Microsoft KB Archive/260897

= How to Delete the Contents of the Temporary Internet Files Folder =

Article ID: 260897

Article Last Modified on 1/27/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * MSN Explorer
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0
 * Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0

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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 &quot;Cookie&quot; 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



