Why Isn’t My Elfsight Widget Updating Automatically After Site Edits?

Hello

I recently embedded an Elfsight Instagram Feed widget into my website & while the initial integration was smooth; I am noticing that updates to my Instagram posts are not reflected in the widget immediately / sometimes not at all without clearing the browser cache / reloading the page with a hard refresh. :slightly_smiling_face:

This is creating confusion for visitors expecting real-time content. :innocent:

I have verified that my Instagram account is properly connected and syncing on the Elfsight dashboard. I also tested the widget in different browsers & devices; and the lag / failure to update still occurs. :thinking: I am using a standard embed code inside a WordPress site with no aggressive caching plugins; so I’m unsure if the delay is from Elfsight’s end or a browser behavior.

I checked Step 1: Setting the source of your Instagram Feed - Elfsight Help Center guide related to this and found it quite informative. Since we are exploring tools that support customer engagement & learning what is marketing automation; having widgets that reflect real-time updates is essential for maintaining a consistent user experience. :slightly_smiling_face:

Is there a recommended way to force Elfsight widgets to update dynamically without manual intervention? :thinking:

Should we adjust cache control headers, or is this an expected limitation for certain widget types? :thinking:

Thank you !! :slightly_smiling_face:

2 Likes

Hey there and welcome to the Community, @reyiyeb :waving_hand:

The new posts don’t appear in the widget right away because of the cache. Our widget actually uses a cache system to make everything load faster and reduce the server load. So the posts are updated every 48 hours.

You can read more about cache here: Why new posts don’t show up in my Instagram Feed widget

We also have a Wishlist request for a faster update period and you can upvote it here - Remove or reduce cache time.

Please let me know if this explains things or if you have any questions left :slightly_smiling_face: