This error prevents you from visiting your own website which makes it difficult to troubleshoot. Many beginners aren’t sure if it is just them or everyone else seeing this error.
The ‘DNS server not responding’ error means that your browser was unable to establish a connection with the servers that are hosting the website.
This error usually occurs when there is an unavailable DNS provider, firewall issues, network connectivity problems, or when there is an issue in your internet modem or router.
That being said, let’s take a look at multiple ways to easily troubleshoot and fix the ‘DNS server not responding’ error on your website.
You might get the ‘DNS server not responding’ error because your internet connection has been disconnected. So to start, you need to make sure that you’re currently connected to the internet.
If your internet is connected, but the error is still present, then you can restart your internet connection by switching your computer on and off.
Or you can simply disconnect your router from its power supply and then wait at least a minute before reconnecting it.
After that, try visiting your WordPress blog to see if the error’s gone.
2. Try Switching to Another Web Browser or Incognito Mode
Sometimes this error occurs because there is an issue in your default web browser.
You can simply try to solve the ‘DNS server not responding’ error by visiting your WordPress site using another browser like Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge.
For example, if you use Google Chrome and the browser is showing the ‘DNS server not responding’ error, try accessing your website using Mozilla Firefox.
You could also try opening the page in a private tab, such as using Chrome’s Incognito mode.
If you are able to access the website in the other browser that means the problem is with your default web browser.
In that case, you can clear the browser cache to see if that fixes the issue. If that doesn’t solve the problem, then you can try reinstalling the browser.
3. Disable Your Firewall or Antivirus
Firewall and Antivirus programs protect your computer from malicious software.
However, sometimes these programs can also block trustworthy sites due to strict settings or an issue within the program itself.
To check if you’re getting the ‘DNS server not responding’ error due to these software, you need to temporarily deactivate your firewall and antivirus programs.
If you’re using Windows, then you can easily disable firewall and antivirus programs by selecting the Settings app from the Start menu.
Once you’re on the ‘Settings’ app, click the ‘Privacy and Security’ option from the sidebar.
Now simply choose the ‘Windows Security’ option in the ‘Privacy and Security’ tab.
On the ‘Windows Security’ page, you need to select the ‘Virus and Threat Protection’ option from the list.
After that, you need to toggle the switch below the ‘Microsoft Defender Firewall’ option and set it to Off.
If you’re using a Mac, then simply go to System Preferences » Security and Privacy from the Apple toolbar.
This will take you to the ‘Security and Privacy’ window.
Here simply click the ‘Firewall’ tab and then turn off the firewall.
You have now disabled the antivirus and firewall programs.
After disabling the firewall, visit your site to see if the error has been resolved.
4. Change the DNS Server Address
Sometimes the ‘DNS server not responding’ error is caused when the DNS server assigned to you by your internet service provider is unavailable or has incorrect information.
In that case, you can solve the problem by switching to a different public DNS server, such as Cloudflare or Google Public DNS which offer DNS address for free.
If you use Windows, go to the Windows Search Box from the taskbar and type ‘ncpa.cpl‘ to access the Network Connections page.
Once you’re on the ‘Network Connections’ page, right-click on the internet connection that you’re currently using.
Next, simply select the ‘Properties’ option from the prompt that opens up.
At this point, you may need to provide an administrator password. If you don’t have those permissions, contact your IT department or computer admin.
After that, you will see the ‘Properties’ window.
Here you have to locate and double-click the ‘Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)’ option from the list which will open up a new window.
Once here, simply check the ‘Obtain an IP address automatically’ box and then check the ‘Use the following DNS server addresses’ box.
After that, you need to type the DNS address you obtained from the public DNS servers and click the ‘OK’ button at the bottom.
For example: Cloudflare public DNS is 1.1.1.1 vs Google public DNS is 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
Now restart your computer and visit your site to see if the error is resolved.
If you’re a Mac user, simply select the Apple icon in the toolbar and click the ‘System Preferences option.
In the popup that appears, select ‘Network’ and then click on the ‘Advanced’ button.
After that, simply open the ‘DNS’ tab. Here you will find a ‘+’ button at the bottom-left corner.
Clicking it will add a new DNS server with the address 0.0.0.0.
Now go ahead and type the numbers for the public DNS server you want to use.
For example: Cloudflare public DNS is 1.1.1.1 vs Google public DNS is 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
After that, simply click on the ‘OK’ button which will take you back to the previous popup.
