If you’re a Chrome user, you’ve probably experienced a handful of (rare!) recurring issues. One of these is related to the cache and shows an error message that looks something like “ERR_CACHE_MISS.”
What does this error mean? How do you fix it? Is it difficult to fix?
Luckily, it is very easy to fix this problem yourself.
In this post, we’ll go through nine different possible options to help you find the right Err_Cache_Miss fix for your particular situation – and then get back to browsing.
Let’s get fixing!
What Is the ‘ERR_CACHE_MISS’ in Chrome Error?
The Err_Cache_Miss message is a common error that appears when loading a web page in the Google Chrome browser.
As the name suggests, it relates to the cache. There are a few different names for it, but they all basically mean the same thing:
- ERR_CACHE_MISS
- CONFIRM FORM RESUBMISSION ERR CACHE MISS
- NET::ERR_CACHE_MISS
- NET ERR_CACHE_MISS
- ERR_CACHE_MISS FIX
Specifically, this error means that there is a mismatch between the live website and the version in your cache. Or, your browser is simply not able to use the cached version of the website you are visiting.
What Is a Browser Cache?
Before we go further, you might wonder: what is a cache, anyway? It’s a word that is commonly used online, but you might not know exactly what it does.
When you navigate to a website, your browser downloads parts of the page to your computer. These include HTML, CSS, JavaScript and images. Basically, these are all “static” elements that don’t usually change on a regular basis.
For example, the layout and design of your site are pretty static and (likely) won’t change more than once a month or two.
The idea is for the browser to save copies of all these files so it can load pages faster the next time you visit. Then, when you do visit, the browser only needs to download any dynamic or updated elements rather than the whole thing.
The result is a faster loading web page, when it works properly anyway!
All of this data, put together, is called the “cache.”
How long is the cache kept on your computer? It depends. In general, it ranges from a few days to a month, but browsers can keep data in your cache for nearly a year.
Why Is Caching Helpful?
Caching is helpful because it reduces the amount of data that needs to be downloaded every time you visit a website.
By creating a cache for the static portions of a site, the browser can avoid having to redownload the same content multiple times.
This is especially critical for larger files like images or videos, which you definitely don’t want to be downloading every time you visit the site.
Mobile users in particular benefit from this as users may have limited data plans or slow mobile internet connections.
You can see this happen in real-time yourself. If you visit a new website for the first time, the loading time will be, say 5 seconds.
Close that tab and re-visit the site, however, and the total loading time will probably only be 1 or 2 seconds. This is the browser cache at work.
What Causes the ‘ERR_CACHE_MISS’ Error in Chrome?
The net::err_cache_miss error is usually caused by a problem with the caching system, outdated extensions, or the wrong browser configuration.
Usually, the issue is with your own browser or with a third party extension. As such, updating or resetting your browser or disabling extensions will usually fix the problem.
However, sometimes the error is with the website itself. If it’s not your site, there is unfortunately not much you can do about it, other than contacting the webmaster.
Errors After Submitting a Web Form
If you previously submitted data into a form, Chrome will send a “Confirm Form Submission” notification, which means that you need to submit the data again. This is because the browser’s cache system didn’t work correctly.
This error usually looks like this:
CONFIRM FORM RESUBMISSION ERR CACHE MISS
The problem is the same as the other cache issue, just on a page with a form.
How to Fix the ‘ERR_CACHE_MISS’ Error in Chrome
Now that we know what the ERR_CACHE_MISS problem is, let’s walk through 9 possible solutions.
- Reload the Page
- Close and Reopen Chrome
- Disable Browser Extensions
- Update Chrome
- Clear Cache and Other Browsing Data
- Reset Google Chrome Settings
- Delete and Reinstall Chrome
- Disable the Browser Cache
- Reset Your Network Settings
1. Reload the Page
Before anything else, try reloading (or force reloading) the page. This will often fix the issue by itself.
To reload a page in Chrome, simply press CMD+R on a Mac or SHIFT+F5 on PC.
You can also select it via the menu: it’s under View > Reload This Page.
If your page is frozen or otherwise won’t reload correctly, hold Shift to enable Force Reload This Page.
2. Close and Reopen Chrome
If reloading the page doesn’t work, try reloading Chrome itself. Exit the program completely (don’t just close windows) and then re-open it.
Navigate back to the website you’re trying to visit. Does the error still appear?
3. Disable Browser Extensions
Browser extensions are often a problem when it comes to caching. For many unintentional reasons, extensions can interfere with the cache or with the connection between your browser and other websites.
To disable extensions in Chrome, go to More Tools > Extensions in the top menu.
To disable an extension, click the button next to it, in the bottom right corner. It should go from blue to gray.
Once you’ve disabled extensions, try reloading your page. If that doesn’t work, quit and relaunch Chrome itself. Sometimes Chrome needs to be restarted in order to fully disable an extension.
4. Update Chrome
If you’re using an older version of Chrome, it’s likely that this is the source of the issue.
To update Chrome, look in the top right hand corner of your browser window. There, you should see a large Update button.
Click on that button, then relaunch Chrome to apply the update. Once it’s done updating, navigate back to your page and see if you still get the net err_cache_miss error.
