Category: jetpack.com

Things don’t always go perfectly, and they seem to go wrong at the worst possible time. If you have a website, you may be familiar with this conundrum. Right when you’re about to publish a post you’ve been working on for hours, your power goes out, your browser crashes, or your cat walks across your keyboard.

But all is not lost! The WordPress autosave feature makes it possible to get that work back quickly and easily. Let’s find out how. 

What is WordPress autosave?

Autosave is enabled on WordPress sites by default to help site owners protect their content. It automatically saves posts and pages while you’re using the Editor so that, if your site goes offline or something else goes wrong, you haven’t lost all of your hard work.

If something happens, simply try reloading your browser. With autosave enabled, WordPress should have a recent backup of the post that you can restore with a single click.

We say “recent” backup because a copy of your page or post is saved based on a time interval, not after every single keystroke. 

What is the default autosave interval on WordPress?

Autosave intervals tend to be relatively low to offer the highest level of protection. By default, the WordPress autosave interval is 60 seconds, but that may vary depending on your web host’s configuration.

Some hosts with limited resources will increase autosave intervals to avoid performance issues. That’s unlikely to be a problem if you’re using a quality provider.

In most cases, it’s not possible to check the default autosave interval on WordPress. But you can change that interval manually, which we’ll cover in the tutorial portion of this article.

Can you change your autosave settings?

WordPress lets you change the default autosave settings, but to do so, you’ll need to edit core files manually. That means accessing your site’s server via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or your web hosting control panel.

You can change autosave settings by editing the wp-config.php file in the WordPress root directory. This allows you to do any of the following:

• Enable autosave (if it was disabled previously)
• Disable autosave (by increasing its interval to a high number)
• Modify the autosave interval in WordPress

Another way to modify the autosave settings in WordPress is to edit the functions.php file for the theme you’re using. Adding custom code to functions.php will disable autosave for specific post types or turn off the feature altogether if needed.

What’s the difference between autosaves and revisions in WordPress?

The goal of autosaves is to save work in progress in case something goes wrong while editing a page or a post. Autosaves take place in the background, even without you hitting the Save Draft button.

Revisions are drafts of posts or pages that you’ve manually saved. When you save a new draft, WordPress stores previous versions as revisions in case you want to revert back. Autosaves are not listed as revisions, as they’re a separate system.

With WordPress, you can only have one autosave at a time. But the revisions system lets you store multiple drafts of a post or page, then easily view changes and toggle between them.

How to use and manage WordPress autosaves

How can you manage autosaves and edit their settings? Making certain changes requires editing WordPress core files and dealing with code — we’ll guide you through those processes step by step. But first, let’s talk about restoring autosaves.

1. How to restore WordPress autosaves

Restoring a WordPress autosave is simple. If you exit the Editor without saving changes to the page or post, WordPress will warn you that you might lose those changes.

After opening the Editor again, WordPress will let you know if it has an autosave available. Then, you can click on the Restore the backup button to load the autosave.

WordPress will load the autosaved version of the post you’re working on. From this point on, you can continue editing the post, but probably want to save drafts periodically to avoid further problems.

2. How to delete a WordPress autosave

WordPress stores autosaves in the database. If you want to delete an autosave, there are three ways to go about it. You can access the database using a tool like phpMyAdmin and find the corresponding entry, wait for new autosaves to overwrite old ones, or use a plugin to do the job for you.

From a practical perspective, there’s little reason to delete one single autosave from the database. But some users report seeing moderate increases in site performance after removing unnecessary entries, like revisions and autosaves.

Using a plugin to “clear out” the database may not be necessary if you have a hosting plan that offers great performance and you’ve taken steps to optimize your website. Still, plugins like Advanced Database Cleaner make the process very straightforward and can also help you clear orphaned tables from the database.

To use Advanced Database Cleaner to delete WordPress autosaves, install and activate the plugin, then go to the WP DB Cleaner tab in WordPress. This page includes a list of the database tables you can clean, including one that says Auto drafts.

Select the Auto drafts element, choose Clean from the Bulk actions menu, and click on Apply. The plugin will ask you to confirm the decision and, afterwards, it will delete all available autosaves for your website.

3. How to change the WordPress autosave interval

If you want to change your website’s autosave interval, you’ll need to edit the wp-config.php file. To access that file, connect to your site via FTP using a tool like FileZilla.

Once you establish an FTP connection, navigate to your WordPress website’s root folder. That folder can have several different names, including www, public_html, or your site’s name. 

If you can’t identify it, these are some of the files and folders you should see inside the root directory, including the wp-content and wp-admin folders:

This folder also contains the wp-config.php file. Right-click it and select the Edit option. This will open wp-config.php using your default text editor.

To change the autosave interval, you’ll need to add the following line of code:

define( 'AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL', 60 );

The crucial part of that code is the number. In the example above, it’s set to 60 seconds. You can change it to any value you want, but we recommend against exceeding one minute. Autosave has a negligible impact on your site’s performance, so it’s better to run it often to keep your work safe.

When you’re done, save the changes to wp-config.php and close the text editor. Your FTP client might ask if you want to save the new version of the file to the server. Confirm the changes, and you’re good to go.

4. How to disable WordPress autosave

Autosave is enabled by default in WordPress, but you can disable it manually for posts, pages, or both. Unfortunately, these settings aren’t available via the WordPress admin dashboard. So, you’ll need to connect to your website via FTP. 

