Website caching is a powerful tool that helps speed up your WordPress site by storing copies of your pages and serving them quickly to visitors. While caching improves performance and reduces server load, there are situations where it’s important to disable caching for specific pages—especially when those pages rely on dynamic or personalized content.

In this article, we’ll guide you step-by-step on how to disable caching for selected pages in WordPress. Whether you’re a website owner, blogger, or small business client, this article will help you understand how to take control of page caching without touching complex server-side technology.

Why Would You Want to Disable Caching for Certain Pages?

Some pages of your website might need to display real-time data or show content that changes per user. If caching is active on those pages, it can show outdated or incorrect content. Common use cases include:

• Shopping cart or checkout pages

• User login or dashboard pages

• Contact forms or quote calculators

• Pages with frequent updates or AJAX features

Disabling caching for these specific pages ensures that your visitors always see the most current and accurate content.

Method 1: Disable Caching Using a Plugin (Easy for Most Users)

If you’re using a caching plugin like WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, LiteSpeed Cache, or WP Rocket, they usually have options to exclude specific pages or URLs.

General Steps:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.

2. Go to your caching plugin’s settings (e.g., Settings > WP Super Cache).

3. Look for an “Exclude” or “Advanced Rules” section.

4. Add the URL or slug of the page you want to exclude.

   • For example, if your checkout page is https://example.com/checkout, enter /checkout/.

5. Save the changes and clear the cache.

Tip: Use relative URLs (like /cart/) instead of full URLs for broader compatibility.

Plugin-Specific Instructions:

• WP Rocket: Go to Settings > WP Rocket > Advanced Rules > Never Cache URLs.

• LiteSpeed Cache: Navigate to LiteSpeed Cache > Cache > Excludes and add the pages under Do Not Cache URIs.

• W3 Total Cache: Go to Performance > Page Cache > Advanced and use the “Never cache the following pages” option.

Method 2: Disable Caching Using PHP Code (Advanced but Flexible)

If you don’t use a plugin or prefer more control, you can add a custom function to disable caching for specific pages using WordPress hooks.

Example: Disable cache on the “Contact Us” page

function custom_no_cache_headers() {
if (is_page(‘contact-us’)) {
header(“Cache-Control: no-store, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0”);
header(“Cache-Control: post-check=0, pre-check=0”, false);
header(“Pragma: no-cache”);
}
}
add_action(‘send_headers’, ‘custom_no_cache_headers’);

Add the code to your theme’s functions.php file or a site-specific plugin.

Explanation:

• is_page('contact-us') checks if the current page slug is contact-us.

• The headers tell browsers and caching systems not to store a cached version of this page.

You can replace 'contact-us' with any page slug or ID.

Method 3: Disable Caching with .htaccess Rules (For Apache Servers)

If your server uses Apache, you can set cache-control headers in your .htaccess file to target specific URLs.

Example:

Be cautious when editing .htaccess. Always back up the file before making changes.

This method is helpful if your hosting uses server-level caching or if your plugin settings aren’t enough.

Method 4: Use Query Parameters to Bypass Caching (Not Ideal, but Useful)

Some caching systems ignore pages with query strings like ?nocache=true. If you’re troubleshooting or need a temporary bypass, try appending ?nocache=true to your URL.

Example:
https://example.com/checkout/?nocache=true

This isn’t a long-term solution but can be useful for testing or temporary previews.

Bonus Tip: Use Conditional Tags for More Flexibility

You can target more complex conditions using WordPress conditional tags like:

This ensures caching is disabled only for logged-in users viewing the “Dashboard” page.

Conclusion

Caching is essential for fast websites, but knowing how to disable it selectively is just as important. Whether you’re running a membership site, an eCommerce store, or a contact-based service, disabling cache on dynamic pages ensures accuracy, personalization, and smooth user experience.

To recap, you can disable caching:

• Using your caching plugin’s exclusion settings

• By adding PHP code to your theme

• By editing your .htaccess file

• With query strings as a temporary solution

If you’re unsure which method to use, start with the plugin method, as it’s the most beginner-friendly. For more control, consider combining methods where necessary.