xSpeed Cache
Get Plugin
Features Pricing Reviews FAQ
Documentation Blog Support Community Free vs Pro Compare
Get Plugin

Purging the Cache

3 min read

Purging clears xSpeed Cache’s saved page copies so visitors get freshly built pages. xSpeed Cache purges automatically when your content changes, and you can also purge manually at any time.

What this does

xSpeed Cache stores a static copy of each page so it can serve visitors quickly without rebuilding the page every time. When you purge the cache, xSpeed Cache deletes those saved copies. The next visitor to each page triggers a fresh build, which is then saved again.

A purge removes all of xSpeed Cache’s cached page files at once. This includes the stored HTML pages and the REST response cache.

Why use it

Cached pages can fall out of date when you change something on your site. Most of the time xSpeed Cache handles this for you, but a manual purge is useful when you have made a change that xSpeed Cache cannot detect on its own, or when you simply want to be sure every visitor sees the latest version.

How to purge manually

You can purge from the WordPress admin bar:

  1. Log in to your site as an administrator.
  2. Look at the admin bar at the top of any page.
  3. Hover the xSpeed Cache menu and choose the purge option you want. Purge All clears everything.
  4. The page reloads and the cache is cleared.

Note: The xSpeed Cache admin bar menu only appears for users who can manage options (administrators).

When xSpeed Cache purges automatically

xSpeed Cache clears the whole cache on its own whenever something happens that could make a cached page out of date. The full cache is purged when:

  • A post or page is saved, published, or updated
  • A post is deleted or moved to trash
  • A comment is posted
  • A comment’s status changes (for example, approved or unapproved)
  • The active theme is switched
  • A plugin is activated or deactivated
  • A user profile is updated, a user registers, or a user is deleted
  • A category, tag, or other term is created, edited, or deleted
  • You save changes to xSpeed Cache’s settings

After any of these events, the next visit to each page builds a fresh copy.

Note: xSpeed Cache purges the entire cache for these events, not just the single page that changed.

Best practices

  • Let the automatic purges do the work. They cover the common cases of editing content, moderating comments, and changing your site setup.
  • Use a manual purge from the xSpeed Cache admin bar menu after a change that xSpeed Cache cannot see, such as editing a file directly or updating something through a third-party tool.
  • After purging, load a few key pages yourself so the cache rebuilds before your visitors arrive.

Troubleshooting

I updated a page but still see the old version. First confirm you are viewing the site logged out or in a private browser window. xSpeed Cache does not cache pages for logged-in visitors, so what you see while logged in is already a fresh page. If a logged-out visitor still sees stale content, use Purge All from the xSpeed Cache admin bar menu to clear everything.

The xSpeed Cache admin bar menu is missing. The button only shows for administrators (users who can manage options). Make sure you are logged in with an account that has that permission.

FAQ

Does purging delete one page or all pages? A purge clears all of xSpeed Cache’s cached pages at once.

Do I need to purge after editing a post? No. Saving or updating a post purges the cache automatically.

  • Per-Post Cache Rules
  • How to Enable Page Cache