Navigate to your root folder and find the functions.php file. Open the file and add the following line of code:

add_action( 'admin_init', 'disable_autosave' );

function disable_autosave() {

wp_deregister_script( 'autosave' );

}

Don’t forget to save your work!

An alternative method of disabling the autosave feature is to follow the same steps for changing the autosave interval as above but set the interval to be an entire day. While this doesn’t turn off autosave entirely, it would only kick in after 24 hours. To do this, follow the instructions above, but add this line of code to your wp-config.php file:

define('AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL', 86400); 

5. How to enable WordPress autosave

Autosave is enabled in WordPress by default. You don’t need to turn on the feature manually unless it was disabled at some point.

If the autosave feature isn’t working on your site, it might be due to a change in the autosave settings or code inside of the wp-config.php or functions.php files. In these cases, we recommend opening both files to see if there’s custom code that modifies the autosave functionality.

You can find examples of what this code looks like in the previous sections of this tutorial, where we show you how to disable autosave and modify its interval settings.

If you find similar code in either or both files, you can delete it to re-enable autosave in WordPress. Before you do this, though, we recommend backing up your site fully in case you run into any errors while editing your files.

Frequently asked questions about WordPress autosave

If you have any questions about how autosave works in WordPress, this section will answer them.

Can I preview an autosave in WordPress?

In the past, WordPress let you preview autosaves before restoring them. That feature is no longer available. Now, the Editor simply asks if you want to restore the autosave if one is available. 

Which types of content does WordPress autosave?

WordPress only autosaves posts and pages. You can configure the Content Management System (CMS) to autosave custom post types, which requires adding some code to their respective settings files.

Does WordPress automatically save drafts?

WordPress requires you to save drafts manually to store them as revisions. If you don’t save a draft and the editor closes, you might be able to access an autosave when you reopen it. But the availability of an autosave will depend on the interval that you configure.

WordPress autosave isn’t working, what can I do?

If autosave isn’t working, someone might have disabled it for your posts and pages. You can check out the earlier instructions for disabling autosave for posts and pages. You may want to reach out to your hosting provider and ask if this was done on your plan.

Can I autosave my whole site in real-time?

WordPress autosave only works for posts and pages. If you want to save every aspect of your website, including its media library, settings, plugins, themes, and other elements, you’ll need to use a WordPress backup plugin.

For most websites, having full backups is a much better solution than relying solely on autosaves. With frequent backups, you can restore your website to a previous state if you delete content, run into a technical error, or need to undo changes to the site.

Although you can back up your website manually, the process can take a while, and we recommend making full copies frequently. With Jetpack Backup, you get automatic real-time backups of your entire website. That means the plugin creates and saves new copies of your site as you make changes to it.

Jetpack Backup can store backups for up to 30 days or a full year (depending on which plan you use) and lets you restore any of them with only a click. Additionally, you’ll have access to premium technical support in case anything goes wrong with your backups. 

Use autosave to protect your work in WordPress

Autosave is an excellent feature for sites of any kind. After all, having a recent autosave can mean the difference between losing hours of work or picking up right where you left off if something ever goes wrong. While autosaves won’t help you restore deleted content, they can ensure that you don’t lose anything you’re currently working on.

On top of using autosave, creating website backups can ensure that you never lose your work. Jetpack Backup will automatically save your site in real-time and allow you to restore it with a single click. 

Get Jetpack Backup. 

It’s common for a plugin to cause a fatal or critical error in WordPress that results in loss of access to a site’s public web pages or WP Admin area. That fact that it is common doesn’t make it any less terrifying to experience. When a fatal error occurs on a WordPress site, it is usually due to a bug in the responsible plugin or theme code that causes the affected site’s server to become stuck and unable to respond to requests.

Usually, the WordPress.org software displays a critical error message when a bug on the site is causing an error preventing the site from working. WordPress also emails the site administrator with more details about the error. If you cannot find that email, the next best step would be to check the PHP error logs in your web hosting account, if those are available. If you’re unsure how to access those logs, your web host can help you. You can also put WordPress in debug mode and check the error messages displayed when you attempt to visit your site.

However you get the error messages, the entire message should include the name of the plugin, theme folder, or file causing the error. Upon discovering the plugin causing the error, you might wonder how to remove the plugin or theme and get your site working again when the plugin error prevents you from accessing your WP Admin area. Deactivating plugins via WP Admin is not the only way. There’s another way:

Step 1: Get your site’s SSH, SFTP, or FTP credentials

Now that your site is down, you’ll need the correct credentials to access your site’s files remotely via other non-HTTP means. SSH (Secure Shell), SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol), FTPS (also known as FTP-SSL, and FTP Secure), and FTP (File Transfer Protocol) are different types of server access protocols/schemes.

These credentials allow you, or a service like Jetpack Backup, to directly access your site’s files on the server powering your website. You can get these from your hosting account dashboard or with the help of your hosting provider’s support. Note that these server access credentials are unique and different from your WP Admin login details and, in most cases, your host’s control panel or dashboard login.

Step 2: Download a file transfer client application

For the next step, you will need to use a file transfer client app/software like FileZilla or Transmit. The file manager option in your WordPress hosting control panel is also a good option, but it might be better to use a file transfer client as they consistently provide better interfaces for viewing your site’s files than many hosting account file managers.

