browser - hard refresh

Your browser saves bandwidth by saving parts of web pages, usually to your hard drive, in a system known as cache. This ensures that identical content is downloaded only once. Sometimes, strange website behavior can make it necessary to bypass this cache, forcing your browser to re-download a web page's complete content.

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).

In unusual circumstances, it may be worth clearing the entire cache.

Contents

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• 1 Bypassing cache
  • 1.1 Internet Explorer
  • 1.2 Google Chrome
  • 1.3 Firefox and other related browsers
  • 1.4 Safari
  • 1.5 Opera
  • 1.6 Konqueror
• 2 Cache clearing and disabling
  • 2.1 Internet Explorer
  • 2.2 Google Chrome
  • 2.3 Firefox and other related browsers
  • 2.4 Safari
  • 2.5 Opera
  • 2.6 Konqueror
  • 2.7 Flock
  • 2.8 OmniWeb
• 3 Purging Wikipedia's server cache
• 4 See also

Bypassing cache

Internet Explorer

Use one of the following:

• Hold the Ctrl key and press the F5 key.
• Hold the Ctrl key and click the "Refresh" button on the toolbar.

Google Chrome

On Windows, use one of the following:

• Hold the Ctrl key and press the F5 key.
• Hold the ⇧ Shift key and press the F5 key.
• Hold the ⇧ Shift key and click the Reload button on the navigation toolbar.
• Hold the Ctrl key and click the Reload button on the navigation toolbar.

On Mac OS X:

• Hold the ⌘ Cmd key and press the R key.

On Linux:

• Hold the Ctrl key and press the F5 key.

Firefox and other related browsers

In Firefox, SeaMonkey, Netscape 6, and others, use one of the following:

• Hold the Ctrl key and press the F5 key.
• Hold both the Ctrl and ⇧ Shift keys and then press R.
• Hold the ⇧ Shift key and click the Reload button on the navigation toolbar.
• On a Mac, use the ⌘ Cmd key instead of Ctrl.

Safari

For version 4 and newer:

• Hold down the ⇧ Shift key and click the Reload toolbar button.

For version 3 and older:

• Hold down the ⌘ Cmd key and press R. This kind of "regular" reload will usually bypass the cache.

Note that Apple claims that clicking the "Reload" toolbar button has the same effect as ⌘ Cmd+R, but this is not true; frequently the button will not bypass the cache.

Opera

Use one of the following:

• Hold the Ctrl key and press the F5 key.
• Hold the ⇧ Shift key and click the Reload button on the navigation toolbar.
• Hold the Ctrl key and click the Reload button on the navigation toolbar.
• Hold the ⇧ Shift key and press the F5 key.

Konqueror

• Press F5 or click the "Reload" button on the toolbar.

Unlike other browsers, Konqueror seems to bypass its cache whenever you reload a page.

Cache clearing and disabling

Internet Explorer

To completely clear the cache in Internet Explorer 9 and later versions:

1. Click "Tools" (the Gear-shaped button on the top-right section of the browser), point to "Safety" and click "Delete Browsing History…" (keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Del).
2. 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.)
3. 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 completely clear the cache in Internet Explorer 8:

• Click the "Tools" menu then select "Delete Browsing History".

To completely clear the cache in Internet Explorer 7:

• Click "Tools" and select "Internet Options", choose the "General" tab and click "Delete Files" under the Temporary Internet Files section. If you want, you can also opt to delete cookies and browsing history.

To completely clear the cache in older versions of Internet Explorer:

• Click on "Tools" and then "Internet Options", and choose the "General" tab. Then click on "Delete…" under "Browsing history". In the "Temporary Internet files" section, click "Delete Files…". You will then get a dialogue box asking if you want to delete just the temporary files, or all off-line content. Choose the latter and click "OK".

To change cache settings (not recommended for most users):

• Select Tools ‣ Internet Options ‣ Temporary Internet files ‣ Settings… to make advanced configuration changes to the cache.