5. Clear Cache and Other Browsing Data
Clearing your cache is a quick way to reset everything and potentially fix any issues with the cache.
Mac
To do this in Chrome, go to the Chrome menu item and click the third item down, Clear Browsing Data.
Then, when the page loads, you’ll see the full options panel. Make sure the Cached images and files box is selected and then press Clear data.
Now visit the website. Is the ERR_CACHE_MISS error still appearing?
Windows
The process in Windows is essentially the same. However, to access the settings panel, you’ll need to click the three dots in the top right corner of the screen.
Then, click More Tools and Clear Browsing Data. Make sure that the Cached images and files option is selected.
6. Reset Google Chrome Settings
If resetting the cache didn’t work, you can also try resetting Chrome entirely.
To do this, go to Chrome > Preferences.
Then, search for “reset settings”. One option will appear: Restore settings to their original defaults. Click on that item.
You’ll now see the reset settings panel. Press the blue button to reset everything.
Windows
Click on the three dots in the top right corner of the screen. Then, click Settings.
Now click on the Advanced tab on the left hand side. Click Restore all settings to their original defaults to reset Chrome.
7. Delete and Reinstall Chrome
If resetting the Chrome settings didn’t work, try deleting and resetting Chrome itself. The exact uninstallation process will depend on what operating system you’re using.
- Windows 10
Close all Chrome tabs and windows. Click the Start menu and Settings. Next, click Apps. Under “Apps & features,” look for Google Chrome and click Uninstall. Press the confirmation message. Finally, go to Google.com/Chrome to redownload the app. Open it and reinstall the browser.
- Windows 8
Close all Chrome tabs and windows. Point to the top right of your screen, then click Settings > Control Panel. Find “Uninstall a Program” and double click on Google Chrome. Confirm the uninstallation and finally, redownload the program at Google.com/Chrome. Open the downloaded file and reinstall Chrome.
- Windows 7
Close all Chrome tabs and windows. Click the Start menu and then Control Panel. Find “Uninstall a Program” and double click on Google Chrome. Confirm the uninstallation and finally, redownload the program at Google.com/Chrome. Open the download package and reinstall the web browser.
- Windows Vista
See instructions for Windows 7 above.
- Windows XP
Close all Chrome tabs and windows. Open the Start menu and click Control Panel. Next, click Add or Remove Programs and find Google Chrome. Click Remove and then Uninstall to confirm. Finally, redownload the program at Google.com/Chrome and reinstall it.
- Mac
Close the Chrome app. Go to the Applications folder and find Chrome. Drag it to the trash. Finally, redownload Chrome at Google.com/Chrome and reinstall it.
- Android
First, open your mobile device’s Settings app. Then, touch Apps & Notifications, and then Chrome. If it isn’t visible, click See all apps. Next, click Disable. Finally, reinstall the app from the Play Store.
- iPhone and iPad
On your device, touch and hold the Chrome app. Tap the Remove X in the top corner. Confirm the delete action. Finally, go to the App Store and redownload Chrome.
Read more about deleting Chrome.
8. Disable the Browser Cache
Finally, as a last step, you can also disable the cache system entirely. To do this, you’ll need to use Chrome’s Inspect feature.
Open the page you want to connect to. Right click on the page and select Inspect.
Now you will see the Inspect panel. Click on the Network tab (the fourth item from the left) and then check the Disable cache box immediately below it.
Reload the page. Is the issue gone?
9. Reset Your Network Settings
Still having issues? The issue might be with your network itself.
Reset your network and network settings. If possible, try to connect from a different network, too. This will let you know if the problem is local to your computer, local to your network, or a problem with something else entirely.
Mac OSX
To reset your network settings in Mac OSX, click on the Apple icon in the top left and then click on System Preferences. Find the Network icon and click it.
Then, select your current network and press the minus button to remove it. Reconnect by adding in the login/password.
Windows
To reset your network settings in Windows, open the Start menu and go to Settings > Network and Internet > Status. Then, click Network Reset.
Solving the ‘ERR_CACHE_MISS’ Error
While the The Err_Cache_Miss error is a frustrating one, it’s easily solvable if you just try the different solutions in this post.
In the end, it’s a common error and one that doesn’t require too many technical skills to fix.
In this post, we covered nine different ways to solve the ERR_CACHE_MISS error. As the name suggests, this error is caused by a problem with the cache system. By resetting or fixing the cache, the error should go away!
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Have you experienced this error while using Chrome? What solution worked for you? Did we forget anything in our list of nine solutions above? Share it with your audience in the comments!
Pratik Chaskar holds the pivotal role of CTO at Brainstorm Force, serving as the backbone of the company. Renowned for his organizational skills, strategic thinking, problem-solving attitude, and expertise in leading and executing plans, Pratik plays a crucial role in the BSF’s technological landscape.
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Al my years of this new world we live in, I never knew what cache was or meant so thank you you for explaining it especially in layman’s terms as I’m pretty much computer illiterate. Really I don’t even have a computer as I do everything on my Android Motorola 7 phone. If you can imagine this? Respectfully Ms. Lita Higginbotham
Glad that you found it insightful, Lita! 🙂
Very helpful