Why does a website still show old information after it was updated?
Quick answer
A page may look unchanged because your browser is showing locally stored files instead of requesting the page content again. Try a hard refresh, then check the page in a private window. If the updated information is still missing, compare with another browser or device and confirm you are viewing the right page. These checks can help narrow down where to investigate, but they do not prove whether the website has published or processed an update.
The question, the details, the next step.
I was told a website page was updated, but I still see the old text. What should I try first?
Start with a hard refresh of that page. A normal visit may display files stored locally by your browser; a hard refresh clears locally stored files for the page and requests it again, which can help when old content is showing. [S1]
The exact key or menu option varies by browser and device, so use the instructions for the one you have rather than assuming a shortcut. Note the page address and the time you checked. Then look for the specific text or change you expected, not just whether the page looks slightly different.
If it still looks old, how do I tell whether it’s just my browser?
Open the same page in a private window and compare the relevant section. Trying a private window is another suggested way to check for a local browser-cache issue. [S1] If you can, also check the page in a different browser or on another device.
For a useful comparison, keep the page address and the expected change the same. For example, if the announcement heading should read “Spring hours,” compare that heading in each view. If the private window or another browser shows the new heading while your usual window does not, the issue appears limited to that usual browser view. That points you toward a local display issue, but it does not identify its exact cause.
What if every browser I try still shows the old version?
That makes a problem limited to one browser less likely, but it does not establish what happened on the website. The available guidance supports checking local browser storage; it does not verify that an update was published, determine whether a site-side delay exists, or diagnose the website’s setup. [S1]
Check that you have the correct page and that the expected change was actually published there. If someone manages the site, send them a concise report with the page address, the text you expected, what you see instead, and when you checked. Ask them to confirm whether the change is published and whether they can see it from their side. Avoid sending passwords or other sensitive account details in a troubleshooting note.
Can you give me a message I can send the site owner?
You can copy and fill in this template:
“Hi, I’m checking the update to [page name or page address]. I expected to see [brief description of change], but I still see [what appears instead]. I checked at [date and time, including time zone if useful]. I tried [hard refresh, private window, another browser or device] and saw [brief result]. Could you confirm whether the update is published on this page and advise what to check next? Thanks.”
Keep the report factual. For example, write “The heading still says ‘Winter hours’ in both checks” rather than guessing that the site is broken. That gives the site owner observations they can investigate without presenting a browser check as proof of a website-side cause.
A practical checklist
Confirm you are viewing the intended page and identify the exact change you expect.
Hard-refresh the page using the instructions for your browser and device.
Compare the same page in a private window.
If available, compare in another browser or on another device.
Record what you see, when you checked, and which checks you tried.
If the old content remains across checks, ask the site owner to confirm the update was published.
A few more useful answers
Does a hard refresh prove the website has published the update?
No. It requests the page again after clearing locally stored page files, which can help check a browser-cache issue. It does not establish whether the site published the change.
Does seeing the new version in a private window identify the exact problem?
No. It suggests the difference may be limited to your usual browser view, but it does not diagnose the cause.
What should I include when reporting the issue?
Include the page address, the change you expected, what you see instead, when you checked, and which comparison steps you tried. Ask the site owner to confirm publication.
Sources
References used for this guide.
- [S1] Siteimprove training and troubleshooting ucanr.edu · Checked