Step 3: Connect to your server using the credentials

Once you have your SSH, SFTP, or FTP credentials and a file transfer app installed on your device, proceed to connect to your site using the credentials. FileZilla has some usage instructions that should help guide you along the way. Transmit also has a help guide on using their Quick Connect feature to connect to your server.

The general process is to choose the protocol or server type and to fill out the form with the details (server address, username, password, port, and remote WordPress installation path that you have gotten from your hosting account, support, or server administrator). Once you have done that, click Connect or the equivalent on the file transfer app of your choice to connect to your server. When you have successfully connected, you should see a list of files and directories in the remote path you provided. Here’s what that looks like in Transmit:

Step 4: Rename the plugin folder to deactivate it

Now that you’re connected and can see your site’s files and folders, navigate to the wp-content folder. Inside this wp-content folder, you will see a folder called plugins where WordPress stores the files for all plugins installed on your website.

Navigate to the plugins folder, select the plugin culprit and right-click to view more options. Click Rename or the equivalent on your chosen file transfer client. Then set the new name of the folder to something like plugin-name.deactivate. In other words, add .deactivate to the name of the folder. Here’s what that the rename option looks like in Transmit:

Once you rename the plugin, it will be deactivated because WordPress won’t be able to find the plugin folder when it looks there. If that plugin was the cause of the critical error, you should regain access to your WordPress site and the admin area. If you navigate to WP Admin > Plugins, you should see a notification saying that the plugin has been deactivated because the plugin file does not exist like so:

That’s it. You can follow the same steps to deactivate a theme if a theme is responsible for the critical error. Only this time, you should navigate to wp-content/themes when you have connected to your site via SSH, SFTP, or FTP. If a theme bug is actually stopping you from accessing your site, then renaming the theme folder should resolve the issue.

Hopefully, this article has helped you resolve a critical error on your site. You may want to check out our Jetpack Backup product or the Jetpack Security bundle to keep your WordPress site’s data safe. With regular malware scans, a web application firewall, real-time backups, and one-click restores, you can relax and focus on publishing awesome content for your readers.

When you’re trying to access a website, the last thing you want is to experience technical difficulties. Unfortunately though, you’re likely to encounter a few, like the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error, at some point while managing a site.

The good news is that there are plenty of steps you can take to resolve the issue relatively quickly. The key is understanding what the error message means and following some simple troubleshooting steps to fix it. Regardless of which device or operating system (OS) you’re using, you should be able to get your browsing experience back on track with minimal effort.

In this post, we’ll explain what the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error means and some common things that cause it. Then, we’ll walk you through the steps you can take to fix it on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.

What the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error means

There are a wide variety of WordPress error messages you might encounter when trying to access your website. Some have to do with WordPress directly while others, like the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error, arise from other sources.

The above error message is what you’ll see using Google Chrome. But, you may also encounter it on other devices, browsers, and operating systems. If you’re not using Chrome, the exact wording of the error message may vary.

For instance, in Mozilla Firefox, it might look something like this instead:

In Microsoft Edge, it usually appears similar to the following:

Meanwhile, Safari displays a message like this:

The DNS_PROBE FINISHED NXDOMAIN error is returned if the nameserver cannot find the requested domain. This may happen due to a number of reasons. It’s often seen when trying to connect to a website using a web browser. Typically, it indicates an issue with your network or “DNS.”

Before we get into what might be causing this error message, it’s helpful to understand what each element of the response code means. DNS stands for domain name system. A DNS server is responsible for translating human-friendly domain names (like http://www.Jetpack.com) into internet protocol (IP) addresses (like 192.168.0.1).

Your web browser does this automatically when you type in a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) into the address bar. To put it simply, when you type a URL in your browser, you’re asking the DNS server to translate the name into an IP address.

This process of requesting your computer to find the IP address of a website is referred to as a DNS probe. If the DNS server does not have a record for the requested name, then it returns an NXDOMAIN (Non-Existent Domain) error.

Common causes of the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error

There are many reasons why you may be seeing the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error message. Some of the most common causes include:

• A typo in the URL or an incorrect IP address: Sometimes it can be as simple as mistyping the URL of the website you’re trying to visit. 
• Antivirus or firewalls blocking access to the name server: It’s not uncommon for antivirus or firewall software to block access to certain websites, resulting in the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error.
• Misconfigured server settings or DNS configuration: Your computer may be configured to use the wrong DNS server or your internet service provider’s (ISP) DNS server may be unavailable.
• Mismatched hostname: The hosts file on your computer may be blocking access to the website you’re trying to visit. You can check and edit your hosts file to see if that’s the case.
• A DNS lookup timeout: The DNS lookup process can time out if it’s taking longer than expected. 
• Browser cache and cookies: Another common cause of this error is an outdated or corrupt cache and cookies in your browser.

It’s also possible that you’re seeing this error message simply because the server is down. If that’s the case, you’ll want to check back again in a few minutes.

Keep in mind that you might not be able to identify the source of this error message until you begin troubleshooting. You may have to attempt a handful of potential solutions before you uncover the problem and, in turn, take the necessary steps to remedy it.  

How to fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on desktop (Windows & Mac)

Now that we understand a bit more about what the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error is and what might be causing the problem, it’s time to get into how you can go about resolving it. The exact steps you should take will depend on the device that you’re using. To start, we’ll show you how to fix it on desktops, including both Windows and Mac. 

1. Restart your device and router/modem

It’s possible that you’re seeing this error message because of your internet connection. So, after you’ve confirmed that you’ve entered the correct URL, it’s a good idea to check your internet connection, to make sure it’s working properly.

