“I changed the page, but users still see the old version.” “My new name doesn’t show in SharePoint.” “The file won’t sync.” When I hear these, the problem is often a cache: something on the user’s PC is holding on to an old copy instead of fetching the new one from SharePoint.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you which cache to clear for which problem, starting with the gentlest option, and how to do it in Edge, Chrome and Firefox, in Office, OneDrive and Teams.
Quick answer: For most SharePoint display problems, clear only the cookies and cached images and files in your browser, or open the site in a private window to test. In Edge, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data > Choose what to clear. For Office files that won’t open or save, delete the Office Document Cache; for sync problems, reset OneDrive.
Which cache causes which problem?
| What you see | Clear this |
|---|---|
| Old page content, broken web parts, a page that won’t load | Browser cookies and cached files |
| Signed in as the wrong account, or a sign-in loop | Browser cookies for SharePoint and Microsoft 365 |
| Office file won’t open, save or upload | Office Document Cache |
| Files won’t sync to your PC | OneDrive (reset) |
| SharePoint tab in Teams shows old content | Teams cache |
Some problems aren’t caches at all. A new name or photo can take time to sync from Microsoft Entra ID, as I explain in the SharePoint People web part guide.
First, test in a private window
Before you clear anything, open the SharePoint site in an InPrivate (Edge) or Incognito (Chrome) window and sign in. A private window starts with no cache or cookies. If the problem disappears there, it’s your browser’s cache; if not, clearing won’t help, and the problem is on the SharePoint side.
Clear the cache in Microsoft Edge
- Select Settings and more (…) > Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, select Choose what to clear.
- Pick a time range, check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files, and select Clear now.
You don’t need to delete your browsing or download history; those don’t affect SharePoint. Restart the browser and sign in again.
Clear the cache in Chrome and Firefox
In Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete, pick a time range, check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files, and select Delete data:
In Firefox, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete as well, choose the time range, check Cookies and site data and Temporary cached files and pages, and clear them. The labels change a little between versions, but the two items to pick are always cookies and cache.
Clear the cache for one SharePoint site only
If you don’t want to sign out of every website, clear the data for SharePoint only. In Edge or Chrome, open the SharePoint site, press F12 to open DevTools, go to Application > Storage and select Clear site data. Then reload the page with Ctrl+F5.
This is my go-to after deploying an SPFx solution, when the browser keeps loading the old script. For more on SPFx deployment, see this SPFx application customizer example.
Delete the Office Document Cache
Word, Excel and PowerPoint keep a local copy of files you open from SharePoint. If a file won’t open, save or upload, or shows an old version, delete that cache. Close all Office apps first.
If you see the Office Upload Center on your PC, open it, select Settings and choose Delete cached files. In newer versions of Microsoft 365, the cache still runs in the background even if Upload Center isn’t visible, and Microsoft’s support article explains how to clear it there.
Reset OneDrive for sync problems
If SharePoint libraries you sync with OneDrive stop updating, reset the OneDrive app. Press Windows+R, enter %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset and select OK. OneDrive restarts and resyncs; your files stay where they are. To move files into SharePoint in bulk instead, see how to upload files to SharePoint with PnP PowerShell.
Clear the Teams cache
If a SharePoint page or list in a Teams tab looks out of date, quit Teams and clear its cache. For the new Teams, go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find Microsoft Teams, open Advanced options and select Reset.
Microsoft advises against clearing the Teams cache for chat or channel problems, because it deletes the logs support needs. If the SharePoint site itself is the issue, see how to convert a SharePoint site to Microsoft Teams for how the two connect.
SharePoint Designer cache (legacy)
Older guides also clear the SharePoint Designer cache. SharePoint Designer 2013 has been out of support since 07/14/2026, and SharePoint 2013 workflows were removed from SharePoint Online on 04/02/2026, so for SharePoint Online you won’t need it. If you still use it on SharePoint Server, close it and delete the contents of %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebsiteCache.
When clearing the cache doesn’t help
- The page isn’t published. Republish it and check again.
- Your permissions changed. Ask the site owner to check your access.
- The problem is on the site itself, such as a broken app. See how to fix the SPFx couldn’t add this app error.
These SharePoint tutorials may also help:
If clearing the cache doesn’t help and the trouble is with files synced to your PC, check how to fix OneDrive sync issues with SharePoint, where I cover status icons, path-length errors and resetting OneDrive.
Clearing the cache is one of the first fixes I try for a few common problems: a page stuck on “Working on it”, the “Sorry, something went wrong” error, and SharePoint sign-in problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I clear the SharePoint cache?
Clear your browser’s cookies and cached images and files, or use Clear site data in DevTools for the SharePoint site only. For Office files, delete the Office Document Cache.
How do I clear the Office cache for SharePoint files?
Close the Office apps and delete the cached files from Office Upload Center or Office settings. Microsoft explains it in delete your Office Document Cache.
Will clearing the cache delete my SharePoint files?
No. Your files stay in SharePoint. Clearing removes only local copies, so the next time you open a file, it downloads again.
Should I clear the SharePoint cache regularly?
No. Clear it only when you see a problem, starting with a private window test.
I have worked with Microsoft technologies for more than 18 years, including SharePoint, Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate and Power BI), at companies like HP, TCS and KPIT. I started EnjoySharePoint in 2011 to share the solutions I build in real projects with readers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and beyond. Microsoft has recognized this work with the Microsoft MVP award 13 times since 2014.