WordPress Changes Not Showing: Here’s How to Fix

If you’re a WordPress user, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced the frustration of making changes to your site only to find that they don’t appear. The ‘WordPress Changes Not Showing’ issue can arise from a variety of factors, from caching problems to issues with your hosting environment. So, in this guide, we will walk you through the common causes and solutions to fix this issue in WordPress.

WordPress Changes Not Showing: Common Causes and Solutions

Here is a list of the common causes that can lead to this error, along with tips on how to fix the ‘WordPress Changes Not Showing’ issue.

Pro tip: Always take a backup of your website before making significant changes to avoid data loss.

1. Browser Cache

One of the primary reasons for the ‘WordPress Changes Not Showing’ error is caching. Since your browser stores static versions of your pages to load them faster, clearing your browser cache can often solve the issue.

To clear your browser cache, simply open your browser.

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows)
• Cmd + Shift + Delete (Mac).

Select “Cached images and files” and clear the data.

2. Server and Plugin Cache

Web hosting providers like WP Engine often use server-side caching to improve performance, which can cause this issue. Whereas, using too many WordPress caching plugins can also lead to the ‘WordPress Changes Not Showing’ error.

Here’s how to fix this:

To clear your server cache, log into your hosting control panel, locate the server caching options, and clear the server cache. If the issue persists, you can contact their support team.

To clear the plugin cache, you need to log into your WordPress dashboard. Go to your caching plugin settings and clear the cache from the plugin settings.

Now refresh your page to check whether the issue is resolved!

Read: How to Optimize WordPress Hosting for Better Performance

3. Database Caching

Database caching is another common issue that can prevent your WordPress changes from showing up correctly. WordPress relies heavily on its database to store and retrieve data, and caching can sometimes cause discrepancies. When database caching is improperly configured or outdated, changes may not be saved or displayed as expected.

Solution: Clean and Optimize Your Database

To address issues caused by database caching, you can use a database management plugin like WP-Optimize.

• Begin by installing the WP-Optimize plugin. Go to Plugins ⟶ Add New, search for WP-Optimize, and click Install Now ⟶ Activate.
  
  
• Once activated, navigate to WP-Optimize in your WordPress dashboard. Here, you will find options to clean up your database in the WP-Optimize settings. This includes removing unnecessary data such as post revisions, spam comments, and transient options.

After cleaning and optimizing your database, check your site to see if the changes you made are visible. If the issue persists, you might need to investigate other potential causes.

Further reading: How to Add a Custom Database Error Page in WordPress

4. Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) helps improve the speed and performance of your WordPress site. It works by storing copies of your site’s files in various locations worldwide, which helps reduce latency and load times for your visitors.

However, while this is beneficial for speed, it can sometimes cause issues when you make changes to your site. These cached versions stored by the CDN may not immediately reflect the updates you’ve made, leading to the frustration of seeing old content instead of your latest modifications.

Solution: Purge the CDN Cache

To ensure that your changes appear correctly, you need to purge the CDN cache. This process clears the stored copies of your site’s files, forcing the CDN to retrieve the latest versions from your server. Here’s how you can do it:

• Log in to Your CDN Provider’s Dashboard: Whether you’re using Cloudflare, Amazon CloudFront, or another provider, the first step is to access your account on their dashboard.
• Locate the Cache Management Section: Most CDN dashboards have a specific section for cache management. This is where you can control the caching settings and clear the cache.
• Purge the Cache: Look for options like “Purge Cache” or “Clear Cache”. You might have the option to purge all cached files or specific files. If you’re unsure, it’s often best to purge everything to ensure no old content remains.

After purging the cache, the changes might take a few minutes to propagate across all the CDN nodes worldwide. Be patient and check your site after a short while to see if the changes are now visible.

Learn: Speed Optimization Tips for WordPress Membership Sites

5. Browser Extensions

Certain browser extensions can interfere with how your website is displayed, causing changes to appear differently than expected. These extensions can modify web content or block certain elements, leading to discrepancies in what you see.

Solution: Disable Browser Extensions

To identify if browser extensions are causing the issue, follow these steps:

• Access the extensions or add-ons page in your browser settings. This page lists all installed extensions.
• Temporarily disable all extensions by toggling them off. This helps determine if an extension is causing the issue.
• Refresh your website to see if the changes are now visible. If they are, one of the extensions is likely the culprit.

Next, re-enable each extension one by one, refreshing your site after each activation. This process helps identify the specific extension causing the problem.

Also read: A Guide to Clean Image Filenames in WordPress

6. Theme and Plugin Conflicts

Conflicts between your theme and plugins can also cause the ‘WordPress Changes Not Showing’ error. This can be particularly frustrating, but fortunately, there are systematic ways to identify and resolve these conflicts.

To troubleshoot and resolve conflicts between your theme and plugins, follow these steps:

• Switch to a Default Theme: Such as Twenty Twenty-One. Go to Appearance ⟶ Themes in your WordPress dashboard and activate the default theme. If the changes you made start to show after switching, it indicates a problem with your previous theme.
• Deactivate All Plugins: Go to Plugins ⟶ Installed Plugins ⟶ Select all plugins and Choose “Deactivate” from the bulk actions dropdown menu. Deactivating all plugins will help you identify if a plugin is causing the issue. If the changes you made now appear, it’s clear that a plugin conflict is at play.

Next, reactivate your plugins one by one. After activating each plugin, check your site to see if the changes still appear. This systematic approach helps pinpoint the exact plugin causing the conflict. When you find the plugin that triggers the issue, you can choose to deactivate it and look for an alternative.

It is also important to keep your plugins and themes up-to-date to prevent further issues.

Know more: Free vs Premium WordPress Themes: Making the Right Choice

7. Incorrect File Permissions

Incorrect file permissions on your server can hinder WordPress from updating files, which might cause changes not to appear. File permissions control who can read, write, or execute files on your server. If these permissions are set incorrectly, WordPress may be unable to save or display your changes correctly.

Solution: Correct File Permissions

To resolve issues related to file permissions, you need to ensure that your files and folders have the correct permissions. Here’s a brief guide on how to do it:

• Connect to your server using an FTP client or your hosting provider’s file manager. This step allows you to access and modify file permissions.
• Locate the root directory of your WordPress installation, which typically contains folders like wp-admin, wp-content, and wp-includes.
• Right-click on each folder, select “File Permissions” or “Change Permissions,” and set the value to 755. This permission setting allows the owner to read, write, and execute, while others can only read and execute.
• Right-click on each file, select “File Permissions” or “Change Permissions,” and set the value to 644. This setting allows the owner to read and write while others can only read.

After adjusting the permissions, apply the changes and check your site to see if the updates are now visible.

To Sum Up

When WordPress changes aren’t showing, it’s usually due to caching issues, conflicts with plugins or themes, incorrect file permissions, or problems with your CDN. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can systematically identify and resolve the issue, ensuring that your changes appear as expected.