If everything seems to be operating as it should, the next step is to restart your device, as well as your router (or modem). You’ll need to power down your computer, then unplug your router or modem and wait a minute or so.

After that, you can plug it back in. Once you’re connected to the internet again, turn your computer back on and try revisiting the website. This may seem obvious, but it’s a tactic you won’t want to skip. 

2. Clear your browser cache and cookies

If you’re experiencing issues with a particular website, one thing you can try is clearing your browser cookies and cache. Browser cookies and cache are two web technologies that are used to store data in order to improve the web browsing experience.

In a nutshell, browser cookies are small files that are stored on a user’s computer by the websites they visit. They’re used to store data such as login information, preferences, and other details that can help improve the user experience (UX) on a site.

Cache is a type of storage that is used by web browsers and servers in order to save frequently accessed data so that it can be quickly retrieved when needed. Both browser cookies and caching can help improve the speed and performance of web browsing. However, if not managed properly, they can also lead to privacy and security issues.

Clearing your browser cookies and cache will remove any temporary data that could be causing the problem.

2.1 Windows

To do this in Windows, go to the Start menu and type “Internet Options” into the search bar. Then, click on the Internet Options icon when it appears in the results.

In the Internet Options (or Internet Properties) window, go to the General tab and click on Delete in the Browsing history section. Make sure to check both the cookies and website data and the Temporary Internet files and website files options. Then, click on Delete.

Alternatively, you can clear your browser cookies and cache within the browser you’re using. 

For instance, if you’re navigating with Google Chrome, you can click on the three vertical dots in the upper right-hand corner followed by More tools → Clear browsing data. In the window that appears, make sure the three items are selected, then click on the Clear Data button.

2.2 Mac

On a Mac, you’ll have to clear your cache in Safari. To do this, open Safari and click on Safari → Preferences in the top menu bar.

In the Preferences window, go to the Privacy tab and click on Remove All Website Data.

This will remove all cookies and cached data for all websites. Select Remove Now to confirm. Then, restart your browser and try loading the website again.

3. Refresh your DNS cache

Similar to a browser cache, a DNS cache is a type of storage that is used by DNS servers in order to save frequently accessed data. DNS servers use this in order to save time when resolving IP addresses.

If the DNS server has recently resolved an IP address for a certain website, it will be able to quickly retrieve the IP address from its DNS cache rather than having to look up the address again. This can help improve the speed of web browsing. But if it becomes outdated or corrupt, it can also lead to a wide range of issues, including the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error.

3.1 Windows

To flush your DNS cache in Windows, go to the Start menu and type “cmd” into the search bar. Click on the Command Prompt icon.

In the Command Prompt window, type “ipconfig /flushdns” and press Enter.

3.2 Mac

To flush your DNS cache on Mac, open the Terminal application. You can do this by going to the Applications → Utilities folder or by searching for it in Spotlight.

In the Terminal window, type “dscacheutil -flushcache” and press Return. This will clear your DNS cache.

4. Release and renew your IP address

If you’re still seeing the error message, the next step is to release and renew your IP address. This allows your computer to communicate with the network more effectively, which can improve your internet speeds and reduce any connectivity issues you may be experiencing. 

4.1 Windows

To do this in Windows, you’ll want to return to the Command Prompt window. This time, type the following commands, pressing your Enter key after each:

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew

4.2 Mac

If you’re using macOS, you can navigate to your Terminal application. Then enter the following:

sudo killall –HUP mDNSResponder

After that, hit your Return key. Note that it may ask you to enter your device admin password to proceed. 

5. Change your DNS servers

If you’re still having trouble accessing a website, you can try selecting a different DNS server. While there are a handful of alternatives you can use, a popular choice is the standard Google Public DNS. Google Public DNS is a free, global DNS resolution service.

It can make your internet browsing both faster and more secure. The service uses modern Anycast technology to spread traffic across multiple servers around the world. It also leverages DNSSEC to validate responses.

5.1 Windows

To change your DNS servers in Windows, go to Control Panel → Network and Internet. Then, select the Network and Sharing Center option.

Once there, click on the Change adapter settings in the left sidebar.

This will open the Network Connections window. Right-click on your active network connection and select Properties from the drop-down menu.

In the Properties window, go to the Networking tab and select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) from the list of options, followed by the Properties button. 

In the IPv4 Properties window, select the Use the following DNS server addresses radio button.

Next, you can enter “8.8.8.8” for the Preferred DNS server and “8.8.4.4” for the Alternate DNS server. Click on OK to save your changes and close the window.

5.2 Mac

You can use these same addresses for Mac. But, to get there, you’ll need to open the System Preferences application by clicking on the Apple icon in the top menu bar. Then select System Preferences from the drop-down menu.

In the System Preferences window, go to Network and choose the network interface you want to configure in the left sidebar. Next, click on the Advanced button.

In the window that opens, go to the DNS tab and select the + icon.

This will allow you to enter a custom DNS server. When you’re done, you can click on the OK button.

6. Temporarily disable your antivirus or firewall

6.1 Windows

To disable your antivirus and firewall in Windows, navigate to your Control Panel then go to the System and Security section and click on the Windows Firewall option.

In the Windows Firewall screen, click on the Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off option in the left sidebar.

After that, click on the Off (not recommended) radio button for both the Private network settings and Public network settings options. Select OK to save your changes and close the screen. 

