How to Clear Cache and History for a Single Website in Safari on Mac

When a specific website displays broken layouts, fails to load updated product listings, or refuses to log you in, the standard troubleshooting advice is to clear your browser cache and cookies. However, using Safari’s general “Clear History” command deletes your browsing records, saved logins, and active sessions across every website on your Mac. Fortunately, macOS Safari includes granular privacy management tools that allow you to purge cached files and local storage for one individual site while leaving everything else untouched.

Why Targeted Cache Clearing is Preferable

Clearing your entire browser history forces you to re-authenticate two-factor codes, re-enter passwords, and reset custom website preferences across all your daily platforms. Removing data exclusively for the malfunctioning domain eliminates corrupt scripts or outdated stylesheets while keeping your active sessions in email, social media, and streaming services completely intact.

Method 1: Removing Cookies and Local Storage via Safari Settings

The most straightforward method to target a specific domain uses Safari’s built-in Privacy dashboard:

1. Launch Safari on your Mac.
2. Click Safari in the top menu bar and select Settings… (or Preferences… on macOS Monterey and earlier), or press Cmd + ,.
3. Click on the Privacy tab at the top of the settings window.
4. Click the Manage Website Data… button.
5. Wait a few seconds for Safari to populate the list of stored domains.
6. Use the Search bar in the top-right corner to type the domain name of the troubled site (e.g., digitash.com or github.com).
7. Click to highlight the website in the search results list.
8. Click Remove at the bottom of the dialogue window, then click Done.

Method 2: Force-Reloading Without Stored Cache in the Active Tab

If you are actively viewing the malfunctioning webpage and want to bypass cached images and scripts immediately without diving into settings:

1. Ensure the problematic website tab is currently open and active in Safari.
2. Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard.
3. While holding Shift, click the circular Reload page icon in the Safari address bar.
4. Alternatively, press Cmd + Option + R (requires Safari Developer Menu enabled).
5. Safari will ignore locally saved page elements and request fresh copies directly from the host web server.

Method 3: Deleting Individual Page History Entries

If you want to remove specific visits from your browsing history without wiping other searches:

1. Click History in the top macOS menu bar and select Show All History (or press Cmd + Y).
2. Use the search field in the upper-right corner to locate the specific domain or URL.
3. Right-click (or Control-click) the individual entry and select Delete.
4. You can also select an entry and tap the Delete key on your keyboard to instantly remove it from Safari’s autocomplete suggestions.