Why Aren't Pages Loading or Why Am I Seeing Old Content?

If you are having trouble loading a page in the application or if you are seeing old content, this topic provides some information that may help you fix those issues.


Some of the problems you experience when viewing pages can be resolved by trying the following methods in the order given:

  1. Refreshing the page.

  2. Clearing your browser's cache.

  3. Restarting your computer.

After trying a method, check whether the system responds as expected.

Refreshing the Page

Sometimes a quick page refresh is enough to fix a problem. A refresh causes the browser to reload the web page. If the browser determines that the page's data has been modified, it obtains the latest version. If not, the browser continues to use the cached version.

To refresh a web page, try one of these methods:

Both methods work for Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari.

       Click the Reload button . This button is located at the top of the browser.

       Press F5 on your keyboard.

Clearing Your Browser's Cache

If refreshing the page does not work, try clearing the contents of your browser's cache. The action of clearing cache forces the browser to remove any temporary files that might be causing a problem, re-download all elements, and then reload the website's most current data. You can then start the browser with a clean slate.

What Is Cache?

A browser's cache (pronounced "cash") is a temporary storage location in your computer that holds web page data for future use. Any time you open a web page, all of the data on the page (for example, images, forms, and scripts) is sent to a temporary location (called "cache") on your hard drive. When you re-visit a web page, the browser checks to see if it already has data for the page stored in cache. If it does, the browser shows you the data from cache instead of downloading the page again. The browser saves the contents of the pages you open in cache so that it can load the pages faster when you visit them. Cache, therefore, is a neat function that can save you lots of time and frustration because your pages load faster. But, when old content or corrupt data is stored in cache, this causes problems. In this situation, it is best to clear the cache and start over.

How to Clear a Browser's Cache

The procedure you use to clear your browser's cache is browser dependent. Be sure to follow the instructions below for the browser you are using.

Internet Explorer

Microsoft Edge

Google Chrome

Firefox and Firefox Quantum

Safari

Internet Explorer

  1. In the upper-right corner of the browser window, click to open the Tools menu.
  2. Select Safety. Then, select the Delete Browsing History option to open the Delete Browsing History window.
  3. As shown in the following illustration in the Delete Browsing History, select these checkboxes:

  1. Click .

The system clears the contents from the browser's cache.

  1. Close Internet Explorer.

Microsoft Edge

  1. In the upper-right corner of the address bar, click this button: (Settings and more).
  2. Select the Settings option to open the Settings menu.

  3. In the Clear browsing data section, click .

The Clear browsing data window opens.

  1. As shown in the following illustration, select these checkboxes:

  1. Click .

The system clears the contents from the browser's cache.

Google Chrome

  1. In the upper-right corner of the browser window, click (Chrome menu).
  2. Select More Tools > Clear browsing data.

The Clear browsing data window opens.

  1. As shown in the following illustration, do the following:

  1. At the top of the window, select the desired time period for the deletion. To clear the entire contents of the cache, select the beginning of time option.
  2. Click .

The system clears the contents from browser's cache for the time period you specified.

Firefox and Firefox Quantum

  1. In the upper-right corner of the browser window, click (Firefox menu).
  2. Click to display the History menu. Then, select Clear Recent History to open the Clear All History window.
  3. If you do not see any items, click Details to view a list of items you can clear from cache.
  4. As shown in the following illustration, do the following:

  1. Click .

The system clears the items you selected from the browser's cache.

Safari

  1. On the Menu bar, click Edit.

If the Menu bar is not displayed, click , and then select the Show Menu Bar option.

  1. Select the Empty Cache option.

You are prompted to confirm that you want to empty cache.

  1. Click to clear the content from the browser's cache.

Restarting Your Computer

If you are still experiencing problems after clearing your browser's cache, restart your computer.

 

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