Here, simply click the ‘Apply’ button to save your changes.
Now, you need to visit your site to check if the error has been removed.
5. Flush Your DNS Cache
Just like your browser, the computer also stores all the IP addresses of the websites that you visit so it won’t have to look up the same IP address twice.
However, DNS cache information can get outdated which can cause the ‘DNS server not responding’ error on your site.
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Want to set up a local WordPress development environment without thumbing through pages and pages of documentation? Our WordPress local development cheatsheet will help you get up and running quick smart!
In this ‘no-fluff’ practical guide, we’ll cover briefly what WordPress local development is and some of the key benefits of using it, and we’ll then get straight into how to set up a local environment, install WordPress on your computer, and test your website before going live.
WordPress local development allows you to create a development environment for building, working, and testing WordPress sites on your computer without affecting your live site.
The local development environment replicates the production server, making it possible to test different scenarios and resolve issues before pushing changes to the live site.
Benefits of Local Development
Some of the key benefits of WordPress local development include:
Safe Testing Environment: The local development environment provides a safe space to test new features, plugins, and themes without affecting your live site.
Speed, Performance, and Efficiency: A local development environment is faster and more responsive than a remote server. This is because it runs on your computer, so your computer can access and process data much faster than a server, and there is no latency in communication between your machine and the server.
Cost-Effective: Setting up a local development environment eliminates the need for expensive hosting services and reduces the costs associated with deploying changes to a live site. You only need a computer and a text editor to get started.
Improved Collaboration: Multiple developers can work on a single project simultaneously without interfering with each other’s work.
Offline Development: With a local development environment, you can develop your site even when you’re offline.
Improved Security: Got a “top secret” project you want to work on? Since a local development environment runs on your machine, it is more secure than a remote server, so you can build and work on your site away from prying eyes. There is no risk of unauthorized access or hacking.
Before you can set up a local WordPress development environment, there are some things you’ll need.
What You’ll Need
In addition to a computer with enough storage space and processing power to support your development work, here’s all you need to set up a local development environment:
Local Server Software
You will need to install a local server software to run your local development environment.
XAMPP, MAMP, and WAMP are three popular options. Each of these local server software packages provide a complete development environment for web developers with all the necessary components (such as Apache web server, MySQL database, and PHP scripting language, in a single package), a control panel to manage these components and a tool to manage the database.
Each software package, however, also has its own unique features with key differences, so it’s important to choose one that meets your specific needs.
Let’s take a brief look at each:
XAMPP
XAMPP
XAMPP is a free, open-source, and easy-to-install web server software that provides a local development environment for web developers. It stands for Apache, MariaDB, PHP, and Perl, the four main components of XAMPP.
Some key features (and pros) of XAMPP:
Includes Apache web server, MariaDB database, and PHP and Perl scripting languages.
Supports multiple operating systems, including Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Easy-to-use control panel for managing web server and database components.
Option to install additional components such as phpMyAdmin for database management.
Cons:
Not as popular as MAMP or WAMP, so the community support may not be as strong.
More complex set-up compared to MAMP or WAMP, requiring more technical knowledge to install and configure components.
XAMPP is best for web developers who require a complete development environment with multiple components and are familiar with configuring and managing these components. It is also best for developers who work on multiple operating systems and need a cross-platform solution.
MAMP
MAMP
MAMP is a local server software that provides a development environment for web developers. It stands for Macintosh, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, the four main components of MAMP.
Some key features (and pros) of MAMP:
Includes Apache web server, MySQL database, and PHP scripting language.
Supported by macOS operating system, but can also be used for Windows-based OS.
Easy-to-use control panel for managing web server and database components.
Option to install additional components such as phpMyAdmin for database management.
Cons:
Can only use PHP scripting language.
Fewer components compared to XAMPP, which may limit some developers’ needs.
MAMP is best for web developers who work on the macOS operating system.
WAMP is a local server software that provides a development environment for web developers. It stands for Windows, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, the four main components of WAMP.
Some key features (and pros) of WAMP:
Includes Apache web server, MySQL database, and PHP scripting language.
Supports Windows operating system.
Easy-to-use control panel for managing web server and database components.
Option to install additional components such as phpMyAdmin for database management.
Cons:
Only supports Windows, so developers using macOS or Linux may need to look elsewhere.
Fewer components compared to XAMPP, which may limit some developers’ needs.
WAMP is best for web developers who work on the Windows operating system and who require a complete development environment with basic components.
