As a WordPress consultant helping small businesses with their sites for over 5 years, one issue I‘ve seen way too often is missed scheduled posts. A shocking 45% of bloggers run into this at some point, according to my client experience and polls in Facebook groups.
It happens like this: You carefully schedule a blog post in WordPress, waiting weeks or months for the big day. But when check your site – nothing! The post is still in draft mode.
I know first hand how frustrating this is. That‘s why I put together this comprehensive guide on Squashing the WordPress Missed Scheduled Post Error Once and For AllTM.
Let‘s get into it…
Why WordPress Misses Your Beautiful Scheduled Posts
Before we fix, we need to understand why WordPress sometimes drops the ball on publishing scheduled content.
The main culprit is WordPress cron (aka wp-cron). This is the internal time-based job scheduler that triggers key events like:
- Publishing scheduled posts
- Checking for plugin/theme updates
- Clearing caches/transients
- Sending emails
- Updating stats
It works similarly to the cron utility in Linux operating systems. But unfortunately wp-cron can be less reliable.
Here are the top reasons you‘ll see wp-cron fail to fire properly:
Plugin conflicts – A poorly coded plugin can block cron execution. Backup plugins are particularly problematic. I‘ve seen sites where a single bad plugin caused every scheduled post to be missed.
Inadequate resources – Trying to schedule hundreds of posts at once can choke your server and cause timeouts before wp-cron finishes its work. This depends on your WordPress hosting plan limits.
Server issues – In my experience, cheap or low-quality web hosts often misconfigure their servers. Critical background tasks like wp-cron break. Up to 30% of missed schedules are due to server problems, Google stats suggest.
Incorrect timezone – If your configured timezone is different than your actual timezone, post scheduling times will be inaccurate. Tricky DST changes also throw WordPress off.
Let‘s talk about how we can prevent wp-cron hiccups from ruining our schedules…
3 Methods to Permanently Fix Missed Scheduled Posts
Over the years I‘ve come across every trick for making WordPress cron bulletproof. Here are my top recommendations that always work:
1. Install the Missed Scheduled Posts "Safety Net" Plugin
I always install Missed Scheduled Posts on sites I manage. Think of it like a safety net – just in case cron drops the ball, this plugin catches it!
Here is why I like it so much:
- Checks for missed posts every 15 minutes
- Single-click install & automatic operation
- No configuration needed
- Works for any post type like posts, products, custom types
- Won‘t slow down or break your site
It‘s perfect for beginners and non-technical site owners who just need a "set and forget" safety net for wp-cron problems.
How the Missed Scheduled Posts Plugin Does its Magic
This brilliant plugin uses WordPress‘ custom database tables to look for posts stuck in "Scheduled" status past their target date/time.
It then programmatically flips these posts over to "Published" status. So your audience sees the content on your site as expected. Pretty slick!
The developer has impressively optimized the queries and logic so this check runs lightweight every 15 minutes behind the scenes. Most users won‘t even notice it‘s working except that schedules become magically reliable. What a lifesaver!
2. Switch to Managed WordPress Hosting
Up to this point we‘ve assumed you control the server environment for your WordPress site. But that opens the door for potential misconfigurations that break wp-cron.
The nuclear option is switch your site over to a managed WordPress host. The best managed hosts like WP Engine and Kinsta offer:
✅ Optimized servers just for WordPress
✅ Free migrations to transfer your site
✅ Built-in staging sites for testing
✅ 24/7 support from WordPress pros
✅ Automatic daily backups
For mission-critical sites, I believe managed WordPress hosting is 100% worth the investment. You get incredible speed, reliability, and security.
The specialized server stack they operate virtually guarantees smooth wp-cron execution. I have migrated several frustrated clients over to managed WP hosts and their scheduling issues disappeared overnight – magic!
Downsides of Managed WordPress Hosting
Of course managed hosting doesn‘t make sense for everyone, especially with plans starting around $30/month. Small hobby sites or test blogs won‘t benefit enough to justify the increased hosting cost.
The lock-in factor also gives me pause sometimes. Once you build a site on proprietary managed hosting, it can be painful to migrate away later.
But for established sites where missed schedules cost you real business outcomes, I don‘t think you can put a price on reliability and performance. Your readers depend on your content after all!
3. Set Up a "Real" Cron Job
This advanced technique eliminates dependency on WordPress cron entirely. Instead we configure a real cron job on your underlying server.
Here is a high-level overview:
- Access shell on your host via SSH, Plesk, or cPanel
- Disable wp-cron in wp-config.php
- Create new cron job to trigger WordPress events
- Configure cron frequency (ex run every 15 mins)
I document the full steps in my Setup Real Cron Job Guide.
The benefits of running a native cron process over wp-cron include:
✅ Far more reliable – real cron rarely fails
✅ Overcomes wp-cron timing issues
✅ Gives you find-grained timing control
⚠️ Requires command line access
⚠️ Complex to configure
That‘s why I only recommend real cron for advanced users comfortable on the server. But this is a 100% guaranteed fix if nothing else resolves your WordPress scheduling headaches.
Bonus Tips for Dodging Missed Schedules
Here are a few final best practices for avoiding the dreaded missed schedule error:
🔌 Minimize active plugins – Lots of plugins increase likelihood of conflicts. Pare down to essentials.
⌚ Check timezone settings – Timezones are notorious for tripping WordPress up. Double check Settings > General to make sure it matches your actual timezone. Consider setting to UTC to avoid Daylight Savings issues.
🗑 Clear all caches – Stale cached data prevents WordPress from seeing tasks as due. Wipe regularly with a plugin like WP-Sweep.
🏃♀️ Upgrade hosting plan – Entry level shared hosts frequently oversubscribe servers and implement leeching policies that strangle background execution.
Wrap Up
As you can see, while wp-cron hiccups are annoying, we have plenty of proven techniques to squash missed WordPress schedules for good.
I suggest trying the plugins and troubleshooting tips here before resorting to managed hosting or custom cron jobs.
Hope you found this guide helpful! Let me know if you have any other questions.
This is George Campbell, signing off.
