How to Clean Up Your Android Phone Using Different Browsers

The web browser on your Android phone often accumulates a significant amount of data from the websites you visit, including unnecessary files. This data, which is stored as cookies and cache, can be found in popular browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, and Samsung Internet. While cookies and cache help websites load faster and keep you logged in, they also contain unnecessary information that could pose a privacy risk.

why you need to clean up your browsers

A significant portion of the data stored in your cookies and cache is essentially useless. Some of it may come from websites you’ve only visited once, while others track your browsing history to serve targeted advertisements based on your online activities. For example, after browsing a few online glasses stores, you might start seeing ads for buying glasses or Amazon ads displaying the items you recently had in your shopping cart. Also you can also use vpn on android phone to browse anonymously

To address this issue, it’s recommended to periodically clear your cache. This process allows you to remove unnecessary data from your phone, especially if there are unknown data trackers among your phone’s cookies. Clearing the cache may require you to log back into some websites, but it’s a minor inconvenience compared to ensuring that your phone isn’t storing excessive and potentially compromising data.

The steps for clearing cache vary slightly depending on the type of phone and web browser app you use. In this article, we will explain how to clear cache in Google’s Chrome browser (commonly the default for many Android phones, such as the Google Pixel line), Samsung’s internet browser (typically the default on the Galaxy phone series), and Mozilla’s Firefox browser. If you also have Apple devices and wish to clear the cache on an iPhone web browser, we have a separate guide for that as well.

How to Clean Up Your Android Phone Using Google Chrome

To delete cookies and cache in the Android version of Google Chrome, follow these steps.

1. First, tap on the More button located in the top right corner of the browser. The More button is represented by three dots arranged vertically.
2. From there, tap on History, and then select Clear browsing data. Alternatively, you can access this option through the Chrome Settings menu by tapping on Privacy and Security, and
3. then selecting Clear browsing data.

Chrome provides Basic and Advanced settings for clearing different types of data such as Browsing history, Cookies and site data, and Cached images and files. By using the Time range drop-down menu, you can choose to delete the entire history or select a specific timeframe, ranging from the past 24 hours up to the last four weeks. You can also use vpn on android phone to browse anonymously

1. Tapping on the Advanced option will provide additional choices, including deleting Saved passwords, Autofill form data, and Site settings.
2. After selecting the data you want to delete,
3. Tap the blue Clear data button. Chrome may display an additional prompt if it identifies certain websites as being “important” to you. If such prompt appears, you will have the opportunity to confirm before clearing those specific sites. If you do not receive the prompt, Chrome will proceed to clear the data as instructed without further confirmation.

How to Clean Up Your Android Phone Using Samsung Internet

There are two methods to clear the cache and cookie data in the Samsung Internet browser. You can do it directly within the browser or through your phone’s Settings app.

METHOD 1: To clear the cache and cookies within the Samsung Internet browser app, follow these steps.

1. First, tap on the Options button located in the bottom right corner, represented by three horizontal lines.
2. Then, tap on Settings. Scroll down and tap on Personal Data, followed by Delete browsing data. This will present you with a menu of options to choose from for deletion.
3. You can select Browsing history, Cookies and site data, Cached images and files, Passwords, and Autofill forms in any combination. After making your selections,
4. Tap on Delete data. A prompt will appear, asking for confirmation before proceeding with the deletion.

Clearing the cache and cookies within the browser app provides more control over what you want to delete. However, if you prefer accessing similar options through your phone’s settings menu, follow these steps.

METHOD 2: To clear the cache and cookies within the Samsung Internet through your phone’s settings menu

1. Open the Settings app and tap on Apps.
2. Scroll down and tap on Samsung Internet, then tap on Storage.
3. At the bottom of the Storage screen, you will find separate options to Clear cache and Clear data.
4. Tapping Clear cache will immediately delete the cache, while tapping Clear data will display a prompt warning that all of the application’s data will be permanently deleted, including files, settings, accounts, and databases. Although it doesn’t specifically mention cookies, this “going nuclear” approach should remove all remaining data, allowing you to restart the Samsung Internet browser as if it were brand new.

How to Clean Up Your Android Phone Using Mozilla Firefox

Similar to Google Chrome, you have the ability to clear the cache within the Mozilla Firefox Android app. To access this feature, follow these steps:

1. Tap on the More button located on the right side of the address bar, which is symbolized by three vertically aligned dots.
2. Then, select Settings and scroll down until you find the option for Delete browsing data.

Among the three browsers discussed here, Firefox offers the most extensive range of options within the Delete browsing data menu. You can delete Open tabs, Browsing history and site data, Site permissions, Downloads folder, Cookies, and Cached images and files. This allows for more specific control over the type of data you want to remove.

Additionally, Firefox provides an extra option for those who prefer not to retain any browsing data once they have finished using the app. Within the Settings, there is a Delete browsing data on quit feature, which enables Firefox to automatically delete selected settings every time you exit the application. This feature is particularly useful for maintaining a clean browser and avoiding unintentionally sharing your browsing history with someone who may have gained unauthorized access to your phone.