Troubleshooting Why Changes Aren’t Showing Up (Cache Issues) in WordPress

If you’ve made updates to your WordPress site, but they aren’t appearing on the live site, caching is often the cause. Caching improves speed by storing static versions of your content, but it can also prevent recent changes from displaying. This guide covers common cache-related issues and solutions.

Step 1: Clear Your Browser Cache

The first step is to clear your browser cache, as cached data from previous site visits can prevent updated content from displaying.

1. Refresh the Page

   • Try a hard refresh by pressing Ctrl+F5 on Windows or Cmd+Shift+R on Mac. This forces the browser to load a fresh version of the page.

2. Clear Browser Cache

   • Open your browser’s settings, go to History or Privacy & Security, and clear cached images and files.

Tip: Try accessing your site in a different browser or in incognito mode to see if the changes appear.

Step 2: Clear WordPress Cache from Your Caching Plugin

If you’re using a caching plugin, clearing the cache will ensure your latest changes appear on the site.

1. Go to Your Caching Plugin Settings

   • In your WordPress Dashboard, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins to find the caching plugin you’re using, like LiteSpeed Cache, WP Super Cache, or W3 Total Cache.

2. Clear Cache from the Plugin

   • Each plugin has a different menu location for clearing the cache, but look for options like Clear Cache, Purge All, or Delete Cache.

Note: LiteSpeed Cache is a common choice that’s compatible with LiteSpeed servers and offers an easy cache-clearing option directly in the LiteSpeed Cache menu.

Step 3: Clear Cache from the Shared Hosting Control Panel

If you’ve cleared the browser and WordPress caches and changes still aren’t showing up, there may be server-level caching.

1. Log into the Shared Hosting Control Panel

   • Go to the Shared Hosting Control Panel and log in.

2. Access Cache Settings

   • Some control panels, like LiteSpeed, may have cache settings accessible in the website’s settings. If available, clear any server-level cache here.

Tip: Not all hosting environments include server-level caching, so contact support if you’re unsure.

Step 4: Disable Caching Temporarily (Optional)

If you’re actively designing or making frequent changes to your site, temporarily disabling caching can ensure you see updates immediately.

1. Disable Caching Plugin Temporarily

   • Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins, locate your caching plugin, and click Deactivate to disable caching temporarily.

2. Remember to Re-enable Caching

   • Don’t forget to reactivate the caching plugin once you’ve finished making changes to keep your site optimized for speed.

Warning: Disabling caching can affect site load time, so only use this option temporarily while making design updates.

Step 5: Check Content Delivery Network (CDN) Cache

If you use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare or Amazon CloudFront, cached copies of your site may be stored across multiple servers.

1. Log into Your CDN Dashboard

   • Go to the dashboard for your CDN provider.

2. Clear or Purge Cache

   • In the CDN settings, look for an option to clear or purge the cache. This will force the CDN to refresh its cached copies and display your updates.

Note: CDN caching can significantly improve load times, but remember to clear it whenever you make significant updates to the site.

Step 6: Verify and Test Your Changes

Once you’ve cleared all relevant caches, test your site to ensure that the changes appear.

1. Test in Different Browsers

   • Check your site in multiple browsers to verify that the changes are displaying consistently.

2. Use Incognito or Private Mode

   • Viewing your site in incognito mode or a private browsing window ensures you’re seeing the latest version without cached data.

Additional Tips for Managing Cache

• Use Cache Exclusions for Pages Under Development: Most caching plugins allow you to exclude specific pages from caching. Exclude pages you’re actively working on to avoid repeated cache clears.
• Enable Cache Preloading: Many plugins, like LiteSpeed Cache, offer cache preloading, which creates a fresh cache after each update.
• Schedule Regular Cache Clearing: If you frequently update your site, consider scheduling automatic cache clears in your caching plugin settings.

By following these steps, you can resolve cache-related issues and ensure your site updates appear as intended. For further assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team.