While XAMPP, MAMP, and WAMP are all excellent choices for web developers looking for a local development environment, there are other options available, including Local by Flywheel, DesktopServer, and (if you need to work on WordPress locally on more than one machine) even installing and running WordPress from a USB.
Text Editor
The other component you’ll need is a text editor for WordPress development specifically designed for working with programming languages such as PHP. A text editor is essential for editing code and making changes to your website.
Let’s look at a couple of popular options for text editors:
Sublime Text
Sublime Text
Sublime Text is a popular text editor that is widely used by developers for coding and scripting purposes. It offers a clean, fast and intuitive interface, making it easy to work with large codebases.
Some key features of Sublime Text:
Syntax highlighting and code completion for over 80 programming languages
Customizable color schemes, key bindings, and macros
Advanced searching and editing tools such as multiple selections, split editing, and column editing
Instantly switch between projects with a project-specific settings system
Sublime Text is a great tool for developers who work on projects that require writing code in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It offers easy-to-use syntax highlighting, code completion, and editing tools that make the coding process fast and efficient.
Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code
Visual Studio Code is a free, open-source code editor developed by Microsoft. It offers a range of features and tools to help developers create and manage large-scale projects.
Some key features of Visual Studio Code:
IntelliSense, a smart and advanced code completion and debugging tool
Built-in Git support and debugging
Supports multiple programming languages and has a large library of extensions
Computer meets required specs
Selected local server software
Selected text editor
Great! Then let’s move on to the next step…
Installing Local Server Software
For this example, we’ll install XAMPP on a Windows operating system. Use the same process described below to install your chosen local server software on your computer and follow the software package’s specific instructions:
Download XAMPP: Go to the XAMPP official website and download the latest version of XAMPP for Windows.
Install XAMPP: Double-click the downloaded file to start the installation process. Run the downloaded installer file and follow the on-screen instructions to install XAMPP. By default, XAMPP will be installed in the C:\xampp directory.
Start XAMPP: After installation, open the XAMPP Control Panel from the Start menu or desktop shortcut. Start the Apache and MySQL modules by clicking on the “Start” buttons next to each module.
Verify installation: To verify that XAMPP is working correctly, open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost. This should display the XAMPP welcome page.
Create a virtual host: To create a virtual host, follow the steps outlined below.
XAMPP should now be installed and configured on your machine. You’re ready to start developing and testing your websites locally.
Note: The process of installing XAMPP or other local server software, such as MAMP or WAMP, may vary slightly depending on the operating system being used. For Mac and Linux operating systems, you can follow the installation instructions provided on the XAMPP website.
Setting up a virtual host in a local development environment allows developers to run multiple websites on their local machine, each with its own unique URL. This provides a more realistic testing environment and makes it easier to switch between different projects.
For the step-by-step guide below to set up a virtual host in your local development environment and start testing your websites:
1. Open the Apache configuration file: Open the configuration file for your local server software. For this example, we’re using XAMPP, so open the Apache configuration file, typically located at /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf or C:\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf.
2. Enable virtual hosting: Locate the section labeled “# Virtual Hosts” and uncomment the following line by removing the hash symbol (#) at the beginning of the line: #Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf.
3. Configure the virtual host: Open the virtual host configuration file, typically located at /etc/httpd/conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf or C:\xampp\apache\conf\extra\httpd-vhosts.conf.
4. Add a new virtual host: Add a new virtual host by creating a new block of code with the following format:
ServerName example.local
DocumentRoot "/path/to/document/root"
<Directory "/path/to/document/root">
AllowOverride All
Require all granted
Do this:
Replace “example.local” with the desired URL for the virtual host.
Replace “/path/to/document/root” with the full path to the document root directory for the virtual host.
5. Update the hosts file: The hosts file maps domain names to IP addresses. To make the virtual host accessible via the URL you specified, you’ll need to add an entry to the hosts file. The hosts file is typically located at /etc/hosts or C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts. Add a new line with the following format: 127.0.0.1 example.local. Replace “example.local” with the URL specified in the virtual host configuration. Save the changes to the configuration file.
6. Restart Apache: Restart the Apache local web server to apply the changes.
7. Test the virtual host: Test your virtual host by visiting the URL in a web browser. The browser should display the content of the document root directory for the virtual host.
Creating a Database for Your Local WordPress Installation
The next step before setting up a WordPress project locally is to create a database for your local development environment.
