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iPad won't clear cached web link saved on home screen

I have been developing html5, css and javasript only web app. When accessed to the site and save the link to home screen, it caches the link and any revision made to the site then after will go to the first link even when the old origial html file is removed from the server. Safari's clear history and cache function from the preference only clear the cached items from Safari. Anything saved on home screen remains somewhere on iPad and can not be deleted.

Only way to establish a new link is to change the names of html file, external css and javascript titles and the link to them.

Is there any way to clear all cache on home screen?

iPad 2, iOS 5.1

Posted on Mar 12, 2012 5:55 PM

20 replies

don109

Level 1

0 points

Oct 22, 2014 1:41 PM in response to manabu nagaoka

Exact same problem here on IOS 6.

A Home Screen WebApp caches pages using a manifest.appcache while online. Turn off WiFi and you can re-launch and still see all the pages.

But, turn WiFi back on, update the manifest contents and some pages, and no new manifest is fetched from the server, leaving you with stale pages. Only way out is to delete Safari Cookies & Cache, delete the home page icon, and start over.

Definitely a bug because on the same device using the same online/offline manifest change:

Chrome Works!

Mercury Works!

So sad..😟. Safari loses to Chrome and Mercury.

Interesting thing is the network spinner spins, but Apache never logs a file request from Safari.

BTW, also set mime type manifest cache to zero.

-edit- Even without using the Home Screen icon, Safari still refuses to read the new manifest.

don109

Level 1

0 points

Oct 24, 2014 1:44 PM in response to don109

Good news, this is fixed on IOS 8.1. No wonder the last post was a year ago.

Jan 30, 2015 4:31 AM in response to don109

I'm sorry but I have two iPads, versions 8.1 and 8.1.3 and both won't work

Feb 12, 2015 8:19 AM in response to bench0211

I realize this is nearly 2 years old; but, I've been seeing this same defect now and resolution is to update the manifest file. It looks like I may need to officially report this defect since it hasn't been addressed yet. Thank you Bench for finding the solution.

shahar87

Level 1

0 points

Oct 4, 2015 6:54 AM in response to mattman2005

Hi,

My problem is a bit different. I have a cookie which causing an infinite redirection loop which causes an error "too many redirections" and allows me only to close the app.

I tried all the "regular" ways to clean the cookies but it doesn't clean the cookies on the web apps on the homescreen. Then, I wrote a js to delete the cookie when the page is loaded. It doesn't work too. I tried to download cleaners applications, it doesn't helop too. I also tried to change the manifest but those resources are not the problem, the cookie is the problem.

My problem is that I have 2 users (clients) with that problem, beside resetting their iphone (cannot be requested...) or changing my app url (there's got to be a better way), I don't see any other solution.

Any ideas for me?

iPad won't clear cached web link saved on home screen