- Method 1: DevTools Hard Reload (Fastest, Temporary)
- Method 2: Chrome Site Settings (Complete, Built-In)
- Method 3: Using an Extension (Fastest for Repeated Use)
- Method 4: Clear Cache via DevTools Application Panel
- Comparing the Methods
- When Should You Clear Cache for One Site?
- What You're Not Clearing (And Why That Matters)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Method 1: DevTools Hard Reload (Fastest, Temporary)
- Method 2: Chrome Site Settings (Complete, Built-In)
- Method 3: Using an Extension (Fastest for Repeated Use)
- Method 4: Clear Cache via DevTools Application Panel
- Comparing the Methods
- When Should You Clear Cache for One Site?
- What You're Not Clearing (And Why That Matters)
- Frequently Asked Questions
You're staring at a website that's broken, showing old content, or just acting strange. Your first instinct — clear the cache. But you don't want to wipe everything and log out of every site you use.
Good news: you have several options for clearing the cache of just one specific website in Chrome, without touching anything else. This guide covers all of them, from fastest to most thorough.
Clear Cache for Any Site in One Click
The Clear Cache for Specific Site extension adds a one-click cache clear button to Chrome. No menus, no digging through settings.
Add to Chrome — It's FreeMethod 1: DevTools Hard Reload (Fastest, Temporary)
This is the quickest option when you just need to bypass cached files for a single page load. It doesn't permanently delete cached data — it just ignores it for this one reload.
Step 2 — Open DevTools: press
F12 on Windows or Cmd+Option+I on MacStep 3 — Right-click the reload button (the circular arrow next to the address bar)
Step 4 — Select "Empty Cache and Hard Reload"
The page reloads fresh. Cached assets are bypassed. The DevTools panel must remain open for this option to appear — it disappears from the menu as soon as you close DevTools.
Method 2: Chrome Site Settings (Complete, Built-In)
This is the proper way to delete cached data for a specific site using only Chrome's built-in tools. It takes more steps but actually removes the files.
- In your Chrome address bar, type
chrome://settings/content/alland press Enter - In the search box that appears, type the domain name (e.g.,
example.com) - Click on the site entry that matches
- Click the trash can icon or "Delete data" button
- Confirm if prompted
This clears cached images, scripts, stylesheets, and other stored files for that origin. Depending on your Chrome version, you may also see options to clear cookies separately — useful if you want to preserve your login.
Method 3: Using an Extension (Fastest for Repeated Use)
If you regularly need to clear cache for specific sites during development, testing, or troubleshooting, doing it through Chrome settings gets tedious fast. An extension eliminates the menu diving.
Clear Cache for Specific Site adds a button to your toolbar. When you click it on any tab, it clears the cache for just that site. No confirmation dialogs, no navigating through settings, no accidentally clearing everything.
Stop Digging Through Settings Every Time
One click clears cache for the current tab's site. Works on any domain, keeps all your other sites intact.
Install Clear Cache for Specific SiteMethod 4: Clear Cache via DevTools Application Panel
For developers who need granular control over what gets cleared, DevTools offers a detailed breakdown of all cached resources for the current site.
- Open DevTools with
F12 - Click the "Application" tab (you may need to click the ›› arrow to find it)
- In the left sidebar, expand "Cache Storage" to see service worker caches
- Right-click any cache entry and select "Delete"
- Also check "Back/forward cache" and "Storage" sections for other stored data
This method is overkill for most situations but useful when you need to see exactly what's cached and selectively remove specific entries.
Comparing the Methods
| Method | Speed | Permanently Deletes? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| DevTools Hard Reload | Very fast | No (bypasses only) | Quick one-time fix |
| Chrome Site Settings | Slow (many clicks) | Yes | Built-in, occasional use |
| Extension (one click) | Very fast | Yes | Regular use, development |
| DevTools Application panel | Slow | Yes (selective) | Debugging, granular control |
When Should You Clear Cache for One Site?
Knowing how to clear per-site cache is most useful in these situations:
- Old content showing up: A website updated its layout or content but you're still seeing the previous version.
- CSS not applying: You updated a stylesheet and Chrome is serving the old one.
- JavaScript errors after a site update: The site loaded a new HTML structure but is running old cached scripts against it.
- Images not refreshing: Product images, profile photos, or other visuals aren't updating despite being changed on the server.
- Site behaving differently on your machine vs. Others: Other users see the correct version but you don't — your cache has an old copy.
What You're Not Clearing (And Why That Matters)
Per-site cache clearing removes cached files: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, fonts. It does not clear:
- Cookies — your session and login data stays unless you explicitly clear cookies too
- LocalStorage / SessionStorage — website data stored in JavaScript APIs
- IndexedDB — local database storage used by some web apps
- Service Worker caches — some sites register service workers that maintain their own separate cache (you need the DevTools Application panel to clear these)
For most cache-related issues, clearing the standard browser cache is sufficient. But if a site still behaves strangely after clearing cache, check whether it uses a service worker (look for an "offline mode" or PWA install option — those sites almost always use service workers).
The Simplest Way to Clear One Site's Cache
Add the free extension and you'll never have to go digging through Chrome settings again. Works on any site, any tab, instantly.
Get Clear Cache for Specific SiteFrequently Asked Questions
Can I clear cache for just one website in Chrome?
Yes. The quickest built-in method is opening DevTools (F12), right-clicking the reload button, and choosing "Empty Cache and Hard Reload". For a permanent deletion, go to chrome://settings/content/all, search the domain, and delete its data. A dedicated extension makes this a single click.
Will clearing cache for one site log me out?
Clearing cache (images and files) alone will not log you out. If you also clear cookies for that site, you will be logged out. Most per-site clearing tools let you clear cache only, keeping cookies and your login session intact.
How long does it take to clear cache for a single site?
The actual deletion takes less than a second. The time you spend depends on the method — Chrome's built-in route takes 5-8 clicks through menus, while a dedicated extension takes one click.
Does clearing site cache also clear subdomains?
In Chrome's Site Settings, clearing data for example.com typically includes www.example.com and other subdomains in the same origin group. Completely separate subdomains like blog.example.com may be listed as separate entries.
Why does cache keep coming back after I clear it?
Cache rebuilds automatically when you visit a site — this is intentional and makes browsing faster. If the problem you're trying to fix keeps returning, the issue may not be cache-related (check if the server is returning stale content with incorrect cache headers).
Is there a keyboard shortcut to clear cache for one site?
There's no built-in keyboard shortcut for per-site cache deletion in Chrome. Ctrl+Shift+R (or Cmd+Shift+R) does a hard refresh that bypasses cache for one page load, but doesn't delete anything. For actual deletion, use the methods above.
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