How to Delete the Contents of the Temporary Internet Files Folder (260897)


The information in this article applies to:

  • MSN Explorer
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows XP
This article was previously published under Q260897

SUMMARY

This article describes how to delete the contents of the Temporary Internet Files folder.

MORE INFORMATION

The Temporary Internet Files (or cache) folder contains Web page content that is stored on your hard disk for quick viewing. This cache permits Internet Explorer or MSN Explorer to download only the content that has changed since you last viewed a Web page, instead of downloading all the content for a page every time it is displayed. To delete the files in the Temporary Internet Files folder, follow these steps:.
  1. Quit Internet Explorer and quit any instances of Windows Explorer.
  2. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Internet Options.
  3. On the General tab, click Delete Files under Temporary Internet Files.
  4. In the Delete Files dialog box, click to select the Delete all offline content check box , and then click OK.
  5. Click OK.
Notes
  • If the Temporary Internet Files folder contains a significant amount of Web page content, this process may take several minutes to complete.
  • An administrator can customize your Temporary Internet Files settings and prevent you from changing them (for example, by removing the General tab from the interface in the Internet Options dialog box). If you cannot access the Internet Options dialog box or the General tab, contact your administrator for more information.
  • Files that start with the word "Cookie" may remain in your Temporary Internet Files folder after you follow these steps. These files are pointers to the actual cookie files that are located in your Cookies folder. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    158769 Emptying Temporary Internet Files Folder Leaves Cookies Files

    For additional information about how to delete cookies, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    278835 How to Delete Cookie Files

  • In some cases, files that are downloaded from Web sites may remain in your Temporary Internet Files folder but are not visible in Windows Explorer after you follow these steps. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    301057 Temporary Internet Files Use More Disk Space Than Specified

REFERENCES

For additional information about the Temporary Internet Files folder, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

155353 How to Adjust Cache Size for Temporary Internet Files

172949 How to Change the Location of Temporary Internet Files

263070 How Internet Explorer Cache Settings Affect Web Browsing

175885 Cannot View Temporary Internet Files on Shared Computer

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/13/2005
Keywords:kbenv kbinfo KB260897
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