My domain is live. Why does my domain still show my old website or not work?

CR
Written by Colleen Riordan
Updated 7 months ago

If your domain has just been connected and it's still showing your old website, it is likely that your browser has simply cached this page. 

This means that the domain is only showing you an earlier saved version of your website. It is only showing the old website to you or anyone who has visited your website frequently enough for their browser to cache it. 

Web browsers use a process called caching to store and retrieve certain elements of a website to enhance the browsing experience and reduce load times. It also minimizes the amount of data that needs to be downloaded each time a user accesses a webpage. 

Want to learn more? Here's how a browser caches a website:

  1. First Visit: When a user visits a site, the browser stores elements like images and scripts locally on their device based on instructions from the web server's caching headers.

  2. To reduce future load times, the browser stores copies of these elements in its local cache, which is a temporary storage location on the user's device (computer, smartphone, etc.).
  3. Future Visits: When the user revisits the same website or navigates to other pages within it in the future, the browser checks its cache for the requested website. If it has a cached copy of a website, the browser may use the cached version rather than downloading the resource again. 

  4. Expiration Date: Cached resources have an expiration date. When this date is reached, the browser will consider the resource stale and request a fresh copy from the server the next time the user accesses that resource.

How to Fix it:

Your browser's cached version of your website will expire on its own. However, you can push this process along by clearing your cache. 

Keep in mind that clearing your browser cache will remove temporarily stored website data, including images and files, which can sometimes improve page loading or resolve issues related to cached data. However, it may also log you out of websites and remove certain preferences, so use this option judiciously.

Google Chrome:

  1. Open Chrome and click on the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner to open the menu.
  2. Hover your cursor over "More tools" in the menu.
  3. In the submenu that appears, click on "Clear browsing data."
  4. A new tab will open, presenting you with a list of options. Ensure that "Cached images and files" is checked.
  5. You can select the time range for which you want to clear the cache; "All time" is the most comprehensive option.
  6. Click the "Clear data" button.
  7. Chrome will then clear your browser cache for the selected time range.

Safari:

For Safari on macOS:

  1. Open Safari.
  2. Click on "Safari" in the top menu bar (next to the Apple logo).
  3. Select "Preferences."
  4. In the Preferences window, go to the "Privacy" tab.
  5. Click on the "Manage Website Data..." button.
  6. A list of websites will appear. You can use the search bar to find a specific site or scroll through the list.
  7. To clear the cache for a specific website, select the site and click the "Remove" button. To clear all cached data, click "Remove All."

For Safari on iOS (iPhone/iPad):

  1. Open the "Settings" app.
  2. Scroll down and tap on "Safari."
  3. Scroll down again and tap on "Clear History and Website Data."
  4. Confirm your choice when prompted.

After clearing your browser cache, close and reopen your browser. Then, visit your new website with your domain. It should now show the current version of your website. 

Still have questions or concerns? Please message us through the help chat. 
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