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"Pragma: No-cache" Tag May Not Prevent Page from Being Cached

Article ID:222064
Last Review:February 23, 2004
Revision:4.0
This article was previously published under Q222064

SYMPTOMS

When you use the <HTTP-EQUIV="PRAGMA" CONTENT="NO-CACHE"> metatag in the header section at the beginning of an HTML Web page, the Web page may still be cached in the Temporary Internet Files folder.

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CAUSE

A page that Internet Explorer is browsing is not cached until half of the 64 KB buffer is filled. Usually, metatags are inserted in the header section of an HTML document, which appears at the beginning of the document. When the HTML code is parsed, it is read from top to bottom. When the <HTTP-EQUIV="PRAGMA" CONTENT="NO-CACHE"> metatag is read, Internet Explorer looks for the existence of the page in cache at that exact moment. If it is there, it is removed.

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RESOLUTION

To properly prevent the Web page from appearing in the cache, place another header section at the end of the HTML document. For example:

<HTML>

<HEAD>

<META HTTP-EQUIV="REFRESH" CONTENT="5">
<TITLE> Pragma No-cache </TITLE>
</HEAD>

<BODY>

This is an example of where to place the second header section<br>
so that the "Pragama, No-Cache" metatag will work as it is supposed to.<br>

</BODY>

<HEAD>

<META HTTP-EQUIV="PRAGMA" CONTENT="NO-CACHE">
</HEAD>

</HTML>

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MORE INFORMATION

Note that the <HTTP-EQUIV="PRAGMA" CONTENT="NO-CACHE"> metatag does not work with Internet Explorer 5. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
234067 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/234067/EN-US/) HOWTO: Prevent Caching in Internet Explorer

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APPLIES TO
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 Service Pack 1
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 128-Bit Edition
Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.02

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Keywords: 
kbprb kbprogramming KB222064

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