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I think you'll agree when I say that the mention of cache doesn't elicit the best feelings unless you're one of those cool tech-savvy guys anyway. No, it still doesn't provoke the best feelings.

Regardless, the concept of cache is so easy to understand that you don't need a title for anything. At the same time, it turns out that clearing your WordPress site's cache is a breeze - you can do it before the next guy makes a cup of coffee.

And in today's post, we show you exactly how to clear your WordPress cache like a pro. By the end of the post, the WordPress cache will be something you never have to worry about again. We invite you to comment and share your experiences in the comments section.

First, let's set the stage.

What is the cache?

In general computing terms, caching is simply storing data in temporary memory rather than main memory. Cache (pronounced cash) is a technology through which a piece of hardware or software stores temporary data that is retrieved faster the second time it is needed.

Think of it like moving the media cabinet remote to wherever you are sitting. The next time you need to change the TV channel, you can do it faster, since you don't have to walk to the media cabinet again.

If you don't watch TV, here's another illustration. If a website caches content in your browser, it simply means that the website stores temporary data in your browser. This data can be anything (images, JavaScript files, etc.), things that do not regularly change for long periods of time.

The next time you visit such a website, the cached content will be loaded from your browser instead of the originating web server. This means that the data is not sent a second time, since it already exists in your browser / PC. The end result is a faster experience, saved bandwidth, and reduced server load.

WordPress cache types

When it comes to speeding up WordPress websites, there are four types of caching to consider. Let's review each one briefly:

Browser cache

In an attempt to provide a better user experience while browsing, modern browsers come equipped with caching capabilities. Whether you are using Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Edge, or Safari, your browser automatically caches the content of the websites you visit.

Therefore, you experience a faster load when you visit a cached website afterwards. Your WordPress site can take advantage of browser caching to provide a faster experience for all of your users. You can set caching rules for your content, ensuring that your server receives queries only for new content.

Therefore, your WordPress site does not need to request content such as banner images, the logo, JavaScript files, style sheets, etc., since the data is already saved on your PC. Unless you update your website and purge your browser cache anyway, something we'll cover in the next few sections.

Plugin cache

Next we have the plugin cache, which represents all the temporary data that your cache plugin saves. Depending on your preferences, your plugin cache can include HTML files, compiled PHP code, MySQL queries, and web objects, among other things.

There are numerous cache plugins, but the two most popular are W3 total cache and WP Super Cache. Both plugins are great for caching WordPress sites and can significantly decrease the time it takes for your pages to load. What caching plugin do you use on your WordPress site? Let us know in the comments 🙂

If you remember, we said that WordPress creates web pages from PHP and queries the data from its MySQL database. Now, instead of recreating pages every time a user visits them, your cache plugin serves up the saved copies for easier loading on your server, which translates to better performance. Caching at the same time reduces the transfer of files from one side to the other.

Server cache

Most hosting providers offer caching features to speed up their WordPress sites. This is mostly the norm with most managed WordPress hosts, such as WPEngine, Steering wheel and Pagely among others. The links above redirect to support pages showing how to flush each host's cache.

It's all about improving the speed of your WordPress website, this caching business. Each host uses a different type of caching architecture based on its configuration, but it all comes down to one thing: improving performance. Better to check with your host in case you have a problem with your server cache.

Some hosting companies cache locally and others use advanced techniques like reverse proxy servers. This just means putting multiple cache servers "in front" of the main server. Initial requests will be made to the primary server, but subsequent requests are served by the cache servers.

3rd Party cache

What the heck is third-party cache? Good question. If you use a web application like CloudFlare, StackPath or Sucuri, keep in mind that one of the first things they do to promote the performance of your WordPress site is create cache.

In fact, I have seen a website that uses 3rd Cache the party to create the illusion of being online while your website was totally down. Visitors to the domain were redirected to a cache, which is much better than, well, nothing. Only dynamic content, such as media downloads, was missing. The static pages were all there.

Where are we in all of this?

At this juncture, you no longer think of the cache as an alien monster to fear. In fact, knowledge is power. But seeing as caching is great for your WordPress site, why would you want to clear your cache in the first place?

Why clear the WordPress cache?

First of all, if you make changes to your WordPress site but don't see the updates after pressing to update, you may need to clear your WordPress cache. And by this we mean any or all of the four types of cache that we described just now.

