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I'd like to access cached copies of web pages even when I can't connect to the Internet in Google Chrome.

To work offline in Firefox, I can click File -> Work Offline.
Is there a similar "offline mode" in Chrome?

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  • I wasn't clear in my bounty, and now I realize I should probably have written a new question... The problem is in the ambiguity. I only meant "automatically cached copies". I don't want to cache them manually, because the use to me is precisely when I can't predict the internet will go down. So, plugins such as Pocket or Read Later are a big no-no. But, to be fair, since the ambiguity is here, I'll grant the 50 bucks to whichever best answer is here in any case...
    – cregox
    Oct 13, 2013 at 2:35
  • This feature did exist in Internet Explorer 6, but is not present in Internet Explorer 8. Is it in Internet Explorer 7?
    – gparyani
    Oct 13, 2013 at 5:25
  • @gparyani you should most definetely open a new question for that. Keeping things on topic, here's this same question I'm "bounting" asked on the relevant google forums. If you're interested on the subject, please star it up: productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/chrome/EXaExeJ-0mE/…
    – cregox
    Oct 14, 2013 at 12:17
  • Easier to track you if you're online.
    – Daniel
    May 28, 2015 at 17:50

7 Answers 7

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AFAIK there is no technique to change Google Chrome's cache size, location or status from the browser preferences.

To see the cached contents, type in the Google Chrome address bar:

chrome://cache

To check your current cache size:

chrome://net-internals/#httpCache

To change the cache size you need to:

  1. right-click over the Google Chrome shortcut;

  2. Select "Properties";

  3. In the "Target:" field, append to the end of the existent value:

    "existent value" --disk-cache-size=xxx (in bytes)

Using Windows 7, Google Chrome default cache location is in the following folder:

C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache
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  • Awesome but outdated answer. Check the +50 one.
    – cregox
    Oct 18, 2013 at 14:45
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+50

Chrome does not have an offline mode like Firefox (yet?).

However chrome does have offline apps/webpages. . .

There are many webapps available from the Chrome web store that do work offline. Google docs for instance, can edit documents offline (as long as you synced them to your computer), and save them locally to be uploaded later.

Drive/docs, Gmail, Gcal, Read Later (which others have mentioned), various editors, games, and helpful apps are available in an offline flavor. All such apps can be found in the offline section of the Chrome app store.

Furthermore Chrome supports the HTML 5 offline standard (Dive Into HTML 5 has a great article on that) which provides a standardized way for webpages to define their own offline capabilities.

Google has decided not to use the old school cache-it-all and spit-it-out method of offline browsing. Instead Chrome implements the HTML 5 standard, as well as Google's own special app system. The intention being that web sites that are designed to work offline could do so with the greatest effect. It is unfortunate that this means many sites will be unavailable (though you can do as others suggested, and use Read Later), but the plus is that most of the applications you really need offline (documents, E-mail, etc) can be made not only available, but incredibly useful, as the page is actually designed to work in the offline environment.

So no, Chrome does not have an offline mode like Firefox. It has something better.

But that's not the end of the story. It would appear that Google is working on a more traditional offline mode. The (not very advanced) developmental version is available. Head to chrome://flags/ in your address bar and enable "Offline Cache Mode". Note that while this will allow you to view pages like in offline mode it does not warn you, so you may be viewing an old page without even knowing.

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  • Great explanation. But, as you can read on my new question's comment, this is not "better". People who have good internet connection often overlook offline tools. None of what you say address my issue.
    – cregox
    Oct 13, 2013 at 4:14
  • @Cawas I have added more info, as I have found that dev/canary chrome has a flag that may be of some use.
    – zeel
    Oct 13, 2013 at 4:59
  • Awesome info on the edit! I don't think I have dev / canary builds and that flag exists for me! chrome://flags/#enable-offline-mode I just hope this gets promoted soon...
    – cregox
    Oct 14, 2013 at 16:25
  • Can you confirm your chrome version? If it is available in normal builds I should edit my post.
    – zeel
    Oct 14, 2013 at 16:27
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    Does this work on Chromium? I have enabled the option in the exact same way as described, but none of the pages (which usually get cached under Firefox) get loaded from cache when I'm not connected to the internet; it just displays the usual Unable to connect to the Internet error on trying to open those pages from history.
    – Janaka Bandara
    May 7, 2015 at 1:26
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There is an offline-mode. It's called Offline-Cache.

It is hidden in the flag-settings.

To enable it, follow these easy steps:

  1. Open the "flag"-url in chrome:

    chrome://flags/

  2. Now scroll down to Enable Offline Cache Mode enter image description here

  3. Now click on the link Enable

  4. Now chrome will take the resources from the cache, if the source/network is unavailable.

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  • This is just a step by step of @zeel's edited answer. Sure it looks nicer and simpler, but the main problem with this solution is it is not complete. Not being able to tell when we're seeing a cached copy or not actually adds a new issue that didn't even exist! Anyway, thanks for the effort. Maybe a lot more other people will appreciate this and this will overcome all other answers in time... Just not today for me. ;)
    – cregox
    Oct 16, 2013 at 20:15
  • Sorry, didn't see it. But you should only see it, when you are offline.
    – Christian
    Oct 16, 2013 at 20:16
  • It's cool. I was still hoping you would know how to circumvent that issue, though!
    – cregox
    Oct 16, 2013 at 20:36
  • This doesn't seem to exist on Chrome 40..?
    – Meetai.com
    Mar 12, 2015 at 23:42
  • Doesn't exist anymore. I'm on Chomre 44+
    – KhoPhi
    Jul 30, 2015 at 12:45
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Chromium lacks an "offline mode".

If you want, you can vote for the relevant Chromium feature request (Chromium issue 2204) by logging into the Chromium issue-tracker web app then clicking its star icon. If you do, make sure to click "Profile" then "Settings" then disable issue-tracker email notifications.

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If you are on a chromebook check out Read Later Fast this will allow you to mark a page for reading later it will then cache the requested page locally to the chromebook I believe ( did a quick test by turning off the wifi before accessing the site ) It can also sync the pages between devices using diigo.

You will have to decide you want to read the pages when offline ahead of time of course. Its a real shame that chrome doesn't just try and use local cache automatically.

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  • Read Later Fast didn't work for me. Some resources and images weren't loaded properly.
    – Meetai.com
    Mar 12, 2015 at 23:42
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"Offline mode" in Chrome seems to be on its way, although currently in experimental mode.
For more info see this article :

Chrome’s Offline Cache Mode uses cached files automatically to fix “This webpage is not available” errors.

Until this mode is fully available, the extension Pocket (renamed from Read It Later) can be used as an offline reader. It is advertised as able to store articles, videos or pretty much anything, directly from the browser or from apps like Twitter, Flipboard, Pulse and Zite.

Other extensions exist and are more specialized :

Google Drive Offline using computer
Google Drive Offline Android
Google Drive Offline iOS
Gmail Offline
Google Calendar Offline
Google Books Offline
Google Maps Offline

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0

In Chrome 38+ you can use the Emulation Mode (click on the small smartphone icon), from there, you can throttle the bandwith down to "Offline" (top menu). Good Luck

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