How often should I empty my Temporary Internet Cache?

Answer: The purpose of the Internet cache is to store pages and images you've recently visited so that you won't have to download them when you visit the site again. However, since there is only a certain amount of disk space for the cache, it has to erase files when new ones are added. Having a full cache isn't something you should be worried about, though it may cause a temporary slow down when a large number of cached documents are deleted at one time. Still, the benefits of caching far outweigh this minor speed bump. The biggest drawback of the Temporary Internet Cache is that sometimes files in the cache get corrupted and can cause problems with your browser. So it's a good idea to empty the Temporary Internet Cache every couple of weeks or so no matter how much space it is taking up.

Published: May 10, 2000 — by Per Christensson