[How to] Fix the Err_Cache_Miss Error in Google Chrome

Google Chrome is a fairly reliable browser that has had most of its issues ironed out over the years. But, like most software, the occasional issue may arise that can be incredibly frustrating. One example of that is the Err_Cache_Miss error in Google Chrome.

As we tend to spend a lot of our day in browsers, you’re likely to see the Err_Cache_Miss error message in the Google Chrome browser at one point or another.

It can be annoying, as it usually occurs when you have completed a web form or are sending form data to a website.

It isn’t terminal though and can be addressed with a few simple steps.

If you keep seeing the Err_Cache_Miss error message in Google Chrome, we’re going to show you how to fix it.

As the majority of Err_Cache_Miss errors appear when you’re completing forms, we’ll use that in our terminology. If you’re not trying to complete a form but still see the error, all the fixes are still relevant.

What can cause the Err_Cache_Miss error in Google Chrome browser?

The error concerns itself with data transfer between Google Chrome browser and the website you’re on.

There are a couple of things that can cause the Err_Cache_Miss error in Google Chrome browser:

• The data was duplicated by the browser or en route to the website and entered twice
• Data was lost en route to the website
• The browser cannot access cache files from the destination webserver
• The browser detects errors or corruption with the data it sent or received

According to Google, ERR_CACHE_MISS errors mean the page needs information you entered earlier to be submitted again.

That’s a rather simplified explanation but it works.

There are a few ways to fix the error if it happens more than once. Always bear in mind that the error could be with the web server or the internet and not your device or browser.

If it happens on a single form on a single page and not elsewhere, it might not be the Google Chrome browser at all. It also might be, so use these fixes as you see fit.

Fix Err_Cache_Miss errors in Google Chrome

There are several ways to fix Err_Cache_Miss in Google Chrome. We’ll work our way through each of them beginning with the easiest and working our way to the more detailed.

If a fix stops the Err_Cache_Miss error message, there’s no need to perform any more steps.

Refresh or force refresh the page

The easiest way to see if you can fix Err_Cache_Miss errors is to reload the web page you’re on. Resubmit the form or whatever you were doing. If the error goes away, it was a one-off.

Hit F5 key on your keyboard to refresh the page.

If the error remains, try a forced refresh.

A forced refresh instructs Chrome to download a fresh copy of the page and ignore the cached images and files. This downloads an entirely new page so you’ll have to enter the details into the form again but is a quick and easy way to see if this is a temporary error or not.

Hold down Ctrl and hit F5 to force refresh in Windows.

Use Command + Shift + R on Mac.

Clear browsing data

The next simplest way to address Err_Cache_Miss errors is to clear the Chrome cache. The web browser caches information to help speed up your experience on subsequent visits. If there is a mismatch between cached data and transmitted data, it can cause this error.

1. Select the three dot menu icon at the top right of the Chrome window
2. Select More Tools and Clear Browsing Data
3. Select All Time in the Time Range dropdown
4. Check all boxes if they aren’t already
5. Select the blue Clear Data button
6. Shut down Chrome and restart it. Retry whatever it was you were doing that was giving the error.

This is a simple but effective fix to the Err_Cache_Miss error. The downside is that it will also require you to re-enter other website logins and make any selections again.

Check your Chrome extensions

Have you installed any new browser extensions recently? Do you use a VPN or proxy browser extensions? Let’s try disabling all your Chrome extensions to see if one of them is causing the error.

We’ll disable them all to begin with and decide what to do next depending on what we find.

1. Select the three dot menu icon at the top right of the Chrome window
2. Select More Tools and Extensions
3. Toggle all of your extensions to off
4. Retest the form of whatever you were doing

If the error goes away, you have some more testing to do. Enable one extension at a time to see which causes the error. If the form is one you can safely submit multiple times, or you weren’t even using a form, you can work your way through all your extensions.

Once you identify the extensions causing the issue, either update it or leave it disabled.

If the error remains, you can safely turn all your extensions back on again and try something else.

Try a different web browser

As some of the upcoming fixes are somewhat involved, we should first see if it’s just Chrome that’s having the issue. It could be the web server itself and knowing that could save you a lot of work.

Use Edge, Firefox, Brave or Safari instead of Chrome and try to replicate what you were doing.

If the error remains, it could be your computer or the web server.

If the error is fixed, it could be Chrome. You can either reinstall it or use your other web browser, it’s up to you.

Reboot your device (Windows)

Windows has quite a few peculiarities that can be solved with a simple reboot. Now would be a good time to find out as the fixes further down the page become more involved and require making changes to your system.

A reboot forces your device to drop any cached browsing data in memory and requires Windows to reload them afresh during boot. Any corruption or Google Chrome browsing data will be refreshed and the Err_Cache_Miss error could be fixed.

Reset Google Chrome

Resetting Chrome means returning it to vanilla and undoing any changes you may have made since you installed it. That means any wallpapers, themes, Chrome settings and any change you made.

The good news is that changes to Chrome can cause errors. The bad news is that if Chrome works just how you like it, resetting could undo all that.