Follow these step-by-step instructions to create a database in XAMPP:
1. Open the XAMPP Control Panel: Open the XAMPP Control Panel from the Start menu or desktop shortcut. Make sure the Apache and MySQL modules are running.
2. Access phpMyAdmin: To access phpMyAdmin, open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost/phpmyadmin. This will open the phpMyAdmin interface in your browser.
3. Create a new database: In the phpMyAdmin interface, click on the “Databases” tab. In the “Create database” section, enter a name for your new database and select the “utf8mb4_general_ci” collation. Then, click on the “Create” button.
4. Create a new user: To create a new user for the database, click on the “Users” tab and then the “Add user” button. In the “Add user” form, enter a username and password for the new user, and select “Local” as the host. Make sure to grant all privileges to the user by checking the “Grant all privileges on database” checkbox. Finally, click on the “Go” button.
5. Save your details: Write down or save your database name, username and password. You will need these to connect the database to WordPress later.
After completing the above steps, you will have successfully created a database for your local WordPress installation and local development environment.
You can now use this database to store and manage your data as you develop and test your WordPress site locally.
Have you completed all of the above steps?
Installed local server software
Set up virtual host
Created database
Great! Then let’s move on to the next step…
Installing WordPress Locally
Now that we have prepared our local environment, the next step is to download, install, and configure WordPress.
Downloading and Installing WordPress on Local Server
Follow the steps below to complete this process:
Visit the WordPress website: Go to the official WordPress.org website and click on the “Download WordPress” button to download the latest version of WordPress.
Extract the archive: The WordPress download will be a compressed ZIP file. Extract the contents of the archive to a directory on your computer.
Move the extracted files to your local server: Move the contents of the extracted directory to the root directory of your local server. If you’re using XAMPP, for example, this is typically C:\xampp\htdocs on Windows or /Applications/XAMPP/htdocs on macOS.
Create a database: (Note: if you have been following along, this step should already be done.) Before installing WordPress, you’ll need to create a database. You can do this using a tool like phpMyAdmin, which is included with most local server software like XAMPP and MAMP.
Start the installation: Open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost/wordpress (or the equivalent URL for your local server). This will start the WordPress installation process.
Choose the language: On the first screen, select your preferred language and click the “Continue” button.
Fill in the database information: On the next screen, fill in the database information that you created in step 4. This includes the database name, database username, and database password.
Fill in the site information: On the next screen, fill in the information for your local WordPress site. This includes the site title, username, password, and email address.
Run the installation: Once you’ve filled in all the information, click the “Install WordPress” button to run the installation.
Log in to your site: After the installation is complete, log in to your local WordPress site using the username and password you created in step 8 to start customizing and developing your local site.
You have now successfully downloaded and installed WordPress.
You can now start customizing and developing your site locally, with all the benefits of a local development environment, before deploying your site to a live server.
Configuring wp-config.php File
The wp-config.php file is a crucial component in the setup of a local WordPress installation and local development environment. This file contains configuration settings that control how WordPress interacts with your database and other important settings.
If you have followed the installation instructions above, your database credentials will be automatically added to the wp-config.php file.
If, for any reason, you need to manually configure the wp-config.php file, follow the instructions below:
1. Create a wp-config.php file: If your local WordPress installation doesn’t already have a wp-config.php file, you can create one by copying the wp-config-sample.php file and renaming it to wp-config.php.
2. Update database credentials: Open the wp-config.php file and update the following lines with the appropriate information:
Replace database_name, database_user, and database_password with the values you used when creating the database and user in a previous step.
3. Set the WordPress security keys: WordPress security keys add an extra layer of security to your site by encrypting information stored in cookies. You can generate a set of security keys at the official WordPress site. Copy the generated keys and paste them into your wp-config.php file, replacing the placeholder keys that are already there.
4. Enable debugging: For local development, it’s useful to enable debugging in WordPress. This will provide more detailed error messages and warnings that can help you troubleshoot issues with your site. To enable debugging, add the following line to your wp-config.php file:
define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
5. Save the changes: Once you have made the changes to the wp-config.php file, save the file and close it.
Successfully configuring the wp-config.php file will ensure that your locally installed WordPress site is able to connect to the database, is secure, and provides helpful debugging information as you develop and test your site locally.
Importing a Live WordPress Site to Local Environment
Follow the steps below if you need to import a live WordPress site into your local environment:
Exporting the Live Site’s Database
To export the live site’s database, you’ll need to have access to the live site’s server.
