WordPress Changes Not Showing? Here’s How to Fix the Problem

WordPress changes not showing? When you clicked the Save button, nothing happened? That can be frustrating, but there are some solutions to this. In this article, you‘ll learn some reasons why this happens as well as how to fix the problem.

Most of the reasons why changes aren’t showing are usually due to caching issues. However, here’s the full list and how to tackle each:

• Caching Plugins
• Browser Cache
• CDN (Content Delivery Network) Caching:
• Incorrectly Saving Changes
• Theme or Plugin Conflicts
• Server Caching
• Incorrect File Permissions
• Cloudflare or Firewall Settings
• Changes in the Wrong Location
• Propagation Delays

Caching Plugins

One of the most frequent reasons for changes not showing up is caching. Caching plugins store copies of your website's pages to improve loading times for subsequent visitors. When you make changes to your site, these cached versions can prevent the new content from displaying right away. To resolve this, clear your website's cache through the caching plugin settings or temporarily disable the caching plugin until your changes take effect.

Browser Cache

Your web browser may also be caching your website's pages, which can cause the changes to not appear. Try clearing your browser cache or open your website in an incognito or private browsing window to see if the changes are visible.

As a note, with WordPress, some changes may still not be seen at the browser level, so the incognito or private browser window is super handy. However, if the issue persists, you might want to try rebooting your computer.

The last option seems really simple, but rebooting your computer will ultimately clear the browser cache.

CDN (Content Delivery Network) Caching

If you use a CDN to deliver your website's content, the CDN might be caching older versions of your site, making the changes not immediately visible. You can either purge the CDN cache or wait for the cache to expire, which may take some time depending on your CDN settings.

If you are using Cloudflare for your CDN, sometimes even the Cloudflare plugin for WordPress might not always work as expected when clearing the website’s cache. You may find that you’ll have to log in directly to Cloudflare and clear the cache from their end.

Incorrectly Saving Changes

Sometimes, the changes are not visible because they were not saved correctly. Always check to make sure that you save your changes properly, especially when editing pages, posts, or theme settings. Use the "Update" or "Save" buttons to save changes appropriately, and don’t rely on just autosave. Sometimes that option can fail at times, especially if you have poor internet or if your website’s web hosting server is sluggish.

Theme or Plugin Conflicts

Conflicts between themes and plugins can cause changes not to display as expected. Disable plugins or switch to a default WordPress theme to identify if a theme or plugin is causing the issue. Then, enable them one by one to find the conflicting item and seek support from the respective theme or plugin developer.

As a note, if the issue is with a free theme or plugin, you might not get much luck with getting free support and may need to hire a WordPress developer. You are more likely to receive support if you paid for the premium version of a theme or plugin that is causing the conflict.

Server Caching

Some web hosting providers implement server-side caching that can interfere with your changes, including delayed changes. If you believe the issue is related to server caching, reach out to your hosting support to inquire about server caching and how to clear it if necessary. In some cases they may be able to resolve the issue on their end.

Incorrect File Permissions

Incorrect file permissions can lead to issues when saving changes. Make sure that the necessary files and folders have the appropriate permissions. In WordPress, for directories, set permissions to 755, and for files, set permissions to 644.

You can do this using a FTP client like Filezilla, or through a File manager tool if your web host has cPanel or Plesk.

Cloudflare or Firewall Settings

If you use Cloudflare or a firewall, they might be caching your website or restricting access to specific resources. Review the settings in your Cloudflare account or firewall configuration to check if they're affecting your changes.

In some cases, if you have a firewall set for a security plugin, and for Cloudflare, you might need to choose only one. If you’ve troubleshooted and found the firewall for Cloudflare or other one, contact your web host and inquire on what they would suggest for a firewall option that is friendly not just for WordPress, but for the website’s server’s configuration.

Changes in the Wrong Location

Double-check that you are making the changes in the correct location. For example, if you are updating a specific page, ensure that you are editing the right page, and the changes are applied to the correct version.

This seems like a silly issue, but it’s a super common mistake to make.

Propagation Delays

When you change your DNS settings or move your website to a new web hosting provider, it may take some time for the changes to settle across the internet. Typically, this process can take several hours or even up to 48 hours.

During this time, your site may be going between the old web host and the new. You might want to refrain from making any changes during the propagation period. If after 48 hours, there are still problems with WordPress changes not showing, then contact the web host. They may need to troubleshoot the problem or add some DNS rules to help get the site properly settled on the new web host.

Now that you have all the reasons why your changes aren’t showing, it’s time to troubleshoot. Hopefully this will help any time with the WordPress changes not showing issues. In the case that some of the suggested fixes are too much, make sure to find a reliable WordPress developer or ask your web host.