GitHub Actions actions/cache@v3 deprecation warning

By Kaveh Alemi·Latchkey

The v3 line of actions/cache uses an older cache service backend that GitHub is retiring; runs still work for now but warn, and they will break when the legacy backend is decommissioned.

What this error means

Workflow annotations warn that actions/cache@v3 is deprecated and recommend upgrading to v4. The warning recurs on every run that pins v3.

Warning: This version of actions/cache is deprecated. Please upgrade to actions/cache@v4.

Common causes

Pinned to actions/cache@v3

The workflow still references the deprecated v3 major of the cache action.

Transitive use via an old setup action

An older setup-* action internally relies on the deprecated cache backend.

How to fix it

Upgrade to v4

1. Bump every actions/cache@v3 reference to @v4.
2. Update setup-* actions to versions that use the new backend.
3. Confirm cache restore/save still work after the bump.

- uses: actions/cache@v4
  with:
    path: ~/.npm
    key: ${{ runner.os }}-node-${{ hashFiles('**/package-lock.json') }}

How to prevent it

• Pin cache actions to a supported major.
• Keep setup-* actions current.
• Watch deprecation annotations in CI.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

References

• GitHub Actions documentation
• Workflow syntax for GitHub Actions