What this procedure is
How to clear cache manually when you cannot do it from the Back Office.
Applies to: PrestaShop 8.x.
Why you would do this
- Back Office does not open.
- Changes are not visible.
- You need to recover the store after an error.
Prerequisites
- FTP/File Manager access.
- Know the install path.
Quick diagnosis (before you change anything)
1) Locate the cache folder
Expected result: find var/cache/.
Clear cache manually
Step 1) Enable maintenance mode (if possible)
Avoid changes while clearing cache.
Step 2) Delete var/cache contents
Delete the contents of var/cache/prod (and dev if present).
Expected result: PrestaShop rebuilds cache on load.
Step 3) Test the store
Open homepage and Back Office.
Final verification
- Changes are visible.
- No 500 error caused by cache.
If something doesn’t work (common issues)
Still the same
- Clear browser/CDN cache too.
- Check whether the issue is a module/theme.
Best practices
- Do not delete configuration files.
- Back up first if unsure.