an Incognito window and open it again, it automatically clears any cache and cookies from the previous session without affecting your regular browser windows.

Another handy procedure, if supported by your browser, is Clear cache and hard refresh. This will clear the cache for the particular internet page and reload it from scratch, fetching all possible updates.

How to instructions

Here is how to do all three in the most popular browsers:

Chrome

Firefox

Safari

Edge