Server Cron Setup

WordPress's built-in cron (wp-cron.php) is unreliable. This page shows how to replace it with a real server cron for reliable scheduled imports.

Why WP-Cron Is Unreliable

WordPress cron only runs when someone visits your site:

  • Low-traffic sites: Jobs miss their schedule
  • High-traffic sites: Every visitor triggers cron check — slow
  • Cached sites (CloudFlare, etc.): Cron often skipped entirely

A real server cron fires exactly on time, every time, no matter the traffic.

Saved jobs gridSaved jobs show Next Run times — these only fire reliably when a real server cron hits wp-cron.php.

The Fix — Two Steps

  1. Turn off WordPress cron (optional but recommended)
  2. Add a server cron that calls wp-cron.php every 5 minutes

Step 1 — Turn Off WordPress Cron

Add this line to wp-config.php:

define( 'DISABLE_WP_CRON', true );

Place it above the line /* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */.

This stops WordPress from checking cron on every page load. Your site gets faster.

Step 2 — Add a Server Cron

Pick the method that matches your hosting.

Method A — cPanel / Plesk (Most Shared Hosts)

  1. Log into cPanel
  2. Find Cron Jobs (usually under Advanced)
  3. Under "Add New Cron Job":
    • Common Settings: Every 5 minutes
    • Command:
      curl -s https://your-site.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron > /dev/null 2>&1
  4. Click Add New Cron Job

Replace your-site.com with your actual domain.

Method B — SSH Access (VPS / Dedicated)

  1. SSH into your server
  2. Open crontab:
    crontab -e
  3. Add this line:
    */5 * * * * curl -s https://your-site.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron > /dev/null 2>&1
  4. Save and exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter in nano)

Method C — WP-CLI (Most Reliable)

If you have SSH and WP-CLI installed:

*/5 * * * * cd /var/www/html && wp cron event run --due-now

This skips the HTTP layer entirely, so no timeouts.

Method D — Cloudflare Worker (For Sites Behind Cloudflare)

If your site is behind Cloudflare, cron requests may get blocked. Use a Cloudflare Worker:

  1. Cloudflare dashboard → Workers & Pages → Create Worker
  2. Code:
    addEventListener('scheduled', event => {
  event.waitUntil(handleRequest())
})

async function handleRequest() {
  await fetch('https://your-site.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron')
  return new Response('OK')
}
  3. Triggers → Add Cron Trigger → */5 * * * *
  4. Save

Testing

Check WP-Cron is Registered

wp cron event list

Output should show scheduled events:

Hook                     Next Run                Schedule
wp_version_check         2026-04-14 11:00:00     twicedaily
wkaie_scheduled_job_42   2026-04-14 11:00:00     every_5_minutes

Trigger a Test

curl -s https://your-site.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron

Expected output: empty response (status 200).

Check the Last Run

wp cron event list --format=json | grep last_run

Or check the plugin's History page. Scheduled jobs should show recent runs.

Job Editor with six tabsSet a job's frequency in the Schedule tab — the server cron triggers it on time.

Cron Schedule Quick Reference

PatternMeaning
* * * * *Every minute
*/5 * * * *Every 5 minutes (recommended for wp-cron.php)
*/15 * * * *Every 15 minutes
0 * * * *Top of every hour
0 3 * * *3 AM every day
0 3 * * 03 AM every Sunday
0 3 1 * *3 AM on the 1st of every month

Use crontab.guru to build custom patterns.

Alternative — Running Jobs Directly Via Cron

Instead of going through WP-Cron, you can call WP-CLI directly for specific jobs:

# Run job 42 every day at 3 AM
0 3 * * * cd /var/www/html && wp wkaie run 42 >> /var/log/wkaie.log 2>&1

# Run all enabled jobs at 4 AM
0 4 * * * cd /var/www/html && wp wkaie run-chain >> /var/log/wkaie.log 2>&1

This bypasses WordPress cron entirely for the plugin's jobs.

For Managed WordPress Hosts

Some managed hosts (Kinsta, WP Engine, Flywheel) have their own cron systems:

  • Kinsta: cPanel-like cron manager in MyKinsta dashboard
  • WP Engine: Contact support to disable WP-Cron and set up server cron
  • Flywheel: Server cron supported — email support
  • Siteground: Tools → Cron Jobs in Site Tools

For most managed hosts, WP-Cron works fine if you have decent traffic. Only worry about this if jobs are missing their schedule.

Security

Don't Expose wp-cron.php Publicly

By default, wp-cron.php is publicly callable. Someone could hit it a lot and slow your site.

Add a Secret Key

  1. Generate a random string, e.g., abc123xyz
  2. Add to wp-config.php:
    define( 'WP_CRON_LOCK_TIMEOUT', 60 );
define( 'ALTERNATE_WP_CRON', false );
  3. In cron, use:
    */5 * * * * curl -s "https://your-site.com/wp-cron.php?secret=abc123xyz" > /dev/null
  4. Block public access to wp-cron via .htaccess:
    <Files wp-cron.php>
  order allow,deny
  deny from all
  allow from 127.0.0.1
</Files>

Or restrict via nginx:

location = /wp-cron.php {
    deny all;
    allow 127.0.0.1;
}

Troubleshooting

ProblemFix
"wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron" returns 403Your firewall / security plugin blocks it. Whitelist localhost or your server IP
Cron runs but jobs do notCheck wp cron event list — are jobs registered?
Jobs are scheduled but the time is wrongWordPress timezone must match server timezone. Check Settings → General → Timezone
Cron logs show errorsCheck /var/log/wkaie.log for details
"Too many hits on wp-cron.php"Reduce frequency from every minute to every 5
cPanel cron field is too shortUse \*/5 \* \* \* \* with backslashes in some cPanel versions

Monitoring

Log File

Add a log file to your cron to track activity:

*/5 * * * * curl -s https://your-site.com/wp-cron.php >> /var/log/wpcron.log 2>&1

View last 50 lines:

tail -50 /var/log/wpcron.log

WordPress Cron Viewer

Install the WP Crontrol plugin to see:

  • All scheduled events
  • Next run times
  • Last run times
  • Manually trigger events

Helpful for debugging scheduled jobs.