Chris Schutte

April 26, 2023

How to fix WordPress website not updating right away issue

Reading Time: 4 minutes

If you’re a small business owner with a WordPress website, you know how important it is to keep your site updated with fresh content. However, sometimes you may encounter the frustrating issue of your website not updating right away. In this blog post, we’ll discuss this common problem and provide practical solutions to fix it.

What is the WordPress Website Not Updating Right Away Issue?

When you make changes to your WordPress website, you expect them to be visible to your visitors immediately. However, sometimes the changes don’t show up right away, which can be frustrating.

This issue can be caused by caching, which stores website data temporarily to improve website performance. If caching is not properly configured, it can cause delays in website updates. But don’t worry, there are solutions to this problem. In this blog, we’ll discuss some effective ways to ensure that your WordPress website updates show up immediately for your visitors.

Reasons Why WordPress Websites May Not Update Right Away

There are several reasons why your WordPress website may not update right away:

Caching Plugins and Browser Caching

Caching plugins like WP Super Cache and W3 Total Cache can cause delays in website updates. This is because these plugins store website data in a cache, which may take time to update.

Browser caching can also cause similar issues. When you visit a website, your browser stores website data in its cache to improve website loading times. This can cause issues when the cached data is not updated.

Server-Side Caching

Your web hosting provider may also have server-side caching, which can cause delays in website updates. This type of caching stores website data on the server to improve website performance. However, if it’s not configured properly, it can cause delays in website updates.

DNS Caching

Your computer may have DNS caching, which can cause delays in website updates. DNS caching is the process of storing DNS information on your computer to improve website loading times. However, if the cached DNS information is not updated, it can cause delays in website updates.

Content Delivery Network (CDN) Caching

If you’re using a CDN like Cloudflare or MaxCDN, it may also have caching, which can cause delays in website updates. This type of caching stores website data on servers around the world to improve website performance. However, if it’s not configured properly, it can cause delays in website updates.

How to Fix the WordPress Website Not Updating Right Away Issue

Now that you understand the reasons why your WordPress website may not update right away, let’s explore the solutions:

Clearing the Cache of Caching Plugins

To clear the cache of caching plugins like WP Super Cache and W3 Total Cache, follow these steps:

  • Go to the settings page of the caching plugin
  • Find the option to clear the cache
  • Click on the button to clear the cache

Clearing Browser Cache

To clear your browser cache, follow these steps for your specific browser:

  • Chrome: Go to Settings > More Tools > Clear browsing data
  • Firefox: Go to Options > Privacy & Security > Clear Data
  • Safari: Go to Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
  • Edge: Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data

Clearing Server-Side Cache

To clear server-side cache, you’ll need to contact your web hosting provider and ask them to clear the cache for you.

Flushing DNS Cache

To flush your DNS cache, follow these steps:

  • Windows: Open the Command Prompt and type “ipconfig /flushdns”
  • Mac OS: Open Terminal and type “sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder”

Clearing CDN Cache

To clear CDN cache, follow these steps for your specific CDN provider:

  • Cloudflare: Go to the Caching tab > Purge Everything
  • MaxCDN: Go to the Purge tab > Purge All

What to Do to Prevent WordPress Website Not Updating Right Away Issue In The Future

Optimise Your Website’s Performance

Besides using caching plugins and server-side caching, optimising your website’s performance can also help prevent the ‘WordPress website not updating right away’ issue. Here are some tips to optimise your website’s performance:

  • Choose a reliable hosting provider: A good hosting provider can significantly improve your website’s loading speed and uptime.
  • Compress your images: Large images can slow down your website’s loading speed. Use an image compression tool to reduce their size without compromising their quality.
  • Use a content delivery network (CDN): A CDN distributes your website’s content across multiple servers worldwide, reducing the load on your main server and improving the loading speed for visitors from different locations.
  • Minimise HTTP requests: The more HTTP requests your website needs to make, the slower it loads. You can minimise HTTP requests by combining CSS and JavaScript files, optimising your code, and using a caching plugin.
  • Enable Gzip compression: Gzip compression reduces the size of your website’s files, making them load faster. Most modern browsers support Gzip compression, so it’s a good idea to enable it on your website.

By following these tips, you can optimise your website’s performance and reduce the likelihood of the ‘WordPress website not updating right away’ issue.

Consider Using a WordPress Care Plan Service

Maintaining a website can be a time-consuming and technically challenging task, especially if you don’t have the necessary skills or experience. That’s where WordPress care plan services come in handy. By outsourcing your website’s maintenance to a reliable service provider, you can save yourself time and hassle, while ensuring that your website is always up-to-date, secure, and performing well.

At Launch Digital, we offer comprehensive WordPress care plan services that take care of all the technical aspects of your website, including regular updates, backups, security scans, and performance optimization. Our team of experts is always available to help you with any website-related issues or questions you may have, so you can focus on running your business without any worries about your website’s maintenance. Let us take care of your website, so you can take care of your business.

Conclusion

The ‘WordPress website not updating right away’ issue can be frustrating for website owners and visitors alike. However, by understanding the possible causes of the problem and following the practical solutions outlined in this post, you can ensure that your website is always up-to-date and serving fresh content to your audience. Remember to regularly update your website, use caching plugins and server-side caching, optimise your website’s performance, and consider using a WordPress care plan service to keep your website running smoothly.

wordpress care plan support

You might also like…

Is Google Ads Worth It For Small Businesses In South Africa

Is Google Ads Worth It For Small Businesses In South Africa

Is Google Ads worth it for your business? Most small business owners have heard of Google Ads (formerly Google Adwords). But not all of them have tried it, for various reasons like budget, time or simply just not knowing how it works. The truth is that whilst most...

4 Best eCommerce Platforms In South Africa [2024 Update]

4 Best eCommerce Platforms In South Africa [2024 Update]

Ready for some scary stats? eCommerce sales are expected to reach R225 billion by 2025. That is a lot of money people will be spending online. It's no wonder you want to jump on the eCommerce train. But where does one even start? In this article, we will compare the 4...