Google Chrome

To clear the cache:

1. Go to the "Tools" menu (the three horizontal bars on the upper right of the browser) and click on "History" (Shortcut: Ctrl+H).
2. Click on "Clear all browsing data…" (Shortcut: Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Del).
3. Select the types of data you want to clear, include "Empty the cache" option.

If you would like to keep the data in your cache but test Wikipedia without using it, you can use the "incognito" browsing option.

To disable the cache:

1. Open Developer Tools (F12, Ctrl+⇧ Shift+I or Tools ‣ Developer Tools).
2. Go to Settings by clicking on the cogwheel icon in lower left corner of the Developer Tools window.
3. Check the "Disable Cache" check-box.

Firefox and other related browsers

To completely clear the cache:

• In versions of Firefox that display a single, orange "Firefox" button: click the "Firefox" button and click "Options". Select the "Advanced" section, and go to the "Network" tab, and click the "Clear Now" button. Then click "OK".
• When Firefox displays a menu bar, from the "Edit" or "Tools" menu, choose "Preferences" or "Options". Select the "Advanced" section, and go to the "Network" tab. Click the button called "Clear Now". Then click "OK".
• In SeaMonkey and later versions of Netscape, choose Edit ‣ Preferences…, expand the "Advanced" section and choose "Cache". Click on the "Clear Cache" button.

To disable caching in Firefox (not recommended for most users):

1. Choose Tools ‣ Options… (or Edit ‣ Preferences in the Linux version).
2. Choose "Advanced" at the top.
3. Choose the "Network" tab.
4. Change the cache size to 0 (zero).

To disable caching in SeaMonkey (not recommended for most users):

1. Choose Edit ‣ Preferences…
2. Expand the "Advanced" item near the left bottom.
3. Choose "Cache" item.
4. Change the "Size" value to 0 (zero).

If you would keep your data in your cache and test Wikipedia with an empty cache, you can use Private Browsing mode.

Safari

To completely clear the cache:

• From the "Safari" menu, choose "Empty Cache…" or hold down the ⌥ Opt and ⌘ Cmd keys and press E.

Opera

To completely clear the cache:

• From the "Tools" menu, choose "Preferences". Expand the "Advanced" options and choose "History". Click the "Empty now" button.
• Alternatively, you can clear the cache, history and cookies: From the "Tools" menu, choose "Delete private data". Click "Details", make sure that "Delete entire cache" is selected, and then choose any other data you want to remove.

To disable the cache permanently (not recommended for most users):

• From the "Tools" menu, choose "Preferences". Expand the "Advanced" options and choose "History". Click on the dropdown menu for "Disk Cache" and select "Off".

Note: On a Mac the "Tools" menu does not have a "Preferences" option. "Opera → Preferences" is the correct menu item.

Konqueror

To completely clear the cache:

• From the "Settings" menu, select "Configure Konqueror". Scroll down to select the icon labeled "Cache", and click the button labeled "Clear Cache".

Flock

To completely clear the cache:

1. Go to the "Tools" menu and click on "Options".
2. Go to "Privacy" and then click on "Cache".
3. Click on "Clear Cache Now".

Flock v1.0.8 for Mac instructions:

1. Go to the "Flock" menu and click on "Preferences".
2. Go to "Privacy" tab and then, under "Private Data" (bottom field), click on the "Clear Now…" button.
3. Select the "Cache" checkbox (only, or in combination with other desired options).
4. Click the "Clear Private Data Now" button.

OmniWeb

To completely clear the cache:

• From the "OmniWeb" menu, choose "Flush Cache" or hold down the ⌥ Opt and ⌘ Cmd keys and press U.

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 topurge 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:

• //en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:Bypass_your_cache&action=purge
• //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Bypass_your_cache?action=purge

For pages you think may need to be purged on a regular basis, include {{purge}}, which provides readers with an easily-accessible purge link. Don't put this on article space pages.

See also

• Cache manifest in HTML5
• Help:Dummy edit#Null edit
• Wikipedia:Purge

source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Bypass_your_cache#Instructions_for_various_browsers