Here are the steps to export the live site’s database (note: different server environments will perform this differently, but most should follow a similar process):
Log into your live server’s control panel.
Access the database: The first step is to access the database of the live site. You can do this using a tool like phpMyAdmin, which is often provided by your web hosting provider. Look for a section called “Databases” and click on “phpMyAdmin.”
Select the database: Once you’ve logged into phpMyAdmin, select the database for your live site from the left-side panel.
Export the database: Click on the “Export” button to start the export process.
Choose the export format: On the export screen, choose the “Quick” export method, select the “SQL” format and make sure that the “Structure” and “Data” options are selected.
Download the export file: Click the “Go” button to download the export file to your computer.
Importing the Database to the Local Server
To import the live site’s database to your local server, make sure your chosen local server software is already installed on your computer.
Here are the steps to import the live site’s database to your local server:
Open phpMyAdmin in your local server software: Log into phpMyAdmin for your local server and select the database you created for your local WordPress installation.
Import the database: Click on the “Import” button to import the data from the export file you just downloaded.
Select the import file: On the import screen, click on the “Choose File” button, select the export file you just downloaded, and click the “Go” button to start the import process.
Replacing URLs in the Database
After importing the live site’s database, you will need to replace the URLs in the database to match your local development environment.
Here are the steps to replace URLs in the database:
1. Open phpMyAdmin in your local server software.
2. Select the imported database from the left-side panel.
3. Click on the “SQL” tab.
4. Enter the following query in the text area:
UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = replace(option_value, 'http://www.livesite.com', 'http://local.livesite.com') WHERE option_name = 'home' OR option_name = 'siteurl';
UPDATE wp_posts SET guid = replace(guid, 'http://www.livesite.com','http://local.livesite.com');
UPDATE wp_posts SET post_content = replace(post_content, 'http://www.livesite.com', 'http://local.livesite.com');
5. Replace “http://www.livesite.com” with the URL of your live site, and replace “http://local.livesite.com” with the URL of your local development environment.
6. Click on the “Go” button to execute the query.
Uploading the Live Site’s Files to the Local Environment
To upload the live site’s files to the local environment, you will need to have FTP access to your live site’s server.
Follow the steps below to upload the live site’s files to your local environment:
Connect to your live site’s server using an FTP client such as FileZilla.
Navigate to the root directory of your live site on the server.
Download all the files to your local computer.
Place the downloaded files in the root directory of your local development environment, which is usually located in the “htdocs” or “www” folder in XAMPP or other local server software.
Notes:
If you already have a WordPress installation, the above folder won’t be empty and you will be prompted to replace existing files and directories, so replace all files except for the wp-config.php file to keep the same configurations, including the connected databases which have been populated with the live site’s data.
Before uploading the live site’s files to the local environment, you may need to change the file permissions to make the files writable by your local server software.
That’s it! You have now successfully imported your live site into your local WordPress installation and local development environment.
Developing and Testing on Local WordPress Site
You’re finally ready to develop and test your site locally using the same data as your live site, giving you a true-to-life environment for testing and development.
Let’s go through the process:
Making Changes and Testing
Log into the local WordPress site: Open your local WordPress site in your web browser and log in to the WordPress dashboard using your administrator credentials.
Make changes to the site: You can make changes to your local WordPress site by editing themes, plugins, or custom code. Simply access these elements from the WordPress dashboard.
Test changes: After making changes to your local WordPress site, it’s important to test the changes to make sure they work as expected. You can test changes by visiting the front-end of your site and checking that the changes have taken effect.
Debugging
Use the Debugging mode: WordPress has a built-in debugging mode that makes it easier to identify and resolve issues on your site. To enable the debugging mode, you need to add the following code to your wp-config.php file: define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );.
Check the error logs: If you’re having issues with your local WordPress site, you can check the error logs to see if there are any error messages or warning messages that can help you identify the issue. The error logs can be found in the WordPress debug log file, which is located in the wp-content directory.
Use debugging tools: There are a number of debugging tools and plugins available for WordPress that can help you identify and resolve issues on your site. For example, the Query Monitor plugin provides detailed information about database queries, plugin usage, and more. See this tutorial for help with debugging WordPress:Â Debugging WordPress: How To Use WP_Debug
Testing Different Plugins and Themes
Installing, activating, and testing plugins and themes on a local WordPress site works in exactly the same way as it does on any other regular WordPress site. So, make sure to do the following while in testing mode:
Install plugins: Install plugins on your local WordPress site to add new features or functionality to your site. To install a plugin, log in to the WordPress dashboard, go to the Plugins section, and click on the Add New button.