1. Select the three dot menu icon at the top right of the Chrome window
2. Select Chrome Settings and Advanced in the left menu
3. Select Reset and Clean Up at the bottom of the new left menu
4. Select ‘Restore Settings to their Original Defaults’
5. Select the blue ‘Reset Settings’ button to confirm

Chrome will reset everything back to defaults and restart. Once back in action, try the form again to see what happens.

If it works, you’re all good. If it doesn’t, move on to the next fix.

Disable the Google Chrome cache

In theory, forcing a page refresh like we did earlier renders this fix obsolete. Yet we know of people who have turned off Chrome caching only to find it fixed the error.

That makes the disable cache fix well worth trying, especially as the next fix is quite involved!

1. Have Chrome open and selected
2. Press Ctrl, Shift and I and then F1
3. Scroll down in the right pane to Network
4. Check the box next to ‘Disable cache (while DevTools is open)
5. Reload the page you’re having problems with

You may be one of the lucky ones and this disable cache fix could be enough to address the Err_Cache_Miss error. If not, move on to the next fix.

Perform a netsh winsock reset in Windows

Performing a netsh winsock reset is a little excessive but it can often fix a number of network-related issues within Windows. You would typically see other things happening such as failures to connect or other errors, but this is Windows, so you never really know…

The command resets the Windows Socket Catalog and forces the operating system to reload default settings. The catalog can be corrupted or overwritten by browsers, malware or by user error.

It isn’t a fix you would normally use but if you tried the basic Chrome fixes, it is worth experimenting with.

1. Type ‘cmd’ into the Windows search box and open a Windows command prompt as an admin
2. Type or paste ‘netsh winsock reset’ into the command window and hit Enter.
3. Reboot your PC once you see the ‘Successfully reset the Winsock Catalog’ message

Once your computer has rebooted, retry whatever it was you were doing to see if the Err_Cache_Miss error returns.

Perform a network reset on Mac

Macs don’t use the Windows Socket Catalog but they have a similar network setup that can cause issues. You can use the following command to reset DNS if you are seeing the error.

1. Open a new Terminal window
2. Type or paste ‘dscacheutil -flushcache’ and hit Enter
3. Type or paste ‘sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder’ and hit Enter

The methodology is slightly different between Windows and Mac but the end result could be the same. If DNS was causing Chrome to error, this should fix it.

Reset network settings in Windows

If the Winsock catalog reset didn’t work, you could always try to reset your network settings. This is a nuclear option but can remedy all kinds of network errors.

It is unlikely that any network settings issue would just cause Err_Cache_Miss errors but if you’re this far in, what have you got to lose?

1. Type ‘cmd’ into the Windows search box and open a Windows command prompt as an admin
2. Type or paste ‘ipconfig /release’ and hit Enter
3. Type or paste ‘ipconfig /flushdns’ and hit Enter
4. Type or paste ‘ipconfig /renew’ and hit Enter
5. Type or paste ‘netsh int ip set dns’ and hit Enter
6. Reboot your computer

Retest the form or page and see what happens. If you still see that stubborn Err_Cache_Miss error, it almost has to be a far end issue with the web server.

Reset your IP and DNS to default in Windows

Again, this is unlikely to fix just a single error but as it’s a relatively straightforward fix to make, let’s try it anyway.

We are going to reset your IPv4 and DNS settings to defaults in case a mismatch is causing the error. We wouldn’t usually try this for a single error on a single page, but if you go this far, it’s worth a try.

1. Right click the Windows Start button and select Network Connections
2. Select Ethernet from the left and Change Adapter Options from the right of the new pane
3. Right click your Ethernet connection and select Properties
4. Highlight Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) in the centre pane
5. Select the Properties button just underneath
6. Set both to Obtain an IP Address Automatically and Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically
7. Select OK and close all the windows.

If you made changes, refresh Google Chrome and retry the form. If your settings were already set to automatic, move on to the final fix.

Reinstall Google Chrome

There’s a quick test to see if you need to reinstall Google Chrome or not. Does the form work in another browser? If it does and you have tried these other fixes, reinstalling Chrome may be useful.

If the form still fails on another browser, reinstalling Chrome isn’t worth the hassle.

Does the form work on another device? For example, if you’re on your phone, does the form work on desktop, or vice versa?

If the form works on another device, reinstalling Chrome may be worthwhile. If the form doesn’t work on another device, it isn’t worth it.

To reinstall Chrome in Windows:

1. Right click the Google Chrome entry in the Windows Start menu and select Uninstall
2. Select Google Chrome in the new Programs and Features window that appears
3. Confirm and allow the uninstaller to proceed
4. Download and install a new copy of Chrome directly from Google

If the form still doesn’t work after this, the Err_Cache_Miss error is definitely not due to an issue on your end!

If you really must complete the form, follow it up with the website owner. It could just as easily be on their end and they may be thankful you alerted them!

About the Author

Author: Shahzad SaeedWebsite: http://shahzadsaeed.com/Email: shahzad@collectiveray.com

Shahzaad Saaed has been featured in a large number of authority websites including EasyDigitalDownloads, OptinMonster and WPBeginner where he is currently employed as a senior content writer. Shahzad is a WordPress expert, web designer and overall technology and design expert. He specializes in content marketing to help business grow their traffic through actionable and experience-backed articles, blogs and expert guides, all taken from his over 10 years of experience in the field.