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What changes when you replace WP-Cron?
WP-Cron is WordPress’s scheduled-event system, not a continuously running operating-system cron daemon. By default, WordPress checks whether scheduled events are due during page loads. As the WordPress Cron handbook explains, “WP-Cron does not run constantly as the system cron does; it is only triggered on page load.” If a scheduled task becomes due when nobody visits, it may not run until a later page load triggers the check.
A system scheduler provides a separate trigger at configured times. It can make the opportunity to run less dependent on site traffic, but it does not guarantee that an event starts at an exact second: actual execution depends on the scheduler, server load, and host restrictions. WordPress says its cron system is designed to use minimal resources, so replacing the default trigger is a timing or reliability choice—not a required optimization for every site. See its PHP performance guidance.
| Approach | Trigger and timing | Low-traffic behavior | Access and verification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default WP-Cron | Triggered by page loads; the check happens when WordPress receives an opportunity to run it. | Due work may wait for a later visit. | Requires no system-scheduler access; WordPress events can be inspected with WP-CLI where available. |
| External system scheduler | Invokes WordPress at configured intervals, subject to host behavior and limits. | Does not rely on a visitor arriving to provide the trigger. | Requires a supported scheduler and a working HTTP, PHP, or WP-CLI invocation; check the host’s run history or logs. |
There is no universal best interval. WordPress’s scheduler guide includes both an every-15-minutes syntax example and a daily HTTP-trigger example; these are examples, not a recommendation or a measured guarantee. Select an interval that fits how late your scheduled events may run and what your host permits.
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Check that your host supports an external scheduler
Before changing WordPress, inspect your hosting control panel or ask your provider whether the plan supports scheduled tasks, a system cron facility, SSH, command-line PHP, or a documented HTTP-trigger method. WordPress notes that many shared hosting providers do not expose access to the system scheduler. Control-panel labels, executable paths, allowed commands, and security restrictions vary by host, so do not assume an example command will work unchanged.
- Confirm which scheduler or scheduled-task tool your host supports.
- Ask which invocation method is supported: an HTTP request to the site, PHP CLI, or WP-CLI.
- Get the required site URL or server-side path, PHP executable path if applicable, and any restrictions on frequency or execution time.
- Find out where the host records scheduled-task results so you can confirm actual runs.
Set up the external scheduled task
Linux or macOS system cron
On a system where you have permission to edit the crontab, WordPress documents using crontab -e. A cron schedule has five time fields followed by the command. For example, */15 * * * * command uses the every-15-minutes schedule syntax; replace command with the invocation your host supports.
WordPress’s guide demonstrates requesting wp-cron.php with wget and the --delete-after option, which discards the downloaded response instead of saving it as a file. Adapt the example to your actual site URL and host. Using HTTPS is a sensible adaptation when your site supports it; it is not a verbatim requirement in the guide. Do not copy a sample URL or assume wget is installed or permitted without checking your environment. The official instructions are in Hooking WP-Cron Into the System Task Scheduler.
Windows Task Scheduler
WordPress’s scheduler guide shows a Windows Task Scheduler task that invokes PowerShell’s Invoke-WebRequest against your site’s wp-cron.php URL. Configure the trigger interval and action using the URL and settings supported by your Windows server or hosting provider; the guide’s daily example is not universally sufficient for every site.
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Some hosts support invoking PHP or WP-CLI directly rather than making an HTTP request. These approaches depend on the server’s executable and WordPress installation paths, user permissions, and host configuration. Use only the exact invocation documented or confirmed for your environment; there is no portable path that applies to every host.
Disable the page-load trigger in wp-config.php
Once the external task is configured, edit the site’s wp-config.php file and add this setting before the line that says /* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */, if that standard marker is present:
define( 'DISABLE_WP_CRON', true );This is the documented setting in WordPress’s wp-config.php reference. It disables the normal page-load trigger; it does not create a server task or change the external scheduler’s interval. Avoid adding a duplicate definition if the constant is already set.
Verify that the replacement trigger runs
- Check the scheduler’s run record. Use the hosting panel’s task history or server logs to see whether the configured task runs and whether the command or request reports an error.
- Confirm WordPress receives a trigger. Arrange a harmless scheduled event with a known due time, then check that it executes after a scheduler run. Where available, use WP-CLI’s cron commands to inspect events.
- Interpret
wp cron testcorrectly. WordPress documents this command as a check of the default WP-Cron spawning path. It errors whenDISABLE_WP_CRONis true, so that error is not a valid test of whether your external scheduled task works. See wp cron test.
Troubleshoot missed or failing runs
The scheduler shows no successful invocation
Check the host’s task history, configured frequency, command syntax, URL or file path, and whether the required utility or PHP executable is available. A provider may restrict command types, minimum intervals, or execution time; ask support for the plan-specific requirements rather than guessing a path.
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An HTTP request cannot reach the site
If the trigger requests your own site and fails, WordPress’s loopback troubleshooting guidance recommends investigating possible plugin or theme conflicts and asking the host whether firewall, security, DNS, SSL, or authentication settings block the request. These are possible causes, not a diagnosis; use the scheduler’s error details and the host’s logs to narrow it down.
A task was missed
Do not assume the system scheduler retries a missed invocation. WordPress’s handbook notes that a missed system-scheduler task is not retried by that scheduler, whereas WordPress cron retains due events for a later opportunity. That is a difference in how the triggers behave, not a guarantee that every event will execute successfully or on time.
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