How to Clear Your Website Cache

Caching speeds up your website by storing copies of pages and files so they don't need to be regenerated on every visit. However, when you make changes to your site, you may need to clear the cache to see those changes reflected. This guide covers clearing cache at every level.

When You Would Use This Guide

Clear your cache when you've made changes to your website but they aren't showing up in your browser, or when your site is displaying outdated content. Cache issues are one of the most common reasons people don't see recent updates.

Please note: Screens and options may vary slightly depending on your cPanel version and hosting plan.

Step 1: Clear Your Browser Cache

This is the most common solution. Your browser stores copies of pages, images, and files locally.

Quick method (all browsers): Press Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + R (macOS) to force-reload the page, bypassing the cache.

Full browser cache clear:

• Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data > Cached images and files > Delete data.
• Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data > Cached Web Content.
• Safari: Develop menu > Empty Caches (enable the Develop menu in Preferences > Advanced).
• Edge: Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Delete browsing data > Cached images and files.

Test in an incognito/private window to see the site without any cached data.

Step 2: Clear Your Application Cache

If your website uses a CMS or application with its own caching:

WordPress:

• If using a caching plugin (WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, LiteSpeed Cache), go to the plugin's settings and click Purge/Clear Cache.
• Most caching plugins add a "Clear Cache" or "Purge All" option to the WordPress admin toolbar.

Joomla:

• Go to System > Clear Cache > Delete All.

Other CMS/Applications:

• Check your application's admin panel for a cache or performance section.

Step 3: Clear Server-Side Cache

If your hosting server uses LiteSpeed with LSCache:

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Look for LiteSpeed Web Cache Manager in the Advanced section.
3. Click Flush All.

If your server uses Varnish or another caching layer, contact your hosting provider to flush it.

Step 4: Clear CDN Cache

If you use Cloudflare or another CDN:

Cloudflare:

1. Log in to your Cloudflare dashboard.
2. Select your domain.
3. Go to Caching > Configuration.
4. Click Purge Everything.

For other CDN providers, check their documentation for cache purging instructions.

Step 5: Clear DNS Cache

If you've recently changed DNS records and the old site is still showing:

Windows:

ipconfig /flushdns

macOS:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Linux:

sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches

Troubleshooting

If you've cleared all caches and still see old content:

• Wait a few minutes — some server-side caches have a minimum TTL before they expire.
• Check if you have any .htaccess caching rules with very long expiry times.
• Test from a different network or device to rule out ISP-level caching.
• If you recently changed DNS, allow up to 48 hours for full propagation.

Tips

• Get into the habit of testing changes in an incognito window — this avoids browser cache issues.
• If you use a caching plugin, learn where the "clear cache" button is. You'll use it frequently.
• Aggressive caching is great for performance but can delay how quickly changes appear. Find the right balance for your site.

Related Articles

• Improving Website Performance with Caching
• Understanding .htaccess Files
• Managing DNS Records (Zone Editor)