Web Browser Troubleshooting

Description

Often website issues can be resolved by clearing cache, allowing pop-ups, or trying from an incognito window. Below are steps to trouble web browsing. If specific department websites do not work or contain bad links, we recommend contacting the department directly, as departments usually administrate their own web pages. Contact information for a departmental web site should be available on their main web page.

Step-by-Step

Three specific steps that are often proscribed for resolving issues with specific web-based applications are:

1. Open in a Private browser window;
2. Clear your browser's cache;
3. Allow pop ups. 

Follow the steps below for the web browser(s) you use.

If these steps don't work to resolve your issue, you may need to reset your web browser entirely. 

Steps to Open a Private Browsing Window

Chrome - 

1. Click the ellipsis found at the far right end of the line that contains the web site (URL). 
2. Click New Incognito Window. 

Firefox - 

1. Click the Open menu icon (3 vertical lines) found at the far right end of the line that contains the web site (URL). 
2. Click New Private Window. 

Internet Explorer - 

1. Click the gear icon found at the far right end of the line that contains the web site (URL). 
2. Click Safety from the menu that appears, then InPrivate Browsing. 

Safari - 

1. Click the File menu, then New Private Window. 

Edge - 

1. Click the ellipsis found at the far right end of the line that contains the web site (URL). 
2. Click New InPrivate Window. 

Steps to Clear Browser Cache

Safari

1. Click on Safari and then select Preferences.

2. Select the Privacy tab, and then click Manage Website Data.

3. Select Remove All. When the popup window appears, click Remove Now.

4. Click on Safari in the menu at the top of the screen, then select Preferences.

5. In the Preferences window, click the Advanced tab and make sure the checkbox next to "Show Develop menu in menu bar" is selected.

6. Select Develop in the menu bar on the top of the screen and click Empty Caches.

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Google Chrome

1. Open Chrome.
2. At the top right click More (stacked dots).

3. Click More Tools > Clear browsing data.
4. At the top of the pop-up, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All Time.
5. Check the boxes next to "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files".

6. Click Clear data.

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Firefox

1. From the History menu, choose Clear Recent History. If the menu bar is hidden, press the Alt key on your keyboard to make it visible.

2. From the "Time Range to Clear" drop-down menu, select the desired range. Choose everything to clear all cookies and your entire cache.
3. Choose what you would like to clear under the History and Data headings. To clear your entire cache, select all items.

4. Click Clear Now.
5. Exit/quit Firefox and then re-open your browser

Steps to Allow Pop Ups

Chrome - 

1. Click the ellipsis found at the far right end of the line that contains the web site (URL). 
2. From the menu that appears, click Settings. 
3. Click Advanced which appears at the bottom of the page
4. In the Privacy and Security section, click Content Settings then Popups.  
5. Click Blocked to change it to Allowed. 

Firefox - 

1. Click the Open menu icon (3 vertical lines) found at the far right end of the line that contains the web site (URL). 
2. Click Options from the menu that appears. 
3. Click Privacy & Security from the left column, then remove the check from the Block Pop-up Windows field in the Permissions section. 

Internet Explorer - 

1. Click the gear icon found at the far right end of the line that contains the web site (URL). 
2. Click Internet Options from the menu that appears.
3. Click the Privacy tab, then remove the check from the Turn on Pop-up Blocker field. 

Safari - 

1. Click the Safari menu, then Preferences. 
2. Click Security at the top of the window that appears.
3. Remove the check from the Block pop-up windows field.

Edge - 

1. Click the ellipsis found at the far right end of the line that contains the web site (URL). 
2. From the menu that appears, click Settings. 
3. Under Advanced Settings, click View Advanced Settings. 
4. Make sure that Block Pop Ups is Off.