Activate plugins: Activate the plugin you’re testing after installing it to use it on your site. To activate a plugin, go to the Plugins section of the WordPress dashboard and click on the Activate button next to the plugin you want to use.
Test plugins: After activating a plugin, it’s important to test the plugin to make sure it’s working as expected. Test plugins by visiting the front-end of your site and checking that the plugin has taken effect.
Install themes: Install themes on your local WordPress site to change the appearance of your site. To install a theme, log in to the WordPress dashboard, go to the Appearance section, and click on the Themes button.
Activate themes: Activate the theme after installing it to change your site’s appearance. To activate a theme, go to the Appearance section of the WordPress dashboard and click on the Activate button next to the theme you want to use.
Test themes: After activating a theme, it’s important to test the theme to make sure it’s working as expected. Test themes by visiting the front-end of your site and checking that the theme has taken effect.
Have you make all the changes you need, debugged issues, and tested different plugins and themes on your local site?
Great! Now you’re ready to make your local WordPress site live.
Deploying Local WordPress Site to Live Server
The final step in this process is to export all of your local WordPress files and database to your live hosting environment and make sure that all of your site’s changes, configurations, and URLs are working on your live site.
Exporting the Local Site’s Database
Follow the steps below to export your local WordPress site to your live server:
Log in to the local site’s database using PHPMyAdmin.
Select the database you want to export.
Go to the “Export†tab.
Choose the “Quick†export method.
Select the “SQL†format.
Click “Go†to download the SQL file to your computer.
Importing the Database to the Live Server
Follow the steps below to import your local WordPress database’s export file into your live site:
Log in to the live server’s database using PHPMyAdmin.
Create a new database for the live site.
Go to the new database and select the “Import†tab.
Choose the exported SQL file from your local site.
Click “Go†to import the database.
Now that you have migrated the database over from your local site to your live site, let’s do the same for your site’s files.
Uploading the Local Site’s Files to the Live Server
Follow the steps below to upload your local WordPress site’s files into your live site:
Prepare the files: Before uploading the local site’s files to the server, it’s a good idea to review and clean up the files. This may include removing any unnecessary files, such as backups or test files, to minimize the amount of data being uploaded.
Connect to the server: You can connect to the server using a variety of methods, such as FTP or SFTP. You will need to use a client software, such as FileZilla, to connect to the server. You will need to provide your server host, username, and password to connect.
Upload the files: Once you are connected to the server, you can upload the local site’s files to the server. You can upload the files in a number of ways, including uploading individual files or uploading the entire local site folder. Navigate to the root directory of the live site on the server. Upload all the local site’s files to the live site’s directory on the server, and replace the existing files if prompted.
Update the database information: After uploading the files to the server, you will need to update the database information in the wp-config.php file to reflect the live site’s database information. Open the wp-config.php file in a text editor and update the database name, username, and password to match the live database.
Update URLs in the database:Â See the section below.
Test the site: After uploading the local site’s files to the server, it’s a good idea to test the site to make sure everything is working correctly. This may involve testing the site’s functionality, links, and images to make sure they are working as expected.
Updating URLs in the database
You can update the URLs in your database using a text editor or by working directly in your database (make sure your database is fully backed up before making changes).
Updating URLs Using a Text Editor
Follow the steps below to update the URLs in your database using a text editor.
Export the database: Before updating the URLs in the database, you will need to export the database. Use your database management tool (e.g. phpMyAdmin).
Find and Replace the URLs: Once you have exported the database, you will need to find and replace the URLs in the database. You can do this using a text editor such as Sublime or Visual Studio Code. Search and replace the URLs, and make sure to replace the URLs carefully and thoroughly, including URLs in serialized data.
Import the database: After updating the URLs in the database, you will need to import the database back into your local development environment. You can import the database using a database management tool, such as phpMyAdmin.
Test the site: After importing the updated database, it’s a good idea to test the site to make sure everything is working correctly. This may involve testing the site’s functionality, links, and images to make sure they are working as expected.