6.2 Mac

To disable your antivirus and firewall on Mac, open the System Preferences application, then go to the Security & Privacy application.

Select the Firewall tab. Next, click on the Turn Off Firewall button.

You will be prompted to confirm your decision. Simply click on the Turn Off Firewall button again to confirm.

7. Check your hosts file

A hosts file is a text file that maps hostnames to IP addresses without using a DNS server.

When a computer visits a website, it first checks the hosts file to see if it can resolve the hostname to an IP address. If it can, then it will connect to the website using the IP address. Otherwise, it will use DNS to resolve the hostname.

7.1 Windows

To check your hosts file in Windows, go to the Start menu and type “Notepad” into the search bar and select the Notepad application.

Click on the File menu and select Open from the drop-down menu. In the Open window, navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc and select the hosts file.

Make sure that All Files is selected in the drop-down menu next to the File name field. Click on the Open button to open the hosts file in Notepad.

Within this file, check whether the website that you’re trying to access that’s throwing the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error is listed. If it is, delete it, save the file, then try refreshing your browser.

Also, you don’t necessarily need to use the Notepad application to do this. You can use any text editor in Windows that lets you access and modify your files. 

7.2 Mac

To check the hosts file in Mac, open the Terminal application. In the command prompt, type “sudo nano /etc/hosts” and press Enter. This will open the hosts file in a text editor. 

Again, look for the site that you’re trying to access and delete it if you find it listed. When you’re done, press on your Ctrl+X keys to exit the Nano text editor and save your changes.

That’s it! After completing the above steps, you should no longer see the NDS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error message on the WordPress website you’re trying to access from your computer. 

How to fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on Mobile (iOS & Android)

As we mentioned, you can also come across this error message when you’re browsing on your mobile device, not just a desktop computer. The process for resolving this issue is slightly different than if you were using a PC. Below is how you can fix the DNS_PROBE_FINSIHED_NXDOMAIN error on mobile for both Android and iOS.

1. Check for any app or system updates

To get started, first try restarting your mobile device. This may help resolve any minor connection issues you’re experiencing that may be leading to the error.

If this doesn’t work, the next step is to check to see whether your system or browser app requires any updates.

1.1 Android

On Android devices, you can do this by browsing to Settings → System.

Navigate to System update. If there is a new version available, it will tell you. In that case, simply update it, then try visiting the site once more. 

To check for any updates on your Chrome app, you can open the Play Store, then search for “Chrome.” If one is available, you can click on the Update button next to it.

1.2 Apple iOS

If you’re using Apple iOS, you can check for system updates by selecting the Settings application (the gear icon), followed by General.

Next, click on Software Update.

If one is available, it will inform you on the screen. You can select Update Now to proceed. 

To update any browser apps you use, you can navigate to the Apps Store from your home screen. Select the icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen. Here, you can find all the applications on your device that currently have an updated version available.

Scroll through the list and update any browser apps that you use. When you’re done, restart your device and try accessing the website again. 

2. Clear your browser cookies and cache 

As with desktop devices, you might be able to resolve this error message by clearing your browser cookies and cache.

2.1 Android

If you’re using Android, you can open your Chrome app and then select the three vertical dots.

Next, navigate to Settings → Storage → Apps → Chrome.

After you select Free up storage space, you’ll be prompted to do so. This will clear any unnecessary files or data. 

2.2 Apple iOS

In Apple iOS, you can open your Settings application then scroll down to Safari.

On the next screen, scroll to the bottom to locate the Privacy & Security section.

Next, select Clear History and Website Data.

In the popup that appears, click on Clear History and Data. This will remove your history, cookies, and other browsing data. 

3. Change your DNS settings

As with a desktop, the DNS settings of your mobile device may be to blame when you’re seeing this pesky error message. So, the next step is to try changing your network settings.

3.1 Android

If you’re an Android user, you can do this by opening your Settings app, then navigating to Network & Internet.

Next, tap and hold the Wi-Fi network connection, then click on Modify network.

In the Advanced options section, select Static then scroll to the bottom to locate the DNS server addresses fields.

For the preferred DNS value, you can enter “8.8.8.8” for DNS 1 and “8.8.4.4” for DNS 2. Save your changes then refresh your browser.

3.2 Apple iOS

For iOS, open your Settings application then select your Wi-Fi connection and select it again on the next screen. Scroll down to the DNS section and click on Configure DNS.

On the next screen, select Manual followed by Add Server.

You can then enter the same values as above into the fields. When you’re done, click on the Save button in the top right-hand corner of the screen. 

Why backups are a WordPress site’s best friend 

At this point, hopefully, you’ve learned how you can resolve the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error in WordPress.

To help minimize the potential damage that may occur as a result of website or browser errors, it’s essential to consistently create backups of your website. When it comes to WordPress site maintenance and management, the importance of backups can’t be stressed enough.

One of the reasons they should be a priority is that they help ensure your website’s content will always be available, even if something happens to your original files. Backups also make it easy to restore your website if it is ever hacked or damaged.

Plus, having a backup can save you a lot of time and money if you ever need to rebuild your site from scratch. The more frequently you back up your website, the more likely you are to have an updated version of it to restore in an emergency.

How often should you back up your WordPress website? It depends on how often you make changes to it. If you only update your site occasionally, then backing it up once a month or so should be sufficient. However, if you are constantly tweaking your site, then you may want to consider a solution that saves every change.

Real-time backups mean that your website’s content is constantly being saved as you make modifications. They also make it easy to restore your website to a previous state in a matter of minutes.

