Refresh Shortcut (F5 / ⌘R)
Reload a page: ⌘R on Mac, Ctrl+R or F5 on Windows. Hard refresh clears the cache — combos below.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refresh / reload | ⌘R | Ctrl+R or F5 | |
| Hard refresh (ignore cache) | ⌘⇧R | Ctrl+F5 or Ctrl+Shift+R | |
| Stop loading | ⌘. or Esc | Esc | |
| Reload all tabs | (extension) | (extension) | |
| Refresh in File Explorer / Finder | ⌘R (some) | F5 |
Reload vs hard reload
⌘R (Mac) or Ctrl+R / F5 (Windows) reloads the current page from cache where possible. A hard refresh — ⌘⇧R / Ctrl+F5 — forces the browser to re-download everything, which fixes stale styling or a page that didn't update.
When a page is stuck
If a page is hanging, press Esc (or ⌘. on the Mac) to stop loading, then refresh. A hard refresh is the first thing to try when a site looks broken after an update.
FAQ
What is the refresh shortcut?
Press ⌘R on the Mac, or Ctrl+R / F5 on Windows, to reload the current page.
What is a hard refresh?
A hard refresh ignores the cache and re-downloads the page: ⌘⇧R on the Mac, Ctrl+F5 or Ctrl+Shift+R on Windows. Use it when a page looks stale or broken.
How do I stop a page from loading?
Press Esc (or ⌘. on the Mac) to stop the current load, then reload if needed.