ehelp Browser Help

Browser Issues?

Clearing your browser's cache, history and/or cookies is not only good, regular maintenance for your computer but can also fix many common issues with some web-based applications (webmail, Canvas, Banner, etc.) when they won't load or close mysteriously mid-session. This frustrating situation can occur if the files in your browser cache get corrupted or just stop working.

Please follow the directions on this page for your specific operating system and browser version to clear the cache, cookies and/or history. You may also contact helpdesk@ltu.edu for assistance.

What is a browser cache?

Each time you access a file through your web browser, the browser caches (i.e., stores) it. By doing this, the browser doesn't have to newly retrieve files (including any images) from the remote web site each time you click Back or Forward.

You should periodically clear the cache to allow your browser to function more efficiently.

What are browser cookies?

A cookie is a file created by a web browser, at the request of a web site, that is then stored on a computer. These files typically store user-specific information such as selections in a form, shopping cart contents, or authentication data.

Browsers will normally clear cookies that reach a certain age, but clearing them manually may solve problems with web sites or your browser.

What is a browser history?

A browser's history is a log of sites that you visit. When you press a browser's Back button, you are moving back one entry in the history log.

Browsers will normally clear their history at regular intervals, but you may want to clear it manually for privacy reasons.

Windows

If you're unsure what browser version you're using, from the browser's Help menu, select About [browser name]. In Internet Explorer and Firefox, if you don't see the menu bar, press the Alt key on the keyboard. 

  • When troubleshooting issues with any website, after clearing your browser's cache and cookies, exit your browser completely before attempting to access the site again. Please close all of your browser windows.

Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer Icon Windows

  1. Click Tools, and select Delete Browsing History.
  2. Deselect Preserve Favorites website data, and select Temporary Internet files, Cookies, and History. 
  3. Click Delete.

Firefox

Firefox Logo Windows

  1. Click the menu button and select "Options"
  2. Select the "Privacy & Security" Panel
  3. In the "Cookies and Site Data" section, click "Clear Data"
  4. Click the "Clear" button

Chrome

Chrome Logo Windows

  1. Open Chrome
  2. Click the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen
  3. Select "Settings" then click "Privacy and security"
  4. Click "Clear browsing data"
  5. Select "Browsing history," "Cookies and other site data," or "Cached images and files"
  6. Click "Clear data

 

Mac OS

If you're unsure what browser version you're using, from the browser's Help menu, select About [browser name]. In Firefox, if you don't see the menu bar, press Alt. 

  • When troubleshooting issues with any website, after clearing your browser's cache and cookies, exit your browser completely before attempting to access the site again. In Mac OS X, quit (Command-q) your browser.

Safari

Safari Logo Mac

  1. From the Safari menu, select Reset Safari.
  2. From the menu, select the items you want to reset, and then click Reset. As of Safari 5.1, Remove all website data covers both cookies and cache.

Firefox

Firefox Logo Mac

  1. Click the menu button and select "Options"
  2. Select the "Privacy & Security" Panel
  3. In the "Cookies and Site Data" section, click "Clear Data"
  4. Click the "Clear" button

Chrome

chromeIcon

  1. Open Chrome
  2. Click the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen
  3. Select "Settings" then click "Privacy and security"
  4. Click "Clear browsing data"
  5. Select "Browsing history," "Cookies and other site data," or "Cached images and files"
  6. Click "Clear data

Mobile

If you're unsure what browser version you're using, from the browser's Help menu, select About [browser name]. 

  • When troubleshooting issues with any website, after clearing your browser's cache and cookies, exit your browser completely before attempting to access the site again.

Mobile Safari

To clear cache and cookies:

  1. From the home screen, tap Settings, and then tap Safari. 
  2. At the bottom of Safari's settings screen, tap the buttons for Clear Cookies and Clear Cache. To confirm, tap Clear Cookies or Clear Cache again.

To clear history:

  1. From the home screen, tap Safari.
  2. At the bottom of the screen, tap the Bookmarks icon.
  3. In the lower left, tap Clear.
  4. Tap Clear History.

Android

To clear cache, cookies, or history:

  1. Start your browser. 
  2. Tap Menu, and then tap More. 
  3. Select Settings. 
  4. Under "Privacy settings", select Clear cache, Clear history, or Clear all cookie data as appropriate, and then tap OK to accept (or Cancel to cancel) the deletion.

Chrome

To clear cache, cookies, or history:

    1. Open Chrome
    2. Tap the 3 dots in the upper right corner
    3. Select "History"
    4. Tap "Clear browsing data"
    5. Select "Browsing history," "Cookies and site data," or "Cached images and files" then tap "Clear data"

Firefox

To clear cache, cookies, or history:

    1. Open Firefox
    2. Tap the 3 dots in the bottom right corner
    3. Select "Settings"
    4. Scroll down and tap "Delete browsing data"
    5. Select "Browsing history and site data," "Cookies," or "Cached images and files" then tap "Delete browsing data"