For WordPress users, Jetpack Backup is a trusted option for those looking to protect their work.

It offers a complete solution for handling website backups. It’s intuitive, easy to use, and lets you restore your site from anywhere, even if it’s offline.

Take control of your WordPress maintenance

If you see the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error when you’re trying to connect to a website, it likely means that the DNS can’t find the address of the page you’re trying to reach. This can happen for a number of reasons. Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to resolve it.

As we discussed in this post, you can often fix this error by simply checking and refreshing your DNS and network settings. In addition to configuring proper DNS and browser settings, it’s also important to make sure you’re creating regular backups of your website so you can quickly resolve other site or browser-related errors in the future.

When putting together a WordPress site, it’s easy to get lost in the details. The content management system (CMS) offers so many features and options, it can be hard to decide what’s best for your website.

There’s a lot of talk about topics like what pages to include or how to set up a site header and menu. However, a slightly less talked about feature is the widget.

Thankfully, that’s the focus of our article today. We’ll break down what WordPress widgets are, explain how they work, and offer examples of how to set up widgets on multiple areas of your website.

There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started.

What are WordPress widgets?

A WordPress widget is a drag-and-drop content feature that you can place almost anywhere on your WordPress website.

Widgets were originally designed to give users more control over their sidebar content. Over time, however, the WordPress community found new and improved ways to use widgets throughout a site.

For example, most WordPress themes now come equipped with widget-ready areas that can be used to display all sorts of helpful information.

This includes things like social media feeds, email opt-in forms, search bars, and more. You can even use widgets to create custom navigation menus in certain areas of your site.

In other words, widgets are versatile tools that can be used in a number of ways to improve the overall design and functionality of a WordPress website.

How do WordPress widgets work?

Now that we know what a WordPress widget is, it’s time to take a look at how they work.

For the most part, working with widgets is a pretty straightforward process. That said, there are a few key things you need to know before diving in and adding your first widget.

1. Widgets require a widget-ready area

As we mentioned before, not all WordPress themes come equipped with widget-ready areas. If you want to use them on your site, be sure to check and see if your theme has pre-designed locations for them.

If your theme does have widget-ready areas, you’ll be able to find them by navigating to the Appearance → Widgets section of your WordPress admin panel. Here, you should see a list of all the available widget areas on your site, as well as which ones are currently populated with content.

If you don’t see any widget areas listed, it’s likely that your theme doesn’t support them. In that case, you’ll need to either choose a different theme or look into installing a WordPress plugin that can create custom widget areas for you.

2. You can add widgets via the Appearance → Widgets section

The Appearance → Widgets area of the WordPress dashboard is where you’ll go to add, remove, and manage all the widgets on your site.

To add a new widget, simply drag and drop it from the list of available widgets into the desired location. Once you’ve added a widget to an area, you can then configure its settings to better suit your needs.

Let’s say you want to add a social media icon widget to your site. Drag and drop the Social Icons block wherever you’d like, then click on the widget to open its settings panel. 

This will appear on the right side of the page, and allow you to choose which social media platforms to display links for, as well as how many links to show, what order they should be displayed in, and more.

Some widgets will have more settings than others. For example, a simple text widget will only let you add content, whereas a more complex widget, like the Jetpack Display WordPress Posts widget, has settings for blog URL, the number of posts you’d like to display, whether the links should open in a new tab, etc. 

3. You can add widgets to multiple areas

For example, if you want to display a social media widget in both your sidebar and footer, you can simply add it to both areas from the Appearance → Widgets section.

This can be helpful if you want to make sure that your content is being seen by as many people as possible. It can also be useful for testing purposes, as you can easily add and remove widgets from different areas of your site without affecting the rest of your content.

What are some popular WordPress widgets?

There are all sorts of different WordPress widgets available, ranging from simple text boxes to complex social media plugins. If you’re using a block theme, you can also add any block that you’d like to a widgetized area.

Some of the most popular widgets include:

• The social media icons widget: This widget lets you display links to your social media profiles in a variety of ways.
• Social media feed widgets: A social feed widget lets you display a feed of your social media content on your website. This can be helpful for promoting your latest posts and engaging with your audience.
• A search bar: The search bar widget lets visitors quickly look for a specific piece of content on your site. This is especially helpful if you have a large volume of posts or pages.
• Email opt-in forms: An email opt-in form widget lets you collect email addresses from visitors so that you can add them to your mailing list. This is a great way to grow your list and promote your content.
• Calendar widgets: A calendar widget can be helpful for displaying events or deadlines on your site.
• Slideshow widgets: A slideshow widget lets you display a series of images in a rotating carousel. This is a great way to showcase multiple images on your site.
• RSS feed widgets: An RSS feed widget lets you display the latest content from another website on your site. This is helpful for keeping your content fresh and up-to-date.
• Weather widgets: A weather widget can be used to display the current weather conditions. This is useful for sites that are weather-dependent, such as a ski resort or golf course.

Of course, this is just a small sampling of the types of widgets that are available. There are hundreds of different plugins and themes that offer their own custom widgets, so do your due diligence in finding those that best serve your needs.

If you’re using Jetpack, you’ll enjoy access to quite a few widgets and blocks by default, including: 

• Embeds for external social platforms and services like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Loom, Eventbrite Checkout, and Pinterest. 
• Monetization widgets for accepting payments, integrating with OpenTable, and adding payment buttons. 
• Growth widgets for adding business hours, contact forms, Mailchimp integrations, and opt-in forms. 
• Widgets that enable you to add special content like authors, blog stats, media, GIFs, maps, star ratings, and tiled galleries. 

