I changed my website. Why isn't the change showing?
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Usually the change is there and you're seeing a saved copy: browsers, sites and services like Cloudflare keep copies so pages load fast. Check it was published, not saved as a draft, then look in a private window or on mobile data. If other computers still see the old site, ask your web team to clear the caches.
How do I check what everyone else sees?
- Confirm the change was published. Open the page in the editor and look for Save (or Publish on a new page), not just Save draft. In Beaver Builder, select Done then Publish.
- Open a private or incognito window and load the page. This skips most of your browser’s saved copy.
- Change shows: only your browser was out of date. Clear its cache with Google’s steps for Chrome, or wait.
- Change missing: go on to step 3.
- Check on your phone with Wi-Fi off. If it shows on mobile data but not in the office, your office network or a security tool is holding an old copy or blocking the site.
- Ask your web team to purge the site’s caches if the old page shows everywhere.
The short version
- Check the change is published, then look in a private window and on your phone with Wi-Fi off.
- Still old for some people after a few minutes? Ask your web team to clear the site’s caches.
Why do I still see the old page?
Websites keep copies of pages so they load quickly. There can be three layers:
| Where the copy is kept | Who sees the old page | Who can clear it |
|---|---|---|
| Your browser | Only you, on that device | You |
| Your website’s cache plugin or host | Everyone | Your web team, or you if you have the button |
| A network service such as Cloudflare | Everyone, or people in some areas | Your web team |
Cloudflare’s guide to purging the cache explains it plainly: clearing the saved copies makes your update show straight away instead of waiting for them to expire.
Why does the site work on some computers but not others?
When the site loads for some people and not others, the usual causes are:
- A recent DNS change, such as a move to new hosting. Some computers remember the old address for a while. See why DNS changes take time.
- Antivirus or an office firewall blocking the site on those machines.
- The site’s own firewall blocking your office. This often shows on the login page first. See why my login page shows a 404 or blocked page.
- One browser only. An old browser or an extension can break a layout. Try another browser and tell your web team which one fails.
What are the common mistakes and edge cases?
- Editing the staging copy. It’s easy to edit the test site by mistake. Check the address bar.
- Editing again and again. Repeating the change doesn’t push it out faster, and can leave duplicates.
- Clearing cookies on a shared computer. It signs you out of other sites. Clearing only cached images and files is usually enough.
What if this didn’t work?
Tell your web team the page address, what you changed and when, what you still see, and on which devices and networks. A screenshot with the address bar showing helps. If the page itself looks broken, see something on my page looks broken.
How does E-3 handle this?
Call 814-399-4655 or email support@e3help.me if E-3 looks after your site. A person at E-3 checks the change is published, clears the site, host and Cloudflare caches where your site uses them, and checks the page from outside your network. If some computers can’t reach the site at all, we check DNS and our firewall for a block on your office. Replies usually come within one business day.
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