for you Android phoneYour web browser collects a lot of data from the websites you visit, and a lot of it stays on your phone even when you don’t need it. Much of this data is stored – whether you’re using Google Chrome, Firefox or Samsung Internet – as part of cookies and cache. This data can be useful to the websites you visit, allowing them to load faster with your accounts already signed in. This is great, but there is a lot of information in your browser’s cookies and cache that is unnecessary and can be a privacy risk.
Why you should clear your cookies and cache regularly
Much of what ends up piling up inside your cookies and cache is just junk. Some of them may have arrived from websites you visited only once. Others appear to be as well Track your browsing history Actively, which helps show ads based on what you buy or stream online. For example, I am constantly getting ads about Buy eyeglasses online After browsing some stores, or amazon ads showing what was last in my shopping cart.
Because of this, it is a good idea to clear your cache every now and then. It allows you to remove data that you don’t need on your phone, especially if there is an unknown data tracker in your phone’s cookies. Clearing the 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 isn’t storing strange data.
The steps vary slightly depending on the phone and web browser app you’re using. Below, we will learn how to clear this data for Google Chrome (mostly the default browser for many Android phones, such as Chrome). google pixel line), Samsung’s Internet browser (often the default browser on Galaxy phone series) and Mozilla Firefox browser. You can also check out our separate guide on how to do this Clear your cache on your iPhone’s web browserin case there are a few more Apple devices you can tidy up too.
Clear browsing data menu in Chrome on Android.
Google Chrome
You can delete cookies and cache from within the Android version of Google Chrome by first clicking on More button in the upper-right corner of the browser, indicated by a column with three dots, then tap datethen Clear browsing data. You can also access this from Chrome settings menu, tapping Privacy and security and then Clear browsing data.
Chrome also offers Basic And advanced Your scan settings Browsing history, Cookies and site data And Cached images and files. You can use the date range The drop-down list to select whether you want to delete the entire history or select anywhere from the last 24 hours to the last four weeks. eavesdropping advanced It will also give you access to delete Saved passwords, Autofill form data And Location settings. After selecting what you want to delete, click on the blue Clear data button. You may receive an additional prompt if Chrome considers certain websites to be “important” to you, and if that is the case you will have a chance to confirm before deleting them. Otherwise, if you do not receive this prompt, Chrome will immediately continue the scanning process according to the instructions you requested.
Read 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 you can clear cache and cookie data for Samsung Internet Browser. You can erase from within the browser itself, or you can go to the Settings app on your phone.
To clear while using the Samsung Internet Browser app, first tap Options button In the lower right corner represented by three horizontal lines, then settings; Scroll down to and click Personal Datathen tap Delete browsing data to get a list of options to delete. You clear your Browsing history, Cookies and site data, Cached images and files, passwords And Autofill forms in any group. after tapping delete dataYou will then receive a prompt asking you to confirm your choices before deleting.
Going through the browser app itself provides the most customization of what you want to delete. However, if you want to access similar options from your phone’s settings menu, open the link settings application and press applicationsthen scroll down to and tap Samsung internet and then storage.
At the bottom of the storage area, you get separate options for Clear cache And Clear data. eavesdropping Clear cache The cache will be deleted immediately, however Clear data A prompt appears warning you that all application data will be permanently deleted, including files, settings, accounts, and databases. Although it does not set cookies, this “nuclear” approach should wipe all remaining data, allowing you to restart Samsung Internet Browser as if it were brand new.
Read more: Change these Android settings to get the most out of your phone
Mozilla Firefox
As with Google Chrome, you can clear the cache from within the Mozilla Firefox Android app. To access this function, click more button to the right of the address bar, which is again denoted by three vertically aligned dots. Then press settings and scroll down to Delete browsing data.
Clear browsing data menu in Mozilla Firefox on Android.
Of the three browsers we’re discussing here, Firefox gives you the most options within Delete browsing data list, which also allows you to delete any existing ones open tabsfor you Browsing history and location data, Location permissions and even your downloads folder together biscuit And Cached images and files.
While you can’t choose a date range as much as possible for Chrome, you can be more specific about the type of data you want to remove.
Read 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 after they’re done using the app. Inside the settings it is Delete browsing data when you quit smoking option, which instructs Firefox to erase any combination of these same settings each time you exit the application. It’s a useful feature if you want to keep your browser tidy, for example, avoiding accidentally handing over your browsing history to someone who might have stolen your phone or otherwise gained access to it.