How and where to add WordPress widgets 

Now that we’ve covered some of the basics, let’s take a look at how you can actually add widgets to your WordPress site in detail.

The Appearance → Widgets section is where you’ll find all the available widget areas on your site. Simply click the + sign in the designated widgetized area and select from the available widgets. 

It’s important to note, however, that because widgets don’t have autosave or revisions functionality, you should always back up your WordPress site before adding new widgets or updating existing ones.

Here’s a brief rundown of how to add widgets to various places on a WordPress website. Note that these instructions assume that you’re using the Block Editor on your site.

1. In your sidebar

To add widgets to your sidebar, simply click Appearance → Widgets then click on the + icon and search for the widget you want to add.

In this example, we’ve added a business hours widget to the sidebar. 

By default, this widget will appear on all posts and pages. Be sure to click Update at the top of the screen to save your changes.

2. In your header

If your theme includes widget areas in the header, you can add blocks by going to Appearance → Widgets. All you need to do is locate the widgetized section that reads “Header” then click the + sign within it to search for and select a widget. 

Or, if you’re using a block theme, you can go to Appearance → Editor, open the Template Parts list, and click on Header. Then you can drag and drop blocks just like you would elsewhere on your site. 

3. In your footer

If your theme includes widget areas in the footer, you can add blocks from the Appearance → Widgets section. Just click the + sign under “Footer,” then select the appropriate widget to insert. 

Or, if you’re using a block theme, you can go to Appearance → Editor, open the Template Parts list, and click on Footer. Then you can drag and drop blocks just like you would elsewhere on your site. 

4. On specific pages or posts

If you want to conditionally display WordPress widgets (i.e. show or hide widgets based on certain conditions), you can do so using Jetpack. Simply install and activate the plugin, then go to the Appearance → Widgets section. 

Insert the widget as you would normally, then click the gear icon on the right hand side of the screen to access customization options. 

From there, scroll down to the Advanced section. Click the drop down, then select the button that says Add new rule. 

From here, you can choose whether you wish to show or hide this widget and choose where you’d like the rule to apply. 

Here, we’ve selected to Show widget on the Services page, and only that page. 

As always, be sure to click the Update button at the top of the Widgets screen to save these changes.

5. On specific categories or tags

This works similarly to the process of setting your preferences for the widget to appear on certain pages or posts.

Insert your widget where you’d like it to appear, then click the gear icon, and scroll down to Advanced. Click Add new rule and select Show this block under Visibility. Next to If select Category, then next to is, select the category pages on which you’d like the widget to appear.

If you want the widget to appear in multiple categories, you’ll need to set a new rule and repeat this process for each one. If you want it to appear for most categories with the exclusion of just a few, you’d be better served to select Hide this block, then choose the category for which you’d like to hide the widget. 

The process is identical for setting visibility rules for tags, date, author, and, if you have WooCommerce installed, taxonomy. 

6. Only to logged-in users

You can set visibility rules for how and when widgets appear for logged-in users as well. To do this, you’d perform the same tasks described previously: insert the widget, click the gear icon, select Advanced → Add new rule. 

Then choose Show this block and, next to If, select User. Next to Is, select Logged In. 

This can be especially helpful if you want to provide site maintenance and management resources for members of your team while they’re logged in or include exclusive content for members of your program. 

7. Only on specific devices or screen sizes 

There are certain instances where displaying widgets (especially sidebar widgets) would be intrusive and generally in the way. This mostly applies to mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. 

In these instances, hiding widgets on all mobile devices — or electing to only show them on devices with a certain screen size — is a great way to avoid this issue. 

To do this, you will need a plugin. Widget Options is ideal for the job. 

To install it, go to Plugins → Add New, then search for “Widget Options.” Install the plugin and click Activate. 

Next, go to Appearance → Widgets and select the widget for which you’d like to apply special device/screen size display rules. 

In this instance, we’ve selected the Search widget. You can see how the Widget Options plugin has added numerous visibility controls. 

Here, click the tab with the device icon. Select which devices you’d like the widget to be hidden on and click Save. 

How to add a new widget area in WordPress

In some cases, you might want to add an entirely new widgetized area to your WordPress site. The first thing you’ll need to do is to back up your site before making any changes. And you should also work with a child theme to avoid any mishaps. 

Next, you’ll need to add a new widget area to your functions.php file. You can do this by adding the following code, as detailed by Qode Magazine:

function register_custom_widget_area() {
register_sidebar(
array(
'id' => 'new-widget-area',
'name' => esc_html__( 'My new widget area', 'theme-domain' ),
'description' => esc_html__( 'A new widget area made for testing purposes', 'theme-domain' ),
'before_widget' => '<div id="%1$s" class="widget %2$s">',
'after_widget' => '</div>',
'before_title' => '<div class="widget-title-holder"><h3 class="widget-title">',
'after_title' => '</h3></div>'
)
);
}
add_action( 'widgets_init', 'register_custom_widget_area' );

Now that you have your new area registered in functions.php, you can start adding widgets to it from the Appearance → Widgets screen in your WordPress dashboard.

If you’re using the Block Editor, click the + sign below the new widget area and add widgets as you would normally.

