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Why Autoptimize CSS Files Persist After Uninstalling (And How to Fix It)

27 threads Sep 9, 2025 Plugin → Autoptimize

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You've deactivated and deleted the Autoptimize plugin, but your browser's developer tools or server logs still show requests for CSS files from the /wp-content/cache/autoptimize/ directory. This is a common point of confusion that can make it seem like the plugin wasn't fully removed. This guide explains why this happens and the steps to completely clear these references from your site.

Why This Happens

Autoptimize itself does not leave behind active code that generates file requests after it is uninstalled. When you deactivate and delete the plugin, it removes its functionality from your WordPress site. The most common reason for seeing these lingering file references is that another system on your site is serving a cached version of your pages that was created while Autoptimize was active. The HTML of that old, cached page still contains the links to the Autoptimize files.

How to Fix It: Clear All Caches

Since the issue is almost always related to caching, you need to clear every cache layer that might be present. Follow these steps in order:

  1. Clear Your WordPress Caching Plugin: If you use a plugin like WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache, or LiteSpeed Cache, find its settings and use its "Clear All Cache" or "Purge Cache" function.
  2. Clear Your Hosting Provider's Cache: Many web hosts implement server-level or proxy caching. Check your host's control panel (e.g., cPanel) for a caching option, or contact their support and ask them to clear the full cache for your site.
  3. Clear Your CDN Cache: If you use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare, Bunny.net, or StackPath, you must log into your CDN provider's dashboard and purge its cache. Look for a "Purge Everything" or similar option.
  4. Clear Your Browser Cache: Finally, the old links might be stored in your own browser. Do a "hard refresh" (Ctrl+F5 on Windows, Cmd+Shift+R on Mac) or clear your browser's cached images and files.

What Doesn't Work (And Why)

Manually deleting the /wp-content/cache/autoptimize/ folder via FTP or your file manager is often the first thing users try. However, this approach will not solve the problem. The issue is not that the files exist on the server (they likely don't after uninstalling), but that your website's HTML is telling browsers to look for them. Deleting the folder addresses a symptom, not the root cause, which is the cached HTML.

When to Suspect Another Cause

In very rare cases, if you have cleared every possible cache and the requests persist, the problem might be caused by a different optimization or caching plugin that is incorrectly rewriting URLs. As a test, try temporarily disabling all other plugins to see if the requests stop. If they do, reactivate your plugins one by one to identify the conflict.

By systematically clearing all cache layers, you ensure that visitors are served a fresh version of your site's pages—one that no longer contains any references to the deleted Autoptimize files.

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