MZCacheView: Quick Guide to Viewing and Exporting Browser Cache Files
MZCacheView is a lightweight Windows utility that reads the browser cache of Chromium-based browsers and Firefox, letting you view, search, and export cached files without diving into browser internals. This guide covers downloading, basic usage, searching and filtering cache entries, exporting files, and practical tips for efficient cache analysis.
Download and install
- Visit the official NirSoft MZCacheView page and download the ZIP file for your Windows version.
- Extract the ZIP to a folder. MZCacheView is portable — no installation or admin rights required.
- Run mzcacheview.exe. If Windows warns about unknown publisher, confirm only if you downloaded from NirSoft.
Supported browsers and cache locations
- Chromium-based browsers: Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera (reads the disk cache).
- Firefox: Reads Firefox cache format.
- Note: For browsers running while you open MZCacheView, you may get partial results. Close the browser for a complete cache read when possible.
Main interface overview
- The window lists cache entries with columns like URL, Content Type, Content Size, Server Name, Last Modified, and Local File.
- Columns are sortable — click a column header to sort. Right-click headers to add or remove columns.
Searching and filtering
- Use the toolbar search box to find URLs or filenames. The search supports simple substring matches.
- Use the View menu to apply filters by content type (images, scripts, HTML, media).
- Sort by Content Size to find large cached items or Last Modified to find recent downloads.
Exporting cached files
- Select one or more entries (Ctrl+A to select all).
- Right-click and choose Save Selected Items.
- Choose an output folder. Files are saved with their original filenames when possible; conflicting names are suffixed.
- Use Copy Selected Files To to copy cached files to another folder without renaming.
Saving cache list and details
- Export the list of cache entries as a text, CSV, HTML, or XML file via File → Save Selected Items for reporting or analysis.
- Use View → File Properties to see HTTP headers and metadata for a selected entry.
Batch and automated use
- MZCacheView supports command-line options for saving cache content and exporting lists. Use these in scripts for periodic cache extraction or forensic tasks. Check NirSoft’s help file for exact command-line parameters.
Practical use cases
- Recovering downloads: Retrieve files you closed or lost by locating them in the cache.
- Web debugging: Inspect cached scripts, stylesheets, and responses for debugging page behavior.
- Forensics/analysis: Export cache contents and lists for offline review or evidence preservation.
Tips and precautions
- Close the browser for a fuller cache scan.
- Verify files after export—some cached entries may be incomplete or truncated.
- Be cautious with files from unknown sites; scan with antivirus before opening.
- Respect privacy and legal boundaries when accessing someone else’s cache.
Troubleshooting
- If entries are missing for a running browser, close it and re-run MZCacheView.
- If MZCacheView can’t read a cache, ensure you have permissions for the browser profile folder.
- For modern Edge/Chrome versions with shifted cache formats, use the latest MZCacheView release from NirSoft.