Wikipedia:Bypass your cache#Internet Service Provider Cache
{{redirect|WP:BYPASS|"being an administrator is not a way to bypass rules" policy|Wikipedia:What adminship is not#Adminship is not diplomatic immunity|the guideline on bypassing redirects|WP:NOTBROKEN}}
{{redirect-confuse|WP:CLEAR|WP:CLEARLY|MOS:CLEAR|WP:OBVIOUS}}
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{{Information page|WP:BYC|WP:BYPASS|WP:REFRESH}}
{{nutshell|Bypassing your cache means forcing your web browser to re-download a web page from scratch, which can often solve website display glitches. It is also required after installing user scripts. Bypassing your cache is simple, safe, and causes no permanent changes.}}
{{/Simple instructions}}
To speed things up and conserve communications bandwidth, browsers attempt to keep local copies of pages, images, and other content you've visited, so that it need not be downloaded again later. Occasionally this caching scheme goes awry (e.g. the browser insists on showing out-of-date content) making it necessary to bypass the cache, thus forcing your browser to re-download a web page's complete, up-to-date content. This is sometimes referred to as a "hard refresh", "cache refresh", or "uncached reload". The rest of your cache is not affected.
When you encounter strange behavior, first try bypassing your cache. In most cases you can use the simple instructions shown to the right, or see the complete browser-specific instructions below. If this is not enough, you can try performing a "purge" of Wikipedia's server cache (see instructions below). If problems persist, report them at Wikipedia:Village pump (technical).
If you are editing templates, you may need to wait a few minutes before bypassing your browser cache in order to see the change in a page with the transcluded template.
In unusual circumstances, it may be worth clearing the entire cache (of your local browser).
Bypassing cache
= Mobile browsers =
{{Expand section|date=July 2022}}
== Android - Chrome ==
- Tap "More" (three dots in the top right)
- Select "History"
- Choose "Clear browsing data"
- Select "Cached images and files"
- Choose your time range
- Tap "Clear data"
== iOS - All browsers ==
(e.g. Mobile Safari and Brave, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, et. al.)(* As of at least mid-2022, all iOS web browsers have always been required to use the same system-provided WebKit browser engine)
- Click the Reload button on the navigation toolbar.
:* If that is insufficient, one can try to add the following to the end of the page’s url (either manually or by using a JavaScript-based bookmarklet).{{Cite web |title=ios - How to clear browser cache for just one specific site in Mobile Safari? |url=https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/73153/how-to-clear-browser-cache-for-just-one-specific-site-in-mobile-safari#226934 |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=Ask Different |language=en}}
{{Cite web |title=Can I force a cache refresh in Safari running on iOS? |url=https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/74797/can-i-force-a-cache-refresh-in-safari-running-on-ios#168497 |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=Ask Different |language=en}}
::?nocache=1
= Desktop browsers =
== [[chromium (browser)|Chromium]]-based browsers ([[Google Chrome]], [[Microsoft Edge]], [[Opera (browser)|Opera]], etc.) ==
On Windows and Linux, use one of the following:
- Hold the {{key press|Ctrl}} key and press the {{key press|F5}} key.
- Hold the {{key press|Shift}} key and press the {{key press|F5}} key.
- Hold the {{key press|Ctrl}} key and the {{key press|Shift}} key, then press the {{key press|R}} key.
- Hold the {{key press|Ctrl}} key and click the Reload button on the navigation toolbar.
- Hold the {{key press|Shift}} key and click the Reload button on the navigation toolbar.
On macOS:
- Hold both the {{key press|Cmd}} and {{key press|Shift}} keys and press the {{key press|R}} key.
- Hold the {{key press|Shift}} key and click the Reload button on the navigation toolbar.
- Hold the {{key press|Ctrl}} key and click the Reload button on the navigation toolbar.
On ChromeOS:
- Hold the {{key press|Shift}} key and click the Reload button on the navigation toolbar.
== [[Internet Explorer]] ==
Use one of the following:
- Hold the {{key press|Ctrl}} key and press the {{key press|F5}} key.
- Hold the {{key press|Ctrl}} key and click the "Refresh" button on the toolbar.
== [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] ==
For version 4 and newer:
- Hold down the {{key press|Shift}} key and click the Reload toolbar button
or
- Use keyboard shortcut {{key press|Opt|Cmd|R}} to clear cache.
For version 3 and older:
- Hold down the {{key press|Cmd}} key and press {{key press|R}}. This kind of "regular" reload will usually bypass the cache.
{{anchor|CLEAR|Clear}}
Cache clearing and disabling
= [[chromium (browser)|Chromium]]-based browsers ([[Google Chrome]], [[Microsoft Edge]], [[Opera (browser)|Opera]], etc.) =
To clear the cache:
- Go to the "Tools" menu (the three horizontal ellipsis on the upper right of the browser) and click on "History" (Shortcut: {{key press|Ctrl|H}}).
- Click on "Clear browsing data…" (Shortcut: {{key press|Ctrl|Shift|Del}}).
- Select the types of data you want to clear, and include "Cached images and files" option.
If you would like to keep the data in your cache but test Wikipedia without using it, you can use the private browsing option.
To disable the cache:
- Open Developer Tools ({{key press|F12}}, {{key press|Ctrl|Shift|I}} or {{menu breadcrumb|Tools|Developer Tools}}).
- Click on the horizontal ellipsis on the upper right corner of the Dev Tools interface and select "Settings" (Shortcut: {{Key press|F1}}).
- Check the "Disable Cache" check-box.
{{A note}} This method only works if the developer console remains open. Browser extensions are available for download that force the cache to be disabled at all times.
= [[Internet Explorer]] =
To completely clear the cache in Internet Explorer 9 and later versions:
- Click "Tools" (the Gear-shaped button on the top-right section of the browser), point to "Safety" and click "Delete Browsing History…" (keyboard shortcut: {{key press|Ctrl|Shift|Del}}).
- Select "Temporary Internet Files" at the top, and click "Delete". (If Wikipedia is in your list of favorites, you may need to turn off the "Preserve Favorites website data" at the top of the dialog box.)
- Internet Explorer will now silently delete the items you have chosen. Once finished, the notification bar appears at the bottom of the screen, stating that the selected browsing history has been deleted.
To change cache settings (not recommended for most users):
- Select {{menu breadcrumb|Tools|Internet Options|Temporary Internet files|Settings…}} to make advanced configuration changes to the cache.
= [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] =
To completely clear the cache:
- Use keyboard shortcut {{key press|Opt|Cmd|E}} to instantly clear all caches
Alternatively:
- From the "Safari" menu, choose "Preferences..." (Shortcut: {{key press|Cmd|,}})
- Click on the "Advanced" tab
- Check the box at the bottom next to "Show Develop menu in menu bar"
- Close preferences and click Develop ‣ Empty Caches
Purging Wikipedia's server cache
The Wikimedia servers cache a version of articles. When improperly displayed content is contained in a template or other transcluded page, bypassing your own cache might not be enough. You may need to purge the server cache of old page versions.
The server can be instructed to refresh its cache of a page's contents with the action=purge
web address parameter. Add this to the end of the address. For example, to purge this page, visit one of the following:
- [{{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|action=purge}} {{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|action=purge}}]
- [{{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}?action=purge {{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}?action=purge]
For pages you think may need to be purged on a regular basis, include {{tl|purge}}, which provides readers with an easily-accessible purge link. Don't put this on article space pages.
See also
{{Wikipedia technical help|state=collapsed}}
References
{{reflist}}