# How to Purge Cloudflare Enterprise Cache by URL or Cache-Tag

> Clear the Cloudflare Enterprise edge cache in xCloud: purge everything, purge up to 30 specific URLs, or purge by Cache-Tag without emptying the whole cache.

Use this guide to clear cached content from the Cloudflare Enterprise edge for a site or an external domain in xCloud. You can **purge everything**, **purge specific URLs**, or **purge by Cache-Tag**. A targeted purge clears only what changed, so the rest of the cache stays warm and the site stays fast.

If your WordPress site has the automatic cache purge plugin installed, xCloud already clears the cache when you edit content. Use a manual purge for changes the plugin does not see, such as theme files, CSS, or images replaced on the server. To trigger purges from your own deploy pipeline, see [How to Configure Cloudflare Enterprise Auto Purge Webhooks](/docs/how-to-configure-cloudflare-enterprise-auto-purge-webhooks/).

## Prerequisites

-   Cloudflare Enterprise is active for the domain. See [How to Activate the Cloudflare Enterprise Addon](/docs/how-to-activate-the-cloudflare-enterprise-addon/).
-   At least one domain on the page shows **Active**. The **Purge** button stays disabled until then.
-   You can manage the site, or the add-on for an external domain.

## Choose a purge type

| Purge type | What it clears | Use it when |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Purge everything** | Every cached object for this subscription | A site-wide change, such as a new theme or a changed header and footer |
| **Purge specific URLs** | Only the listed pages and files | A few pages or assets changed |
| **Purge by Cache-Tag** | Everything your origin tagged with the listed `Cache-Tag` values | Your application sends `Cache-Tag` response headers, for example per product |

After **Purge everything**, the site can be slower for a short time while Cloudflare rebuilds the cache.

## Purge the cache

### 1. Open the Caching settings

Open the site in xCloud and select **Cloudflare Enterprise** in the site menu. For an external domain, go to **Addons → Cloudflare Enterprise Addons**, open the domain's actions menu, and select **Manage**.

Open the **Settings** tab and scroll to **Caching**. Select **Purge** on the **Purge Cache** card.

![The Cloudflare Enterprise Settings tab with the Purge button on the Purge Cache card highlighted.](/_landing/docs/purge-cloudflare-enterprise-cache-by-url-or-cache-tag-01-purge-cache-card.png)

**Expected result:** The **Purge Cloudflare Cache** dialog opens with **Purge everything** selected.

### 2. Select the purge type

Choose **Purge everything**, **Purge specific URLs**, or **Purge by Cache-Tag**.

![The Purge Cloudflare Cache dialog showing the three purge options.](/_landing/docs/purge-cloudflare-enterprise-cache-by-url-or-cache-tag-02-purge-options.png)

To purge everything, select **Purge** now. For a targeted purge, continue with step 3.

### 3. Enter the URLs or tags

**For specific URLs**, enter one full URL per line in **URLs to purge (one per line, max 30)**. Each URL must start with `https://` or `http://` and belong to a domain covered by this subscription, including `www` and subdomains of the apex.

![The URL option selected with two URLs entered, one per line.](/_landing/docs/purge-cloudflare-enterprise-cache-by-url-or-cache-tag-03-purge-urls.png)

**For Cache-Tags**, enter one tag per line in **Cache-Tags to purge (one per line, max 30)**. Tags cannot contain spaces or commas.

![The Cache-Tag option selected with two tags entered.](/_landing/docs/purge-cloudflare-enterprise-cache-by-url-or-cache-tag-04-purge-cache-tags.png)

Cloudflare matches tags across the whole zone. Use tag values that are unique to your site, so a purge does not clear another site's content.

### 4. Purge and confirm

Select **Purge**.

**Expected result:** xCloud confirms the purge. On a site page, the message reads "Cloudflare cache purge started. It may take a moment to propagate." On an external domain page, it reads "Cache purged for" followed by the domain.

## Verify the purge

Request a purged URL twice and check the `cf-cache-status` header:

```bash
curl -sI https://example.com/pricing/ | grep -i cf-cache-status
```

The first request after a purge returns `MISS` or `EXPIRED`, because Cloudflare fetches the page from your server again. The next request returns `HIT` when the page is cacheable.

## Limits

-   Up to 30 URLs or 30 tags per purge request.
-   A URL can be up to 2,048 characters and a tag up to 200 characters.
-   The manual purge does not offer prefix purges. The [auto purge webhook](/docs/how-to-configure-cloudflare-enterprise-auto-purge-webhooks/) supports them.
-   A Cache-Tag purge only works for responses your origin sent with a matching `Cache-Tag` header.

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The **Purge** button is disabled | No domain on the page is **Active** yet. | Finish DNS verification, then try again. |
| "At most 30 entries per purge request." | More than 30 lines were entered. | Split the list across several purges. |
| "Every URL must start with http:// or https://." | A line is a path or a bare hostname. | Enter full URLs, such as `https://example.com/pricing/`. |
| "URL is not served by this Cloudflare Enterprise subscription" | The URL's host is not covered by this domain. | Purge it from the subscription that covers that host. |
| "Tags cannot contain spaces or commas." | A tag line holds several values. | Put each tag on its own line. |
| A page is still stale after purging | The page is cached in the browser, or a different URL variant is cached. | Test with `curl`, and purge each variant, such as with and without a trailing slash. |

## FAQ

### When should I purge specific URLs instead of everything?

Purge specific URLs when only a few pages or files changed. The rest of the cache stays warm, so the site stays fast while the changed URLs refresh.

### How many URLs or tags can I purge at once?

Up to 30 entries per purge request. Split a longer list into several purges.

### Why is the Purge button disabled?

Purging becomes available once at least one Cloudflare Enterprise domain on the page is **Active**.

### Do Cache-Tags only affect my site?

Cloudflare matches tags across the whole zone, so use tag values that are unique to your site.