Delete cache files safely

Clear a cache when its stored representation is no longer valid, when changing an eligibility rule, or when verifying regeneration. Choose the narrowest control that covers the affected store.

Manual controls

Open Settings → POM Cache → General:

• Delete Cache under Cache tools removes the current site's ordinary HTML files, preserving its shared 404 document.
• Delete 404 Cache under Cache tools removes only the shared 404 document. The next eligible anonymous missing-page GET regenerates it.
• Delete Progressive JSON Cache under Progressive JSON tools removes the current site's progressive JSON files.

The WordPress admin bar offers another Delete Cache action. This shortcut removes ordinary HTML and progressive JSON for the current site, preserving the shared 404 document. Its success message confirms that both ordinary stores were included.

Settings actions require permission to manage POM Cache settings and a valid security nonce. The administration-bar action also supports authorized editorial users.

Decide what to clear

Clear HTML only after a template, page layout, public fragment, or HTML eligibility change that cannot be handled by normal invalidation.

Clear JSON only after a progressive archive payload, filter result, translation context, or JSON delivery setting changes.

Clear both stores when a shared content or rendering change affects both the full page and the data subsequently loaded by that page.

Clear 404 only after changing the missing-page design or its shared header, footer, or navigation. Ordinary and automatic purges intentionally preserve it.

Automatic invalidation may already clear the appropriate store after content changes, depending on the enabled purge settings. Manual deletion is useful for deployment changes and diagnosis; it should not become a substitute for configuring the correct invalidation behavior.

Safe deletion procedure

1. Identify whether the symptom is in HTML, progressive JSON, or both.
2. If a CDN sits in front of the site, note the exact affected URLs before clearing the origin.
3. Use the matching POM Cache action.
4. Open the affected public URL while signed out to regenerate an eligible response.
5. Reload the URL and verify the result.
6. Invalidate or refresh the corresponding CDN objects only after the origin is correct.

Avoid deleting cache directories manually. The interface applies current-site isolation and path safeguards, whereas a broad filesystem operation can remove another multisite site's files or unrelated data.

Scope and side effects

Manual clearing affects the current WordPress site, not every site in a multisite network. To clear another site, switch to that site's administrative context and use its tool.

Deleting POM Cache files does not:

• purge CloudFront or another CDN;
• clear browser caches;
• delete source posts, media, or settings;
• prebuild replacement files;
• remove the other POM Cache stores when using an individual settings button.

Clearing HTML through the standard manual context can refresh WordPress rewrite rules. Developer integrations that clear repeatedly should use the supported helper with their own context so they can avoid unnecessary rewrite flushing; see Clear caches from code.

If old content remains

First request the origin directly or use a CDN bypass supported by your infrastructure. If the origin is current but the public hostname is stale, invalidate the edge layer. If the origin itself is stale, confirm that you cleared the correct store and site, then inspect generation and invalidation.

See Troubleshoot stale content for the full layer-by-layer process.