36
10
I don't even use this browser normally, just for testing purposes, and the directory size of "Chrome" in "AppData\Local\Google" is like 500 MB.
Is there a way I can disable page cache in Chrome?
Alex
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 951
16
You can clear the cache regularly.
Settings -> Advanced -> Privacy and Security -> Clear browsing data
or
More Tools > Clear browsing Data
Once the cache is cleared use Incognito mode to disable caching while browsing.
The easiest way to disable browser caching in Google Chrome is simply to use its "Incognito Window" mode, similar to IE's InPrivate mode. Press CTRL + SHIFT + N to open up the relevant tab.
Some other suggestion here for normal mode, not sure if any of them work.
Moab
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 54 203
33
Just found out about this solution. You start Chrome under Windows with --disk-cache-dir=null parameter and enjoy. Works also under *nix system with /dev/null.
D.Iankov
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 1 804
3This is the best method for anything automated such as testing (i.e., karma) where extensions and user-action are not available. – JoshuaDavid – 2015-01-30T05:42:51.693
1This almost worked for me, except I had to use nul instead of null. null just moved the cache to a folder named null. – blade – 2017-10-13T13:47:33.443
Can confirm this works very well for automated scenarios! As @blade said, I also had to use nul for it to work! – Christian Droulers – 2018-10-22T20:10:47.030
13
You can limit the disk cache size with a very small number (say, 1 byte) with an option:
--disk-cache-size=N
Where 'N' is the cache size limit, in bytes
Perhaps, another option is also useful for a similar purpose: --media-cache-size=1
I've tried --disk-cache-size=1 in my Chromium 17.0.963.1 (under Linux), and it has an effect: the size of the cache dir has reduced tremendously!
(Now I wonder whether it's possible to put this option into a configuration file, preferrably system-wide one -- so that it will be the default without me having to replace the menu and/or hiding the executable with my own script with this option. I would like it as a default on my system as a measure for more effective usage of my SSD.)
imz -- Ivan Zakharyaschev
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 443
To me this seems less risky than moving the cache directory. For example, if I forget to clear my cache before altering the directory, will I be left with a big old cache somewhere that sits unused forever? – gravitation – 2015-05-08T16:56:17.340
@BrandonThomson I wondered for a while what you mean by "moving" because my answer doesn't seem to mention "moving". I suppose you mean the solution with assigning another non-existent path to the parameter definig the place where the cache lives -- http://superuser.com/a/516582/65570
– imz -- Ivan Zakharyaschev – 2015-05-08T17:05:20.123Yes, I mean that I like your solution better than the alternative solutions given. – gravitation – 2015-05-08T17:58:27.693
12
Press f12 to open the developer console. Then, under the elements tab, click the gear in the lower right corner: 
. On the left, there is an option to disable cache.
Lg102
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 293
15
Please note that this only has an effect while the developer tools are open.
– Der Hochstapler – 2012-12-09T11:32:57.6435
Temporary Clearing
If you hit <Ctrl> + <Shift> + <Del> it will automatically bring up the clear cache screen.
The other option is hit F12 to reveal the developer panel and then hit the gear in the corner
chrisjlee
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 3 342
In the develper menu -> gear -> ... I found an option to DISABLE the cache – varesa – 2012-06-06T19:51:27.250
3
Try the Cache Killer extension, which effectively disables the browser cache.
Automatically clear your browser cache before loading a page. Can be enabled/disabled with a single mouse click.
This extension allows you to easily disable caching in Chrome. When Cache Killer is activated, it will clean your Browser Cache before every page load. With just one click you can disable or enable this feature.
galacticninja
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 5 348
I installed Cache Killer, but it doesn't seem to do anything (yes, I have turned it on). – Zaz – 2015-06-06T00:34:52.203
1This solution will also not help if the reason for wanting to disable disk caching is to reduce disk writes. – Daniel Saner – 2016-09-21T20:55:47.647
3
The most effective way to disable caching in Chrome is to provide it with a cache directory that does not exist. D.Iankov answer helps but the full solution looks like this:
--disk-cache-dir="z:\" --media-cache-dir="z:\"
You need to specify both cache directories to eliminate Chrome caching. On Windows, use the above line (if you don't have a z: drive) or use any other drive that does not exist. On Linux/MacOS, /dev/null will work instead of "z:\".
The above line needs to be added to the Chrome shortcut properties. To find the shortcut on Windows, press the Start button, click into the search window and type Chrome (don't press Enter). Wait for a shortcut to Chrome to appear. Right click on it and select Properties.
In the Google Chrome Properties window, find the field labelled "Target" and add the above line to the end of it. If the path to chrome.exe is surrounded by double-quotes, make sure that the above line is added after the closing double-quotes.
IvanD
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 131
1
Google Chrome version 54.0: Go to Developer Menu -> Network, and on the first row underneath that, there's a checkbox to disable cache
Yishai Landau
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 111
1
For Ubuntu, run this in the terminal. It changes the program shortcut.
sudo sed -i 's/google-chrome-stable.*/& --disk-cache-dir=\/dev\/null/g' /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop
afelaho
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 165
1
For those who don't want to use the flags above and want to disable the cache permanently, I found another way on *nix systems to disable cache. It is possible to link the google chrome cache folder to /dev/null, disabling it. The commands for Linux look like this:
rm -rf ~/.cache/google-chrome
ln -s /dev/null ~/.cache/google-chrome
This should work on linux. I don't know where the chrome cache is stored on mac os, so I couldn't generate commands for mac os.
ElSmacko
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 11
0
On MacOS run this from the terminal to disable disk caching:
defaults write com.google.Chrome DiskCacheDir -string /dev/null
onetrickpony
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 151
Do you need to run this when Chrome is *not* running? (That's typically the case, but it is worth mentioning.) – iconoclast – 2018-07-11T01:24:12.330
0
The best way to do this if using Windows is to locate the ”Cache’ folder under “%localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache. Right-Click, Properties, [Security] Tab. [Advanced] button, [Disable Inheritance], ‘Removal All’. There should be no object listing, click [OK]. [OK] again. Now Chrome wont be able to cache anything. You can do the same to the MediaCache and GPUCache and all other Cache folders as well.
A-Star Computing
Posted 2011-09-12T20:13:18.547
Reputation: 1
Chrome doesn't have Under the hood anymore. The new way to clear the cache is Settings -> Advanced -> Privacy and Security -> Clear browsing data. – Björn Lindqvist – 2020-01-17T10:49:03.947
That's the problem with answering questions about continually morphing software. – Moab – 2020-01-17T14:03:45.477