After a long period of using Google Chrome browser, the cache folder starts to increase significantly in size. This can be both a feature and a drawback, as having these cache files makes loading some web pages faster, especially the ones you visit frequently. However, the drawback only appears if your computer has a small storage capacity, as this folder takes up a lot of space. Some people choose to constantly delete the contents of this folder to prevent its size from increasing, but this method has a clear impact on browsing experience. Let’s explore the ideal way to overcome this issue by changing the location of Google Chrome’s cache files.
The simple idea of the solutions below is instead of storing the cache files on the C drive where Google Chrome is installed, they are stored in a different folder on another partition or disk. This will not affect the browsing experience at all, but it will work smoothly without lag or performance slowdown. Unfortunately, the browser does not have an option to do this within the settings, so you need to follow one of the following steps to achieve it. So, let’s get started…
The first solution is to modify the Target of the Google Chrome shortcut. If you have a shortcut to the browser on your desktop or taskbar for launching it, there is a simple trick to change the cache file storage location. Simply right-click on this shortcut, then click on Properties from the menu.
In the properties window that appears, add the code “–disk-cache-dir=”D:\cache” after a single space following the two quotation marks at the end of the Target field [as shown in the image]. You can replace the letter (D) with the letter of the partition or another disk you want to store the cache files on, which can be identified by what is next to the name in File Explorer. Once done, press the Apply button and then OK to save the changes.
Now, when you open Google Chrome using this modified shortcut and visit any website, you will notice that a folder named “Cache” is created inside the other partition or disk and continuously fills with temporary files with each website you open on the browser. As observed, the folder is created in partition D because that’s what I specified when editing the shortcut’s Target.
The second method may be more practical, as it will change the cache file storage location at the program level as a whole and not just on the modified shortcut, so if you run the program in any way, it will continue to save the temporary files in the location you set for it. Completing this method through Windows is done via the command prompt, which is somewhat difficult. Luckily, there is a simple tool called SoftPerfect Cache Relocator that can perform this process very easily.
The tool is completely free and does not require installation; simply run it and click on the Move button under the Google Chrome section. Through the Browse For Folder window, select the location where you want Google Chrome’s cache files to be saved. The program will then automatically redirect any new cache files to this specified location. If you ever want to revert to the default storage location on partition C, simply press Restore Default.
