Shortcut Refresh Page Jun 2026

When Ctrl+R is pressed, the browser follows this sequence:

When a user triggers a standard refresh: shortcut refresh page

: If F5 doesn't work, you may need to hold the Fn key while pressing F5 . 2. Hard Refresh (Clear Cache) How To Do A Hard Refresh In Google Chrome When Ctrl+R is pressed, the browser follows this

Unlike closing a tab, a refresh does not clear sessionStorage. However, any state stored only in JavaScript variables (not persisted) is lost. However, any state stored only in JavaScript variables

| Action | Windows / Linux | macOS | Effect | |--------|----------------|-------|--------| | Standard Refresh | Ctrl + R | Cmd + R | Reloads page using cached resources if allowed | | Hard Refresh (Clear Cache) | Ctrl + Shift + R | Cmd + Shift + R | Bypasses cache, forces re-download of all resources | | Alternative Hard Refresh | Ctrl + F5 | (not standard) | Same as above, legacy from Internet Explorer | | Refresh from Address Bar | Ctrl + E then Enter | Cmd + L then Enter | Focuses address bar, then submits | | Refresh via Menu | Alt + F then R | Ctrl + R (same) | Alternative for keyboard-only navigation |

The Shortcut Refresh operates by modifying the HTTP request headers sent by the client. Understanding these modifications is essential for developers debugging server-side cache logic.