Once you’ve done this, you’ll still need to add a bit of additional code to one of your theme’s files to make the new widgetized area appear on your site. Place the following code snippet (again from Qode Magazine) in the appropriate file, e.g. footer.php, sidebar.php, etc: 

<?php if ( is_active_sidebar( 'new-widget-area' ) ) : ?>
<div id="secondary-sidebar" class="new-widget-area">
<?php dynamic_sidebar( 'new-widget-area' ); ?>
</div>
<?php endif; ?>

How to export and import WordPress widgets

In some cases, you may need to export and import WordPress widgets. For example, you may want to move widgets from one WordPress site to another.

Exporting and importing WordPress widgets is a straightforward process. First, you need to install and activate a plugin to assist. You can use the Widget Options plugin discussed above to accomplish this task. 

Go to Settings → Widget Options and click Enable next to Import & Export Widgets. 

Then go to Tools → Import / Export Widgets. 

The options presented are super simple. You can either export widgets to then upload to another site or import widgets that you’ve already downloaded from elsewhere. 

Select the file(s) you’d like to upload if importing. Or, select where you’d like to save the exported files to on your computer. That’s all there is to it. 

Other plugins are available that perform this same function as well, including the Widget Importer & Exporter plugin.

How to disable widgets in WordPress

In some cases, you may need to disable widgets in WordPress. For example, you may want to disable the Recent Posts widget if you don’t publish content very often.

Disabling widgets in WordPress only takes a couple of steps. While logged into the WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance → Widgets and click on the one you’d like to disable. If you’d like to just get rid of the widget altogether — including any customization or settings you’ve configured — just click the widget and hit backspace or delete on your keyboard. 

If you’d like to maintain the settings you’ve ascribed to this widget, however, drag it by clicking the drag icon and placing it in the Inactive Widgets section. 

Frequently asked questions about WordPress widgets

Now that you’ve learned how to use WordPress widgets effectively, let’s answer some frequently asked questions.

Why are my WordPress widgets not displaying?

If your WordPress widgets aren’t displaying, the most likely reason is that you haven’t added any widgets to your sidebar. To fix this, go to Appearance → Widgets and add an element to the widgetized area that you’d like. 

Another reason why your WordPress widgets may not be displaying is because your theme does not support widgets. If that’s the case, then you need to switch to a widget-ready WordPress theme or manually add a widget area to your site as described above.

Why are my WordPress widgets not updating?

If you’re adding new widgets or updating existing widgets and the changes are not reflected on your website, then the most likely cause is caching. Caching enables browsers to serve saved copies of your website to returning visitors so that it loads much faster. However, this can occasionally cause temporary delays in displaying your updates to your site. 

If you’re using a caching plugin, then you need to clear the cache to see the changes on your website. If that still doesn’t work, you may need to check your hosting provider’s cache or clear your own browser cache.

Why is the widgets area not showing up in the admin dashboard?

If you don’t see the widgets area in your WordPress admin dashboard, then it is most likely because your theme doesn’t support widgets. In that case, you need to switch to a widget-ready WordPress theme.

How can I change the size of a WordPress widget?

The size of a WordPress widget is determined by the theme that you’re using. If you want to change the size of a widget, then you need to edit your theme’s stylesheet. Or, you can use a plugin like Widget Options to set the specific dimensions of each widget.

But with a block theme, instead of editing your theme’s code, you can use the WordPress Editor to make template changes. For example, if you have a Post Categories block in your footer, you can simply open the Footer template, then edit the dimensions for that specific block in just a few clicks — no code required! In fact, you can control significantly more aspects with the WordPress Editor than with widget areas. Customize everything from font and background color to button appearance. 

Where are widgets stored in the WordPress database?

Widgets are stored in the wp_options table under the name widget_sidebars. If you want to view all the widgets that are currently active on your website, then you can use the following SQL query:

SELECT * FROM wp_options WHERE option_name LIKE '%widget%'

This query will show all the records from the wp_options table that have the word “widget” in their option_name.

Do WordPress widgets slow down my website?

No, WordPress widgets do not slow down your website. However, if you’re using a lot of widgets, then it can make your website look cluttered and affect the user experience. Don’t get carried away with excessive widgets.

What’s the difference between a widget and a plugin?

A WordPress plugin is a piece of software that you can install on your website to add new features and functionality. Widgets are small blocks of content that you can add to your website’s sidebars and other widget-ready areas. Unlike plugins, widgets do not need to be installed and activated. However, you can install plugins to add additional widgets and blocks to your site.

WordPress widgets vs blocks — which to use and when?

WordPress widgets and blocks are two different ways to add content and functionality to your website. Widgets are older and have been around since WordPress version 2.2. Blocks, on the other hand, were introduced in WordPress version 5.0. 

Widgets are small pieces of content that you can add to your website’s sidebars and other widget-ready areas. Blocks are similar to widgets in that they add specific kinds of content to your site. The block-based widget editor was introduced to bring blocks to even more areas of WordPress, including the sidebar, header, and footer.

As long as you’re using a theme that supports the Block Editor, you can use blocks anywhere. You aren’t just limited to widgetized areas — but you can put a block in a widgetized area.

In many cases throughout this article, we use these terms interchangeably. 

Get started with WordPress widgets

We hope you’ve found this tutorial helpful and that you understand what WordPress widgets are and how to add them to your site. There are lots of fun and useful widgets to explore. Have fun creating a great site for your visitors and exploring unlimited possibilities with WordPress!