If your WordPress site on Instant Access Internet Services hosting started looking or acting strangely after you turned on LiteSpeed Cache or applied a preset, the fix is usually quick. Most problems come from one of three things: an old copy of a page still in the cache, a CSS/JavaScript optimization setting, or another caching plugin fighting with LiteSpeed. This guide shows how to fix website problems caused by LiteSpeed Cache and find the exact setting to blame.
Step 1: Purge everything and test properly
- In WordPress, hover over the LiteSpeed icon in the admin bar and click Purge All (or go to LiteSpeed Cache > Toolbox > Purge > Purge All).
- Open the site in a private (incognito) window. Logged-in users and logged-out visitors can see different versions, so always test logged out.
- Hard-refresh the page (Ctrl+F5 on Windows, Cmd+Shift+R on Mac) so your browser's own cache isn't fooling you.
If the problem is gone, it was just an old cached copy.
Step 2: Is it LiteSpeed Cache at all?
Add these to the end of a page address in a private window to compare versions:
| Add to the URL | What you see | If the page looks right |
|---|---|---|
?LSCWP_CTRL=before_optm | The page without CSS, JS and other optimization | An optimization setting is the cause. Go to Step 3. |
?LSCWP_CTRL=NOCACHE | A freshly built page, not from cache | The page cache is serving an outdated or wrong copy. See "Pages show old content" below. |
For example: https://example.com/about/?LSCWP_CTRL=before_optm
For a definite answer, switch everything off temporarily: go to LiteSpeed Cache > Toolbox > Debug Settings, set Disable All Features to ON, save, and test. If the problem is still there, LiteSpeed Cache isn't the cause; look at your theme, another plugin, or the error log. Turn Disable All Features back OFF when you're done, or your site runs without caching.
Step 3: Find the optimization setting that breaks the page
Broken layouts, menus that won't open, sliders that don't move and forms that won't submit are nearly always caused by CSS or JavaScript optimization.
- Quick fix: go to LiteSpeed Cache > Presets and apply a lower preset (Essentials is the safest), or restore your previous settings from the history list further down that page. Purge all and test.
- To keep as much speed as possible, go to LiteSpeed Cache > Page Optimization instead and turn off one option at a time, in this order, saving and purging after each: Load JS Deferred (JS Settings), JS Combine, CSS Combine, Load CSS Asynchronously and Generate UCSS (CSS Settings), Lazy Load Images (Media Settings).
- When the problem disappears, you've found the setting. Either leave it off, or turn it back on and exclude the file that causes trouble under Page Optimization > Tuning (JS Excludes, JS Deferred/Delayed Excludes) or Tuning CSS (CSS Excludes). The minify guide explains how to find the file name.
If a single page is the problem, add its path to Tuning > URI Excludes so the rest of your site keeps its optimizations.
Common LiteSpeed Cache problems and fixes
Pages show old content after I edit them
Publishing or updating a post purges it automatically, but changes to menus, widgets, the Customizer or page-builder templates may not. Use Purge All. If one page always stays stale, make sure you don't also have another caching plugin (WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, WP Fastest Cache, WP Rocket and similar). Deactivate and delete it; two caches together cause exactly this.
Images are missing or blurry until I scroll
That's lazy loading. Turn off Lazy Load Images in Page Optimization > Media Settings, or, for one page, turn on Disable Image Lazyload in that page's LiteSpeed Options box in the editor.
Contact form fails, says "expired" or the security check fails
Some form plugins use a security token that can expire in a cached page. Turn on Disable Cache in the LiteSpeed Options box when editing that page, then purge.
I'm logged in but the site says I'm logged out (or the admin bar disappears)
Purge all and clear your browser cookies for the site. If you use Guest Mode (LiteSpeed Cache > General), try turning it off.
The site slowed down or shows errors after changing settings
Check LiteSpeed Cache > Cache > Object. Object Cache must be OFF on our shared plans because Redis and Memcached aren't available. Also check Resource Usage in cPanel.
I can't get into WordPress at all
You can switch the plugin off from cPanel: go to Advanced > LiteSpeed Web Cache Manager, find your site, and disable LiteSpeed Cache for it. Or in File Manager, rename wp-content/plugins/litespeed-cache to litespeed-cache-off. If you see a white screen or a 500 error, see the guide below on those errors.
Start over with default settings
If you've changed many settings and aren't sure what's what, back them up in LiteSpeed Cache > Toolbox > Import/Export with Export Settings, then click Reset All Settings on the same tab. Purge all, then apply the Essentials or Basic preset.
Related guides
- How to Minify and Combine CSS and JavaScript Safely with LiteSpeed Cache
- How to Exclude Pages from the LiteSpeed Cache
- How to Check If LiteSpeed Cache Is Working on Your Site
- How to Fix the WordPress White Screen and 500 Errors
- How to Turn On LiteSpeed Cache with the Web Cache Manager in cPanel
Still stuck? Open a support ticket and the Instant Access Internet Services team will help.
