To clear the WordPress cache manually, you can follow these steps:
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Clear your web browser cache. In Google Chrome, go to the menu, select “More Tools”, then “Clear Browsing Data” and make sure to check the “Cached images and files” option.
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If you are using a WordPress caching plugin like WP Rocket, WP Super Cache, or W3 Total Cache, go to the plugin’s settings page and look for a “Clear Cache” or “Purge Cache” button. Click it to manually clear the cache.
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Some web hosts provide their own caching solutions and may have a way to clear the cache from your WordPress dashboard or hosting control panel. Contact your host’s support team to learn the best way to clear the server-side cache.
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If your WordPress site is hosted on a managed platform like WP Engine or Flywheel, they may not allow you to install caching plugins. In this case, they likely have their own caching mechanism that you can clear by contacting their support team.
The key is to clear the cache in all the places it may be stored – your web browser, your WordPress caching plugin, and potentially your web host’s server-side cache.
Doing this will ensure you are always seeing the latest version of your WordPress website.
Table of Contents
What are the different types of caches in WordPress that can be cleared manually?
The main types of caches in WordPress that can be cleared manually are:
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Browser Cache: This is the cache stored in the user’s web browser, which saves website files like images, CSS, and JavaScript to speed up page loads. To clear the browser cache, the user needs to go to their browser settings and clear the cached data.
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Server Cache: This is the cache stored on the web server, often managed by the hosting provider. WordPress plugins like WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, and WP Super Cache can be used to clear the server-side cache. The cache can typically be cleared with a single click in the plugin settings.
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WordPress Cache: WordPress itself maintains a cache to speed up page loads. This cache can be cleared using WordPress caching plugins like the ones mentioned above. The cache can usually be cleared with a button click in the plugin’s settings.
In summary, the main caches that can be manually cleared in WordPress are the browser cache, the server-side cache managed by hosting providers or caching plugins, and the WordPress-specific cache managed by caching plugins.
Clearing these caches can help ensure users see the latest updates to the website.
How do you clear the cache for the WordPress database?
The most effective ways to clear the WordPress database cache are:
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Use a WordPress caching plugin like WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, or WP Super Cache. These plugins provide a simple “Clear Cache” button that will purge all cached data.
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If your WordPress site is hosted on a managed hosting platform like WP Engine or Flywheel, they may have their own built-in caching solution. In this case, you can usually find a “Clear Cache” or “Flush Cache” button in your hosting dashboard.
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For more granular control, you can use the LiteSpeed Cache plugin, which allows you to selectively purge different types of cached data like page cache, CSS/JS cache, etc.
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As a last resort, you can clear the cache manually by deleting the cache files via FTP or your hosting control panel. However, this is more technical and not recommended for most users.
The key reasons to clear your WordPress cache include:
- Ensuring visitors see the latest updates to your website content, design, or plugins
- Resolving issues where changes are not displaying properly due to cached data
- Improving website performance after making optimizations like image compression
Regularly clearing your WordPress cache is an important part of maintaining and updating your website effectively.
What are the steps to clear the cache for the WordPress object cache?
Here are the steps to clear the cache for the WordPress object cache:
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Clear your web browser cache. This is the first step to ensure you are seeing the latest version of your website. In Google Chrome, go to the menu, select “More Tools” and then “Clear Browsing Data”.
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Clear the cache in your WordPress caching plugin, if you are using one. For WP Rocket, go to Settings > WP Rocket and click the “Clear Cache” button. For WP Super Cache, go to Settings > WP Super Cache and click the “Delete Cache” button.
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If you are using a separate object caching plugin like Redis Object Cache or Memcached Object Cache, you will need to clear the cache for that plugin as well. This is typically done through the plugin’s settings page in your WordPress dashboard.
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Some WordPress hosts like WP Engine have built-in caching that you may need to clear. Check your hosting provider’s documentation or dashboard for instructions on how to clear their object cache.
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As a last resort, you can try clearing the WordPress object cache directly by adding the following code to your theme’s functions.php file or a site-specific plugin:
phpwp_cache_flush();
This will clear the WordPress object cache, but it’s generally better to clear the cache through your caching plugin or hosting provider if possible.
The key is to clear the cache in all the places it may be stored – your web browser, your WordPress caching plugin, your object caching plugin, and your web host.
This ensures you are always seeing the latest version of your website content.
How can you clear the cache for the WordPress browser cache?
