Often referred to as the cache, the Internet Explorer’s Temporary Internet Files folder contains a kind of travel record of the items you have seen, heard, or downloaded from the Web, including images, sounds, and HTML. Storing these files in your cache can make browsing the Web faster because it usually takes your computer less time to display a Web page when it can call up some of the page's elements or even the entire page from your local Temporary Internet Files folder.

The files stored in your cache take up space, and on occasion have been known to cause Internet Explorer some trouble when the folder gets full. So, you may want to clear out the files to free up some space on your computer and keep things running smooth. This is called clearing the cache.

To clear your cache:

1. On the Internet Explorer Tools menu, click Internet Options. The Internet Options box should open to the General tab.
2. On the General tab, in the Temporary Internet Files section, click the Delete Files button. This will delete all the files that are currently stored in your cache.
3. Click OK, and then click OK again.