Second, changing the settings within the admin can break the layout of your site. Right now, clearing your cache after making the necessary changes is a no-brainer. Otherwise, you and your visitors could still see the broken design.

Third, pages can be modified on the server during the caching process. Other times, improperly configured cache will provide stale content to your users, which is sad. Both times, clearing your WordPress cache is your salvation.

How to clear WordPress cache in a split second

The best part of this guide is that clearing the WordPress cache is as straightforward as A, B, C. In extreme situations, you may want to contact your host if you think the problem is in the server cache. Regardless, in most cases, the three scenarios we mentioned a few seconds ago are due to browser cache or cache plugins.

Let's start with the easiest to erase.

How to clear the browser cache

Clearing the browser cache is extremely easy, you have probably done it usually before. Your experience differs depending on the browser you have, but we only cover the three main browsers. You can always share how you clear the cache in your browser in the comments 🙂

Google Chrome

My personal favorite, Chrome is undeniably fast thanks to a lightweight design and excellent caching. The easy layout makes clearing your WordPress cache a breeze. Just click on the menu icon and navigate to More tools> Delete navigation data… As shown below:

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Doing this will take you to a pop-up window where you can choose what you need to erase. Here, you can erase everything from your browser history to cookies and more from the beginning of time. Regardless, we are interested in the cache, therefore check only "Cached images and files". Then click on the "Clear browsing data" button:

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And you are ready!

Mozilla Firefox

Equivalently, clearing your cache in Firefox is a fourth grader thing to do. Just click on the menu icon and then click on the History tab as shown below:

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Clicking on the History tab will bring up another panel as shown below. From this panel, click on the menu item "Clear recent history":

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This opens a pop-up window where you can choose what you want to delete from your browser. Choose the time range to erase (I generally set this for everything). Check the "Cache" checkbox and in conclusion the "Clear now" button as shown below:

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Microsoft Edge

Formerly known as Internet Explorer, Edge is Microsoft's attempt to recapture a market they once dominated. Edge is a significant improvement on what most people know as the mother of all web browsers. Even though I always choose Chrome, Edge isn't too bad. How to clear the cache?

Click the menu icon and choose Settings:

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This opens a new panel with all your browser settings. Scroll down to Delete navigation data and click the button «Choose what to delete»:

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This action leads to a third panel, which shows you all the things that you remove from Edge. Choose "Cached data and files" and press the "Clear" button:

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You can even choose to automatically clear your cache every time you close Edge, a feature not found in other browsers.

After clearing your browser's cache, reload your WordPress site. Did it solve your cache related issue after clearing your browser cache? If the problem persists, the other most likely culprit is your cache plugin.

How to clear the plugin cache

The procedure to clear your WordPress cache here depends on the cache plugin you use. Of course, clearing your WordPress cache using a plugin is as simple as clicking a button. Let's get this over with.

W3 total cache

W3 Total Cache is one of the most popular WordPress cache plugins out there. With over 1 million active installations, including AT&T and MakeUseOf, among others, this caching add-on is something more. It ships with a great set of features that promise better performance and conversions.

To clear the WordPress cache in W3 Total Cache, simply navigate to Performance> Dashboard in your WordPress admin. Inside the W3 Total Cache dashboard, click the "empty all caches" button as shown below:

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WP Super Cache

Brought to you by Automattic, the same guys who gave us so many other awesome products like Jetpack, Akismet, and WooCommerce among others, WP Super Cache is a remarkable WordPress performance optimization tool.

To clear your WordPress cache in WP Super Cache, simply navigate to Configurations in your WordPress admin menu. Then click WP Super Cache and then the button «Delete cache» as shown in the image below:

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How to delete Server & 3rd Party cache

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If you use a 3rd The party's web app or a host that supports caching may be a slightly different process. As an example, WP Engine has a custom hosting dashboard built into the WordPress dashboard. All you have to do is click on it to access the options to purge your cache or reset file permissions. Here are some useful resource links that show you exactly how to clear your WordPress cache in a couple of common scenarios:

Ending

And there you have it: all the best ways to clear your WordPress cache easily and in record time. How do you clear the cache on your WordPress site? If you have a question or suggestion about WordPress cache, feel free to reach out in the comment section below.

R Marketing Digital