Quick Summary
The "ERR_CACHE_MISS" error in Chrome means the browser attempted to retrieve a page from its cache but failed, requiring it to request the page directly from the web server. This can be due to various cache-related issues or server-side restrictions preventing caching.
Common Causes
- Cache Corruption or Issues: The browser's cache may be corrupted or malfunctioning, preventing it from properly storing or retrieving cached data. This often happens when the browser is unexpectedly closed.
- Website Configuration: The website itself may be configured to prevent caching of certain pages, especially those with dynamic content or confidential information. This is controlled through HTTP headers set by the website.
- Browser Extensions: Faulty or out-of-date browser extensions can interfere with the browser's caching mechanisms, leading to errors when attempting to retrieve cached content.
- Network Issues: Intermittent network connectivity problems, such as dropped packets or DNS resolution issues, can sometimes cause the browser to incorrectly report a cache miss.
Step-by-Step Fixes
Method 1: Hard Refresh the Page
Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac) to perform a hard refresh. This bypasses the cache and forces the browser to reload the page directly from the server.
Step 2: Alternatively, you can right-click on the refresh button in the address bar and select 'Hard Reload'.
Method 2: Clear Browsing Data
Step 1: In Chrome, click the three vertical dots (menu) in the upper-right corner.
Step 2: Go to More tools > Clear browsing data...
Step 3: Select a time range (e.g., 'All time').
Step 4: Make sure Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files are checked.
Step 5: Click Clear data.
Method 3: Disable Browser Extensions
Step 1: In Chrome, type chrome://extensions in the address bar and press Enter.
Step 2: Disable extensions one by one, and after disabling each extension, try reloading the page that was causing the error to see if the issue gets resolved. If it does, re-enable other extensions one by one until the error reappears. This tells you which extension is the cause. Then uninstall the problematic extension, or look for an updated version of it.
Method 4: Reset Chrome Settings
Step 1: In Chrome, click the three vertical dots (menu) in the upper-right corner.
Step 2: Go to Settings > Reset and clean up > Restore settings to their original defaults.
Step 3: Click Reset settings.
Note: This will reset your startup page, new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs. It will also disable all extensions and clear temporary data like cookies. Your bookmarks, history, and saved passwords will not be cleared.
Method 5: Check for Conflicting Software
Step 1: Check for any recently installed software, security programs (like overly aggressive antivirus software), or VPNs that might be interfering with Chrome's network/cache functions.
Step 2: Temporarily disable or uninstall anything suspicious to see if the problem resolves.