In this post, we will talk about the location of the Temporary Internet Files Cache folder in Windows 11/10.
Where are Temporary Internet Files stored in Windows 11/10?
Temporary Internet or Cache files help your browser load websites faster by storing copies of web pages, images, and other content.
Where does Microsoft Edge store Cache in Windows 11/10?
Microsoft Edge browser stores the Temporary Internet files and cache in the following location:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Cache
If you have only one Edge profile, you will find all the downloaded files in:
%localappdata%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Cache\Cache_Data
Where does Edge store Cookies in Windows 11?
Microsoft Edge browser stores Cookies in Windows 11/10 in the following folder location:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Network
Temporary Internet Cache Folder Location for Chrome, Firefox, Opera
Google Chrome:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache
Mozilla Firefox:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\abcd.default\cache
Opera:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Opera\Opera\cache
Microsoft decided to give the status of a Protected System Folder
The ‘Temporary Internet Files’ folder (Cache) is, a hotbed and a breeding ground for Viruses, Trojan Downloaders, and other malware downloaded from the Internet. Apart from your ‘Windows’ folder, this is one folder where one can expect to find most such malware files.
Browsing the Internet can expose one to certain security risks. You could end up with malware on your PC or have a Trojan downloader surreptitiously download an unwanted program, or you could even find your browser hijacked! By clicking a link, innocently, in an e-mail or even mistyping a web address, you can find your browser visiting a ‘hostile’ site.
To mitigate these threats, the browser runs in Protected Mode. The Cache is now considered as a virtual folder with the same low privilege.
Generally speaking, in Windows, processes run with integrity levels as defined by MIC (Mandatory Integrity Control) Feature. ‘Protected Mode’ runs as a ‘Low Privilege’ process. This prevents the browser from writing to areas of the file system or the Registry that require a higher privilege! What then happens, is that Windows creates a set of folders and files, for use with Protected Mode’.
These folders and files share the same Low Privilege level. These 4 ‘low privilege’ folders, in the course of daily operation, are Cache, Cookies, History & Temp.
- %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Low
- %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low
- %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\History\Low
- %LocalAppData%\Temp\Low
Windows 11/10/8/7 also creates Virtual Folders to store files that the browser tries to save in protected locations. So, instead of causing an ‘add-on’ to fail when it tries to write a data file to the Windows folder or Program Files, Windows redirects the write operation to a virtual equivalent. Thus, the program continues to operate, believing that it wrote the files to the system location; little realizing that the data actually got written in a virtualized hidden folder, that mirrors the actual path and is stored under the ‘Temporary Internet Files’ folder.
In a similar fashion, if there is any attempt to write to the registry, it is redirected to a Low-integrity area of the registry.
Internet Explorer cache location
In Windows 11/10/8.1/8 the Internet Cache or Temporary Internet Files were stored by Internet Explorer in this folder:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache
In Windows Vista, and in Windows 7, it was located at:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files
Assuming that your Windows is installed on the C drive. To see it, not only do you have to check Show hidden files & folders option in the Folder Options, but also uncheck Hide protected operating system files/folders option.
Managing the Internet Cache
To manage the Internet Cache, open Internet Options > Tools > Internet Options > General Tab > Browsing History.
Choose the Size you want for your Cache here. You can also see the Downloaded programs here, by clicking ‘View Objects’. Rather than un-hiding folder, etc, from the explorer’s Folder Options, you can see the contents of the Temporary Internet Files folder, simply by clicking on ‘View Files’. If you want to move the cache to another location, click on ‘Move Folder’ to do so. You will be prompted to set a new location.
Control how the browser should use the Cache
You have 4 options:
- Every Time I Visit The Webpage: This ensures that the information you see is always current, but it can slow your browsing a bit.
- Every Time I Start: This will cause the browser to check for a newer version, one time, per session. A check is made the first time you visit a page, but not again until you restart the browser.
- Automatically: This is the default option. Here the browser sees how often pages are actually updated. If a page is not updated frequently, the browser reduces the frequency with which it checks that page.
