Quick Diagnosis
Cron can fail because it never starts or because one queued task fails after it starts.
Problem
WordPress Cron Not Running
Diagnose missed WordPress scheduled tasks by checking traffic-triggered cron, loopback requests, disabled WP-Cron, server cron, and plugin queues.
Problem
Scheduled tasks are not being triggered or completed when expected.
For: Administrators troubleshooting missed schedules, delayed emails, failed background jobs, or stale reports.
Workflow
What to review
Operational Impact
Missed cron affects emails, reports, updates, backups, and ecommerce automations differently.
WordPress AdminSeverity: MediumLast reviewed: 2026-09-16
Diagnosis
Symptoms, causes, checks, and fixes
Symptoms
- Scheduled posts miss their time.
- Background jobs stay pending.
- Plugin reports or syncs do not run.
- Site Health may mention loopback or cron problems.
Most Common Causes
- Low traffic on traffic-triggered WP-Cron.
- DISABLE_WP_CRON enabled without server cron.
- Loopback blocked.
- Long-running or failed scheduled action.
- Plugin queue backlog.
How To Confirm The Cause
- Check whether WP-Cron is disabled.
- Inspect scheduled action queues if the plugin uses them.
- Confirm server cron exists and calls wp-cron.php.
- Review loopback status.
Fixes
- Configure real server cron when needed.
- Fix loopback/caching rules.
- Clear or repair failed plugin queue jobs only with plugin guidance.
- Reduce long-running tasks.
How To Verify The Fix
- Trigger or wait for a scheduled task.
- Confirm queue age decreases.
- Check logs for successful cron runs.
When To Contact Support
Contact hosting support to configure server cron or inspect process timeouts.
References