LiteSpeed Cache purges pages automatically when you edit content in WordPress. Some content changes without an edit, though: imported product prices, event lists that roll over at midnight, or widgets showing external feeds. Scheduled Purge clears chosen URLs at a fixed time every day.
Before you start
- LiteSpeed Cache installed and caching working (see configuring LiteSpeed Cache).
- The list of pages that go stale, and when their content changes.
Set up Scheduled Purge
- Go to LiteSpeed Cache → Cache → Purge.
- In Scheduled Purge URLs, enter one URL per line, for example
/events/or the full URL. - In Scheduled Purge Time, enter the time, for example
00:05for just after midnight. The time follows your WordPress time zone in Settings → General. - Save.
Note: Scheduled Purge runs through WP-Cron. If you disabled WP-Cron on page load, make sure a real cron job runs wp-cron.php regularly (see the cron jobs guide).
Alternatives to scheduled purges
| Situation | Better option |
|---|---|
| Page changes every few minutes | Lower the TTL for that page type, or exclude it from cache |
| Imported products update by plugin | Check whether the import plugin triggers LiteSpeed purges; many do |
| Content changes at random times | Have the script send a purge, or use a short TTL |
Exclusions and TTLs are set in Cache → Excludes and Cache → TTL.
Purge settings worth checking at the same time
- Purge All On Upgrade: on, so plugin and theme updates clear the cache.
- Auto Purge Rules For Publish/Update: tick the home page, categories and archives your theme shows recent posts on.
Test
- Load the page twice in a private window and confirm
x-litespeed-cache: hit. - After the scheduled time, load it again: the first request should show
miss, thenhit.
Troubleshooting
If purges do not happen, check that WP-Cron runs (see cron jobs with the right PHP) and that the URLs match exactly. More checks in LiteSpeed Cache troubleshooting.
Frequently asked questions
Can I schedule several times a day?
The setting takes one daily time. For more frequent refreshes, use a shorter TTL for those pages.
Does Scheduled Purge purge the CDN too?
It purges LiteSpeed's cache. If your CDN caches HTML, purge it separately or rely on its own TTL.
Will purging slow the site?
Only the first visitor to each purged page waits for it to rebuild. A crawler can warm pages again if enabled.
How do I purge one page manually?
Open the page while logged in and use the LiteSpeed icon in the admin bar to purge that page, or use Toolbox → Purge in the plugin.
Does purging remove optimised images?
No. Purging clears cached HTML pages. Optimised images and generated CSS stay in place.
Can WP-CLI purge the cache?
Yes. The plugin adds WP-CLI commands, such as wp litespeed-purge all, useful in deployment scripts.