How to Clear Cache in Brave Browser

To clear only the cache in Brave on a computer, open brave://settings/clearBrowserData, choose a time range, select the cached-files option, check that cookies and browsing history are not selected, then click Clear data. On Android, use Settings → Brave Shields and Privacy → Delete browsing data. On iOS, use Settings → Shields & Privacy → Clear Data Now; the available official iOS instructions describe choosing data types but do not specify a separate cache-only checkbox.

Clear cache on desktop

Open Brave’s clear-data page by entering brave://settings/clearBrowserData in the address bar. Alternatively, open Menu → Settings → Additional settings → Privacy and Security → Delete browsing data. The menu wording can vary slightly by version.
Choose the time range you want to clear. Choose a shorter range to remove recent cached files, or All time to clear the selected data across the available history.
Select the cached-files option. Review the other selected data types: leave cookies and site data and browsing history unchecked if you only want to clear cache.
Click Clear data. Reload the affected page.

You can open the clear-data options with Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows/Linux or Command+Shift+Delete on macOS. Brave says shortcuts can be customized under Settings → System → Shortcuts. See Brave’s desktop data-clearing instructions and its keyboard shortcut reference.

Clear cache on Android

In Brave, tap Menu → Settings → Brave Shields and Privacy.
Scroll to Clear browsing data and tap Delete browsing data.
Choose a time range. Select All Time to remove the selected data across the full available range.
Select the cached-files data type. Check the other selected types and deselect cookies/site data or history if you want to preserve them.
Tap Delete data.

Brave warns that deletion cannot be undone. Its Android guide also describes site-specific data controls under Settings → Site settings → All Sites (or Data stored), and an optional Clear data on exit setting. That automatic setting runs when Brave is fully closed; minimizing the app or switching to another app does not trigger it. Consult Brave’s Android data-management guide.

Clear data on iPhone or iPad

Tap Menu → All Settings → Shields & Privacy.
Under Clear Private Data, choose the data types you want to remove.
Tap Clear Data Now.

Brave’s available iOS instructions confirm selective private-data clearing and warn that the action cannot be reversed, but do not identify a cache-only option. Check the current data-type labels in your installed version before proceeding if you need to preserve cookies or other data. See Brave’s iOS privacy instructions.

Cache, cookies, and history: what gets removed?

Data type	Typical effect of clearing it	When to select it
Cached files/images	Brave may need to download page resources again; this can help when stale stored files interfere with a page.	When you want a cache refresh while keeping site sign-ins and history.
Cookies and site data	Sites may forget sign-ins, preferences, and saved cart or session data.	When you specifically want to reset a site’s stored session or data.
Browsing history	Removes recorded visited-page entries for the selected time range.	When you also intend to remove those records.

The exact labels and available choices may differ by platform and Brave version. Select only the data you mean to remove. Clearing cache does not guarantee a page problem will be fixed.

Clear data for one website or automatically on exit

One website on desktop

For site data rather than the general cache, Brave documents opening the site’s controls from the icon to the left of the address bar, choosing Site Settings, then Delete Data. You can also review on-device site data through Settings. These controls target site data; they are not the same as clearing all cached files. Refer to Brave’s site-data instructions.

On exit

On desktop, open brave://settings/clearBrowserData, select the On exit tab, choose the data types, and save. Brave notes that macOS users must fully quit Brave for on-exit deletion to run; closing a window with the red close control does not quit the browser. On Android, enable Clear data on exit under Brave Shields and Privacy. Review the selected types carefully because on-exit rules may clear more than cache.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	What to try
The page still looks broken after clearing cache	The cause may be network connectivity, a site issue, an extension, or stored site data rather than cached files.	Reload the page, check your connection, and try a Private window. Clearing cache is one troubleshooting step, not a guaranteed fix. Brave’s page-loading guidance suggests these checks.
You were signed out or site preferences disappeared	Cookies or site data were selected along with cache.	Sign in again and, next time, inspect the selected data types before clearing. Removed site data may not be recoverable.
The shortcut does not open clear-data settings	The shortcut may have been customized or the keyboard layout may differ.	Enter `brave://settings/clearBrowserData` directly, or inspect Settings → System → Shortcuts.
Automatic clearing did not run on Android	The app was minimized or left in the background rather than fully closed.	Fully close Brave; switching apps alone does not trigger the setting.
Automatic clearing did not run on macOS	The window was closed, but Brave remained running.	Quit Brave completely from the Dock or menu.
You cannot find a cache-only option on iOS	The retrieved official iOS instructions do not document a separate cached-files option.	Use the labels available in your installed version and avoid clearing data types you intend to keep.

Performance and reliability notes

After cache removal, a site may take longer to load once while resources are downloaded again. A cache clear affects the selected local browser data and time range; it does not repair a remote website or connection. If only one site is affected, first consider a Private window or that site’s settings before deleting broader data. Automatic clearing is convenient when you want selected data removed on exit, but verify the scope and fully quit the browser as required by your platform.

Or skip the browser setup

If the goal is to capture a clean screenshot of a website rather than troubleshoot Brave itself, ScreenshotNeo provides a website screenshot API and MCP server. Its capture process accepts cookie or consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits cost nothing, and responses identify the page verdict and billing status in headers. AI agents can use its MCP server tools: take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf.

One-call cURL example (replace the URL and API key):

curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp

Python:

import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)

Node.js:

const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);

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FAQ

Will clearing Brave’s cache delete my bookmarks?

Bookmarks are a separate browser data type. Avoid selecting unrelated data types when clearing browsing data.

Should I clear cache regularly?

Usually, clear it when troubleshooting a specific loading or stale-content problem. You do not need to clear it on a schedule unless you have a particular privacy or device-management reason.

Can I undo clearing browsing data?

Brave warns that its Android and iOS clear-data actions cannot be undone. Treat the selected data as permanently removed.