How To Clear WordPress Cache?

Have you ever jumped from one website to another in a few minutes because it took too much time to load? Or have you spent hours working on your website, only to have no changes reflected?

Well, if your answer to both these questions is yes, then it likely is a cache problem.

Caching is vital to enhancing your website’s loading speed and performance. Also, it ensures that you and your customers can view these updates after making changes.

Therefore, you are often left asking yourself the question of how to clear your WordPress cache.

In this guide, we will talk about the meaning of cache and the importance of clearing it.

What Do You Understand by Cache?

Let’s get the basics right with the help of an analogy.

It’s Thanksgiving time, you own a bakery, and your customers favorite dessert is pumpkin pie. There are some loyal customers of yours, who always order from your bakery. So, you decide to bake pies beforehand and store them nicely, as it will help you serve them faster.

That’s precisely how caching works.

When an individual visits your website for the first time, their browser’s cache system saves certain information that allows it to load faster the next time they come around.

However, it comes with a pinch of salt. Going back to the analogy, what would you do if your customers asked you for sugar-free pies this time? You would have to bake all over again. It may also slip from your mind amid all the order-bustling. Similarly, when you update your website, your browser may still utilize the outdated cache version, showing no new additions.

To put it more clearly, your WordPress cache is a store of HTML data files. When you access a website, a request is sent to the server to display the page. The server typically shares this data in the form of HTML files to your browser, which it ends up storing. So, the next time you visit, it quickly processes these files and views your website.

The downside is that your cache doesn’t automatically adjust to the changes made to the site.

Now the only choice left is to clear the cache.

Why Is It Important to Clear the WordPress Cache?

Clearing cache typically removes saved cache data or files from your browser so that new changes can be viewed and saved.

It comes in handy when you have made updates to your website and want to see and show them to your visitors. So, you must empty the cache to make new content or design changes visible when someone accesses your site.

It is best to clear your WordPress cache depending on your frequency of changes.

That said, this also helps troubleshoot specific WordPress errors and performance problems. Sometimes your cache system features outdated data that leads to errors and prevents you from viewing the WordPress website.

How To Clear the Cache in WordPress?

Now let’s consider, “how are you supposed to get rid of the WordPress cache?”

Don’t let your imagination run wild with questions like – Do you need to learn to code or delve into your site’s JavaScript or PHP structure? Or would you need to pay some cash, or will it require a lot of your time and effort?

Luckily, clearing caches doesn’t involve any of this.

If even if you are a newbie, you might not be aware that clearing your WordPress cache is relatively easy, and you have various methods at your disposal.

Let’s take a look at a few below:

1. Plug-In Method: Clearing Cache with Help from Caching Plug-Ins:

You are likely using a WordPress plug-in to improve your website’s loading speed. However, the problem is that it still views outdated versions if you make certain updates to your site. So, it would help if you cleared this plug-in – the good news is it is pretty easy to do.

There are several different types of caching solutions available for WordPress. Here we will discuss three main plug-ins and how to dish them out.

1. Clear Cache in WP Rocket

WP Rocket is probably the most popular WordPress Plug-In in the market. You only have to download and run it. After that, the plug-in will automatically start working in the background – caching your data to maximize the website’s performance.

Not only does it make caching easier, but clearing as well.

Simply visit your WordPress Dashboard – Find Settings – Click on WP Rocket – Scroll a little and click on the “Clear Cache” option.

Tada! It is as simple as that.

2. Clear Cache of W3 Total Cache

W3 Total is another widely used and free caching plug-in for your WordPress. It enhances the user experience by caching everything on your site, boosting server performance, and minimizing the loading time.

To clear its cache, all you have to do is visit the WordPress Dashboard. After that, you should go to “Performance”- you can see it on the left-hand side right below SEO.

Click on it and then open “Dashboard”. A screen will appear, and when you carefully look at it, you will see “empty all caches”, and you know what to do.

3. Clear Cache in WP Super Cache

Another popular Caching program of WordPress, WP Super, is also easy to use and quick to get rid of cached content.

Simply click “Settings” and find “WP Super Cache”. Scroll down a little, and you will find the “Delete Cache” option. Click on it, and your outdated data goes out the window, and new data is ready to be viewed.

2. Server Method: Clearing Caches from Your Hosting Dashboard

Your WordPress host server must have stored a cached version of your website on your hosting server. Now, different web hosts follow different ways to clear your cache. Here’s how you can clear cache in some of the popular servers:

1. Clear Cache in WP Engine

WP Engine is one of the most popular WordPress hosting servers. If you have made specific fixes on your site, but they aren’t coming up, you need to clear the cache from this Engine.

It is pretty simple, as all you have to do is visit the WordPress admin area. Then, click on the “WP Engine” option in the admin bar. Select the “Caching menu” and find “Clear all caches”.

2. Clear Cache in Bluehost

Another of the best WordPress hosting providers, Bluehost, comes with built-in caching solutions. There is no need for you to install an additional plug-in.

Simply locate the “Caching” button on the admin dashboard of your WordPress and click on the “Purge All” option. It will clear all the cache files from your WordPress.

3. Manual Method: Clearing Caches from Your Website's Browsers:

Under this, we will talk about how you are supposed to clear your cache from your browsers. Most web browsers store static website data such as images, HTML files, JavaScript, and stylesheets, amongst other things, to boost loading time.

However, these browsers often forget to notice that the WordPress webpage has changed. Instead of showing the new changes, they actually end up loading the earlier website.

So, here’s how you can clear cache from the popular Search Engine:

1. Clear Cache from Google Chrome & Other Browser

Find the three dots in the right-hand corner of your search bar. Click on them and look for Clear Browsing Data. A pop-up menu will appear where you select “Cached images and files”.

After selecting both these options, click on “Clear data”.

You have successfully deleted your cache files and will be able to see the new version of the site.

4. Cloudflare: Clearing Cache From the CDN

Apart from using WordPress caching plug-ins, you can use Cloudflare to empty your cache files. It is a type of Content Delivery Network provider that improves your site’s performance, including cache management, quick cache purge, and enhanced loading time.

Now, to clear the cache from Cloudflare, you have to follow the given steps:

Log into your account of Cloudflare and click on your WordPress domain.
Next, move into the caching menu and find “Configuration”.
You will now see different choices to clear the cache. If you want to eliminate all of them, find “Purge Everything” and click on it. If there is something, you want to clear, click on “Custom Purge” and fill in the pages you want to remove.

The Bottom Line

Undoubtedly, caching is an important way to improve your site’s loading speed. However, outdated cache files can prevent viewers from seeing the new changes throwing a bucket full of water on your efforts.

Luckily, clearing the cache can make any changes on your WordPress site visible. And the great news is purging cache files is a straightforward process.

To recap, you can achieve this by one of the following methods.