If you made some changes to your website in the WordPress admin area, and the changes aren’t appearing on your site, there is a high chance that you have encountered the issue of cache. So what is the caching problem? This article will help you understand cache and show you how to solve the caching issue.

1. What is Cache?

Cache is a memory which stores all your site data in an external location over a period of time. This is to speed up your website as the site will load faster next time you visit and improve user experience. Caching may be in several locations, but mainly in your web browser, plugins and your server/ host side.

However, in some cases, caching can cause some irritation as it prevents you from seeing your new changes right away. What you need to do then is clear the cache.

2. How to Clear Cache

As mentioned above, there are various locations of caching, so make sure to check and empty the cache in all those areas.

Browser Caching

Different browsers have different steps to clear cache and site data. If you are using Google Chrome, follow the steps below.

  1. On your computer, open the Chrome browser.
  2. At the top right of the screen, click More.
  3. Click More tools > Clear browsing data.
  4. At the top, choose a time range. If you want to delete everything, select All time.
  5. Check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files boxes.
  6. Click Clear data.

If you are using another browser, such as Safari, Firefox, Opera, etc. check its support site for instructions. For Firefox, visit here.

To have the cache control quickly appear from the preferences, simply press Ctrl + Shift + Del.

You can reload the page and bypass the cache to refresh possibly outdated or corrupted files, which is usually much faster than clearing the entire cache. (But if you are having multiple pages to deal with, then you’d better clear the whole cache in one go.) Following are key combinations to do so.

  • Press the Shift key while left-clicking the Reload button
  • Press Ctrl + Shift + R or Ctrl + F5 (Windows, Linux)
  • Press Command + Shift + R (Mac)

Note: If you visit your site from various devices, make sure to clear browser cache on all those devices.

You have just successfully cleared your browser cache, let’s go back to your site and enjoy its new look. If you are still not seeing the changes you made, then you need to clear cache in another place – plugins.

WordPress Plugin Caching

A caching plugin helps to boost your website performance by reducing the loading time of files on your site. There are a number of good WordPress caching plugins available, but the two most popular free ones are WP Super Cache and W3 Total Cache.

Clear Cache in WP Super Cache

In your WordPress admin area, go to Settings > WP Super Cache > click the Delete Cache button.

Clear Cache in W3 Total Cache

In your WordPress admin area, go to Performance > Dashboard > click the Empty All Caches button.

If you are using any other caching plugin, refer to the documentation of that plugin to learn how to empty the cache.

Host/Server Caching

Emptying server cache is the last step to take if you did not get an expected result after clearing cache in your browser and plugins. Depending on the host you are using, there may be a Caching tab on the top admin bar of your site where allows you to clear the host cache. Just hover over it and select Purge All.

If you have your WordPress installed through Bluehost, there may be a hidden caching plugin installed on your site as well. To delete that plugin cache, go to Plugins in your WordPress admin area > click Must-Use > click Purge Cache under Endurance Page Cache.

That’s all you need to do when you encounter the caching problem.

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