To clear the WordPress browser cache, you can follow these steps:
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Clear the browser cache manually. This can be done by pressing Shift + Ctrl + R (Windows) or Shift + Cmd + R (Mac) to force a full refresh of the page, bypassing the cached version.
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Use a WordPress caching plugin to clear the cache. Popular plugins like WP Rocket, WP Super Cache, and W3 Total Cache have options to clear the entire site cache or individual page caches.
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If your WordPress site is hosted on a managed hosting platform like SiteGround or WP Engine, you may be able to clear the server-side cache from your hosting dashboard.
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Some WordPress hosts use their own caching mechanisms, so you may need to contact your host’s support team to clear the cache on their end.
The key is to ensure that both the browser cache and the WordPress/server-side cache are cleared when making updates to your site.
This will ensure that visitors see the latest changes immediately, without having to manually refresh the page.
What are the benefits of manually clearing the WordPress cache?
The main benefits of manually clearing the WordPress cache are:
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Seeing the latest updates on your website: When you make changes to your WordPress site, such as updating content or design, the cached version may prevent visitors from seeing these changes. Clearing the cache forces WordPress to generate new copies of the site files, ensuring visitors see the latest version.
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Improving website performance: Cached data can take up a lot of space and slow down your browser. Clearing the cache frees up space and allows your browser to run more efficiently.
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Troubleshooting issues: If you’re experiencing errors or performance problems on your WordPress site, clearing the cache is often the first step in troubleshooting. Outdated cached files can sometimes cause these issues.
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Ensuring visitors see the most up-to-date content: Regularly clearing your WordPress cache (e.g., every 12-24 hours) helps guarantee that your visitors always see the newest comments, posts, and other dynamic content on your site.
To clear the WordPress cache, you can use a plugin like WP Rocket, WP Super Cache, or W3 Total Cache, or you can do it directly from your WordPress dashboard or hosting provider’s tools.
The process is generally quick and straightforward, and it’s an important maintenance task to keep your WordPress site running smoothly.
When is it necessary to manually clear the WordPress cache?
To manually clear the WordPress cache, it is necessary in the following situations:
When you have made changes to your website’s design, content, or updated your WordPress theme or plugins.
After making such changes, the cached versions of your website pages may not reflect the latest updates.
Clearing the cache will ensure that visitors see the most recent version of your site.
If you have recently migrated your website to a new domain or hosting provider.
The changes to your server and database can result in issues if the cached data is not cleared.
If you are experiencing problems with your website, such as login issues, slow loading times, or updates not displaying properly.
Clearing the cache can help resolve these problems by forcing your website to load the latest data.
The general recommendation is to clear your WordPress cache whenever you make substantive changes to your site, or if you are experiencing any technical issues.
While some caching plugins can automatically update the cache when changes are made, manually clearing the cache ensures that visitors always see the most up-to-date version of your website.
To clear the WordPress cache, you can use the cache management tools provided by your caching plugin, such as WP Rocket, WP Super Cache, or W3 Total Cache.
Alternatively, your web hosting provider may offer cache clearing functions within their dashboard.
Are there any plugins or tools that can help automate the process of clearing the WordPress cache manually?
Here is a concise and accurate response to the question, based on the search results:
There are several WordPress plugins and tools that can help automate the process of clearing the WordPress cache manually:
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WP Rocket: This popular caching plugin allows you to clear the cache directly from the WordPress dashboard. Simply go to the WP Rocket settings and click the “Clear Cache” button.
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Cache Enabler: This lightweight caching plugin also provides a “Clear Cache” button in the WordPress admin bar, allowing you to easily clear the cache.
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WP Super Cache: This free caching plugin has options to automatically clear the cache on a schedule or when certain actions are performed, such as publishing new content.
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Clear Cache for Me: This plugin automatically clears the cache for various caching systems like W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache, and WP Rocket when you update widgets, menus, or other settings.
The key benefits of using these plugins are that they make the process of clearing the WordPress cache much more convenient and automated, saving you time and effort compared to manually clearing the cache.
Helpful Resources
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https://www.elegantthemes.com/blog/wordpress/clear-wordpress-cache
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https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/hosting/blogs/wordpress-cache-clear/
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https://www.crazyegg.com/blog/how-to-clear-your-cache-in-wordpress/
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https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-clear-your-cache-in-wordpress/
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https://www.hostinger.com/tutorials/wordpress/how-to-clear-wordpress-cache