> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://vr-it-services-pro.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Settings will not save

> Customizer changes don't save, or revert after an update.

Almost always caching. In a minority of cases, something is actively overwriting your settings.

> [!WARNING]
>
> **Theme settings live in the database, not in theme files.** Updating the theme never resets your Customizer settings. If yours are disappearing, something else is writing to them.

## The first four things to try

**1. Click Apply**

The Customizer needs an explicit **Apply**. Changes are not saved until you do.

**2. Check for a JavaScript error**

Open the console and watch for a red error as you change a setting. A sanitization or nonce failure can block the save.

**3. Clear your caches**

Page cache, object cache, and CDN. This resolves the majority of cases.

**4. Try a private window**

Bypasses browser cache and any stale service worker.

## Caching, in detail

Three different caches can each cause this.

> **Page cache**
>
> Caches the rendered HTML. A stale copy shows your old settings even though they saved correctly.

> **Object cache**
>
> Caches database queries including theme mods. Persists until explicitly flushed — restarting PHP does not always clear it.

> **CDN**
>
> Caches at the edge. Clears on its own schedule, which can be a long time.

### Clear all three

**1. Clear your caching plugin**

Usually a single button in the plugin's settings.

**2. Flush the object cache**

Most caching plugins have a separate "flush object cache" or "purge all" action. Some hosts also provide one in their dashboard.

**3. Purge the CDN**

Cloudflare: **Caching → Purge Everything**. Others have an equivalent.

**4. Hard-refresh**

`Ctrl`/`Cmd` + `Shift` + `R`.

**Confirm the setting actually saved**

Open the Customizer, look at the value, then check **Tools → Site Health → Info** or query the
option directly:

```bash theme={null}
wp option get theme_mods_vara-saas --format=json
```

If the new value is there, the save worked and you have a caching problem. If it is not, the save
failed — look elsewhere on this page.

## Settings revert after an update

| Cause | Check | Fix |
| - | - | - |
| **Caching** | Does it revert on a hard-refresh too? | Clear all caches |
| **A settings reset plugin** | Themes like to reset themselves | Look for reset plugins |
| **A security plugin** | Restoring a backup or scanning | Check its activity log |
| **Host auto-updates** | A backup was restored | Ask your host |
| **Another admin** | Shared login | Ask your team |

> [!WARNING]
>
> **Most likely cause on a shared account:** someone or something reset the theme. Themes can register an `after_switch_theme` hook that clears options on activation — activating any other theme and switching back will trigger it. Check whether someone has been testing themes.

## The save genuinely fails

If the value is not in the database at all, something is blocking it.

**1. Check the console while saving**

A red error at the moment you click Apply tells you exactly what failed.

**2. Check for a nonce failure**

A "nonce" error in the console means the session expired or the Customizer frame is stale. Reload the Customizer fully and try again.

**3. Check disk space**

A full disk can prevent writes. Ask your host, or check in cPanel.

**4. Check database capacity**

Some hosts cap database size. A full database looks exactly like this.

**5. Deactivate plugins**

Especially security plugins, which sometimes block Customizer saves.

## Values are rejected or reset to defaults

The theme sanitizes every setting on save.

| Setting type | Validation | Symptom when rejected |
| - | - | - |
| Colors | Valid hex | Reverts to the previous value |
| Font family | Allowlist of six stacks | Falls back to Roboto |
| Layout choices | Allowlist | Falls back to the default |
| Icon classes | Strict Font Awesome pattern | Icon does not appear |
| Footer columns | Integer, clamped 2–4 | Clamped to the nearest valid value |
| Booleans | Normalised | Reverts |

**This is working as intended**

Sanitization is why a mistyped value degrades gracefully instead of breaking your layout. If a
setting refuses to accept your value, the validation is doing its job.

> [!WARNING]
>
> **Custom fonts will not save in the Typography section.** The font field is an allowlist of six stacks, not free text. Self-host a custom font and declare it with `@font-face` instead. See [Typography reference](/customization/typography-reference.md).

## Elementor keeps overriding your colors

This one confuses people, and it is expected behaviour.

> [!WARNING]
>
> **The theme writes your Customizer colors into the Elementor Kit on every page load.** Any change you make directly in **Elementor → Site Settings → Global Colors** is overwritten on the next page load.
>
> The Customizer is the single source of truth. Make brand color changes there.

This is documented on [Colors](/getting-started/colors.md) and [Elementor](/integrations/elementor.md).

## Object cache that will not clear

Some hosts maintain a persistent object cache outside your control.

| Try | How |
| - | - |
| Purge all from your caching plugin | Usually the fastest |
| Restart PHP | Often flushes the in-memory layer |
| Ask your host to flush Redis or Memcached | The only reliable fix for a persistent cache |
| Temporarily disable the caching plugin | Confirms the diagnosis |

## If nothing works

**1. Export your settings before experimenting**

**Appearance → Customize → Export** gives you a file of all your settings. Keep it safe.

**2. Check what is actually stored**

```bash theme={null}
wp option get theme_mods_vara-saas --format=json
```

**3. Deactivate all plugins**

If saving works, a plugin is intercepting it.

**4. Test on a fresh install**

Activate the theme on a scratch site and change a setting. If it works there, the problem is specific to your site.

**5. Report it**

[WordPress.org support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/theme/vara-saas/) with what you changed, what the console said, and what is stored in the database.

## Prevention

| Action | Prevents |
| - | - |
| Configure a caching plugin properly | Most of these symptoms |
| Export Customizer settings periodically | Data loss on a bad day |
| Give each team member their own admin login | Silent settings changes |
| Be careful switching themes | `after_switch_theme` option resets |

## Related

> **[Customizer tour](/customization/customizer-tour.md)**
>
> Every setting and its validation rules.

> **[Plugin conflicts](/troubleshooting/plugin-conflicts.md)**
>
> Plugins that block or interfere with saves.


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