- Never: With this option, the browser never checks for newer files and always displays what is in the cache.
Note: Even after you Refresh a page, you get the impression that your browser appears to be reading from the cache, like say reading yesterday’s news, when it should be downloading afresh, simply hold down the Shift key and then click to Hard Refresh.
It’s always a good idea to clean up your cache once in a while depending on your browsing habits. Make it a weekly or at least a monthly habit. You may use the Disk Cleanup Utility to do it.
TIP: You can go here to find out why Windows Temporary Files are created in Windows OS.
disappeared in windows 8.1
is there any way how to change the location of the internet downloads – other then windows drive? my hdd is kinda small and the c: size is ALWAYS shrinking – i cannot even download bigger files, just because (even if i save them on another disc) they are always being downloaded twice – space on c: is always going down to a pint when a download stops because there is literally no space….
Yes, you can change the location of your Downloads folder. See http://forum.thewindowsclub.com/windows-7-management-support/32826-change-default-path-user-profile-personal-files-program-installation-path.html#post161049
looked for temp folder following directory at top for windows 7 but their was no “Temporary Internet Files” folder at the end??????
i was unable to locate INetcache in Windows 8. I also had to leave Internet Explorer because it will no longer function on my computer. Whenever I launch it now, I immediately receive a message that it failed, and windows tries to fix it. That fix never happens, so I started using Google Chrome instead. Unfortunately, Google Chrome doesn’t allow the “Empty Temporary Internet Files…” function that you find under the Advanced tab of Internet Explorer/Tools, and if you choose to Tools/Clear Browsing History/Browsing History, it’s a lot more harsh than just deleting your Temporary Internet Files.
If you could give us the exact error message, maybe we could help. meanwhile check this:
http://forum.thewindowsclub.com/microsoft-internet-explorer/35672-internet-explorer-will-not-open-windows-8-1-a.html#post169734
If you are talking about Internet Explorer 11, I first receive a message box that says “Internet Explorer has stopped working. Windows is checking for a solution to the problem.” When the “solution” fails to happen, which it always does, that box is then replaced with one that says “Internet Explorer has stopped working. A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available”. When I close that box, the original box pops up again within about 5 seconds. I barely have time to close out IE before it happens again.
Maybe its some addon causing the problem. Pls see https://www.thewindowsclub.com/internet-explorer-freezes-crashes-hangs
OK, I got into Tools/Internet Options/Advanced and clicked on “Reset”. That seems to have cured the problem, as I am no longer receiving the messages. Thanks for the help.
is there a safe way to rid my computer of IE 5 temp files and why are they there anyway thank you.
Windows 7 embedded – printing from IE9 doens’t work UNLESS I ‘Run As Admin’ for IE – logged in as Admin.
Workaround was to remove the ‘Read-Only’ on the LOW folder in the %temp% directory.
How to remove the Read-only for all users that will use this thin client?
Thanks
The guy I bought the computer from (his store) put in a internet explorer file which I can’t get rid of. My registry cleaner clears out everything but that one file and my AGV antivirus says it has been put in a vault, but when I run the cleaner, it’s still there. Any ideas
hi, how about the mp4 and video like files? in previous computer (win XP+ie8), i can find the video from temporary internet files. however, i just found image or gif like my now (win7+ie11), what is the issues and how to get the video files? thx.
does not exist if IE was removed!! DUH!!!
I just got a message saying this and that file in inetcache is a trojan. Why isnt there a way of tracking down where that file came from?????
Will be difficult to track it. Delete that file, else use Disk Cleaner to clean all PC junk.
This is not related but does anyone know how to prevent a window going behind another window as soon as I click on it it vanishes Microsoft couldn’t fix after about 9 hours of trying. All suggested fixes never worked this happened on an upgrade
Not clear. Could you please elaborate? :)
I’ll try to; as soon as I click on a window it goes behind the original window. An example is the task bar on the far right in the notification area I can’t go to it at all to overcome this I have them all on the task bar in view so I have no space to pin a program to it some one told me to disable aero peak it never worked
Maybe you can use default settings for notification area so that you get ample space to pin items on taskbar. I did not understand when you said your taskbar is far right in the notification area. Which version of Windows are you using?
