The browser cache is integral for many reasons, but in order for it to operate well, you need to clean it every so often. Cached files not only take up space, but can impact browser performance and even create rendering problems for some websites. Plus, anyone can peek into your internet cache and uncover sensitive information (like your browsing habits).

We've explained what the browser cache is and what it means for your browsing habits, so read that for a deeper exploration of the topic.

As far as clearing the cache, you can use the Ctrl + F5 keyboard shortcut. Or open the three-dot menu and select More tools > Clear browsing data. But did you know that there are three "hidden" switches that give you more options for cleaning without interrupting your work?

The 3 "Hidden" Switches

Open the Chrome Dev Tools by pressing F12. On the Dev Tools screen, just right-click on the Refresh button (upper right-hand corner) and a menu will drop down. Now you have three ways of cleaning the browser cache with a press of a button.

Dev Tool

1. Normal Reload

This is the normal refresh you know about. The browser will reload but use cached data. The web browser will check the web server to see if any file has been modified. If so, the web browser will fetch the latest version of the file. Otherwise, the web browser will continue to use the cached version.

A normal reload does not consume too much bandwidth and is fast. But it is a "dirty" way of reloading a webpage as the browser just refreshes the page without wiping the old CSS, JavaScript files, Flash assets, etc.

2. Hard Reload

The browser bypasses the local cache and re-downloads everything to show you the latest version of the webpage. But this might not be a clean wipe always as some cached data can be reused. For instance, a JavaScript file that goes to work after the page loads.

You can also use the following key combinations: Ctrl + RCtrl + Shift + R, or Ctrl + F5.

3. Empty Cache and Hard Reload

This is the best choice to get the most recent version of a webpage. It wipes the cache completely and re-downloads everything. This is the best option to use if you want a completely fresh page from scratch.

Do you clean your cache files as a habit? Try the switches and tell us if you find them useful every day.