If I use the default settings when I use the mouse to go look it just vanishes, I’m using Windows 7 Pro but will try your suggestion and thank you
Sorry, but I am still not clear about the explorer’s behavior. But you can try this. Please start in Safe Mode and see if this problem occurs. If the issue disappears, then maybe some addon or software is interfering with the normal working of explorer.exe. Disable E, as well as Windows Explorer addons, one by one and see if any one of them is the reason. Disable or remove that addon. See Point 2 at https://www.thewindowsclub.com/internet-explorer-freezes-crashes-hangs and Point 9 at https://www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-explorer-crashes-freezes. Hope it helps.
I have had Microsoft working on it via logmein they couldn’t fix it and more or less wiped me, I had to pay a $120.00 too
I’ll try that thank you
c:usersusernameAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsINetCacheIE on my 8.1 system patched through 09-06-2014
@Anand Khanse- Fed up of this weired behavior. Your help will be appriciated in this case. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/26884303/why-access-using-ie-browser-and-access-using-windows-explorer-of-inetcache-folde
No idea why you are seeing this behaviour, but when I just tried it now, I see the same thing – IE11 on Windows 8.1.
I need to write a script which clears this INetCache folder contents(Cache). But not able to get the exact content of this folder. Because it always refers to Folder which contains Low(folder), Virtualized(folder) and counters.dat(file). In my script I want to refer the folder which contains favicon.ico file.
Yeah. it looks when you access directly, it shows IE11on Windows 8.1 content on a fresh machine. Suspecting my scrip which is doing something wrong here. After executing my script I see this behavior. But I’m not doing anything to change the behavior like this.
My script contains a single line which tries to delete the content of INetCache folder.
Well done. Good work.
In Control Panel > System Properties > Advanced > Visual Effects > Custom: unselect “Enable Desktop Composition”
That should stop things from disappearing when you hover over them with the mouse.
sorry, missed a step,
Control Panel > System Properties > Advanced > (Performance) Settings > Visual Effects > Custom: unselect “Enable Desktop Composition”
I did the following: C:UsersusernameAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsTemporary Internet Files – go as far as Windows – there was no Temporary Internet Files listed to click on. Only Cache which had almost nothing in there and I know I have a ton of temporary files.
P.S. I’m running Windows 7, Home version on 64 bit.
This is just a plug for Internet Explorer, why not just answer the question – how to access the folder.
Firefox, Pale Moon, Opera, Chrome, Tor, not to mention Yandex and a dozen others.
IE, you can keep it.
I have tried to download incrediblemail on my wifes computer. Each time i try i get the following err message (C:USERMariaappDatalocalmicrrosoftwindowstemporary internet.files) windows cannot access the specified device,path or file. You may not have the appropriate permission to access the item. How can I correct this proble,z????
Type on start button %temp% and all temporary files show you can delete almost all except the ones still in use
Have you tried this http://www1.incredimail.com/english/2.5/
I do have this folder but there is a sub-folder called ” IE ” ( path C:UsersUsernameAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsINetCacheIE ) which contains lot of files. Can I delete all these files ?
i need to find why non of the movies i stream show up in my %temp% folder any more since installing win 8.1! with xp it was so easy! I just typer %temp% in the run box and then used “unlocker” to open the file and save on my hdd as an flv
I know it’s a year later, but I just run the free version of ccleaner (crap cleaner) after browsing. It will wipe any folder and optimize the reg. if needed.
This Guide is wrong!!
The OP assumed Vista and Win7 share the same location but they do not!
That’s the reason that people are posting they can’t find the files!
Internet Explorer files in Win 7 are located here.
C:UsersusernameAppDataLocalMicrosoftInternet ExplorerTemporary Internet Files
Not here! Vista files are located here
C:UsersusernameAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsTemporary Internet Files
Useless