Updating URLs in the Database
Follow the steps below to update the URLs directly in your database:
1. Log in to the live site’s database using PHPMyAdmin.
2. Select the live site’s database.
3. Go to the “SQL†tab.
4. Run the following SQL query to update the URLs:
UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = replace(option_value, 'http://old-url', 'http://new-url') WHERE option_name = 'home' OR option_name = 'siteurl';
UPDATE wp_posts SET guid = replace(guid, 'http://old-url','http://new-url');
UPDATE wp_posts SET post_content = replace(post_content, 'http://old-url', 'http://new-url');
Replace “old-url†with the URL of the local site and “new-url†with the URL of the live site.
5. Click “Go†to run the query.
6. This will update all references to the local site’s URL with the live site’s URL in the database, ensuring that all links and images on the live site work correctly.
If you have followed the above steps correctly, the URLs in your database should have successfully updated. After these steps, your local WordPress site should now be fully functional on the live server. Make sure to thoroughly test the live site to ensure that all features are working correctly, and make any necessary adjustments to ensure a seamless transition from the local development environment to the live server.
Local Development vs Webhost Staging Environment
While WordPress local development provides a safe and efficient environment to build, edit, and test WordPress websites, you may decide to work in a webhost staging environment instead (here are some good reasons why you may not want to develop WordPress locally).
Both local development environments and webhost staging environments, however, have their pros and cons.
Here is a brief overview of the pros and cons of using a WordPress local development versus a webhost staging environment:
Pros of Local Development Environment
Easy to Use: Local development environments are easy to use, even for beginner developers.
Flexibility: You have complete control over your local development environment, so you can configure it however you like.
Test Any Changes: With a local development environment, you can test any changes you make to your site without affecting the live version.
Cons of Local Development Environment
Not a Live Environment: A local development environment is not a live environment, so you cannot test your site with live data.
Limited Resources: Your local machine may have limited resources, such as memory and processing power, which can affect your site’s performance.
Not a True Representation: A local development environment may not accurately represent a live server environment, so testing may not be 100% accurate.
Pros of Webhost Staging Environment
Live Environment: A webhost staging environment is a live environment, so you can test your site with live data.
More Accurate Testing: A webhost staging environment is a more accurate representation of a live server environment, so testing is more reliable.
More Resources: A webhost staging environment typically has more resources available than a local development environment, so your site’s performance will be better.
Cons of Webhost Staging Environment
Cost: Setting up a webhost staging environment can be expensive, as you have to pay for hosting and a domain name.
Not as Fast: A webhost staging environment is not as fast as a local development environment because it runs on a remote server.
For smaller projects, a local development environment is a great option because it is free and easy to use. For larger projects, however, a webhost staging environment may be a better option because it is a live environment and provides more accurate testing.
Ultimately, the choice between these two methods will depend on your individual needs, preferences, and hosting options.
All WMU DEV hosting plans (except for Quantum) include a staging environment. Refer to our staging documentation for more details on the benefits of using a staging environment to develop and test WordPress sites.
Do you want to add a multilingual search in WordPress?
If you have a multilingual WordPress site, then adding a multilingual search feature can help users find information more quickly by searching in their own language.
In this article, we’ll show you how to easily add multilingual search in WordPress and delight your users with a better user experience.
Why Should You Add Multilingual Search in WordPress?
Often users have trouble finding information on multilingual websites because either there is no search feature that they can use, or the search feature shows them content in the wrong language.
Adding a multilingual search feature helps users easily find the content they are looking for. This improves user experience which means users will stay longer on your website.
Research shows that engaged users are more likely to convert, subscribe, or make a buying decision.
That being said, let’s take a look at how to easily add a multilingual search in WordPress without breaking your website or writing any code.
Note: Keep in mind that the free version of TranslatePress only allows you to translate your website into one other language. So if you want to add multilingual search in WordPress for more than two languages, then you’d need to buy the TranslatePress Premium version.
Once you have translated some content on your WordPress website. It is time to add the search form.
Add a Search Block to your WordPress Site
WordPress comes with a built-in search block that you can add anywhere on your website.
If you’re using a block-based theme like Ultra, then you’ll be using the full site editor to add the search block.
Simply visit the Appearance » Editor page from the WordPress dashboard.
This will launch the full site editor which looks a lot like the block editor you use for writing posts and pages.
Now, click on the add block button (+) to add the Search block.
You can move the search block up and down to display it anywhere on the page.
Search block also comes with a few style options that you can choose from the block toolbar or settings.
Once you are finished, don’t forget to click on the Save button to save your changes.
You can now visit your website to see the search form in action.
On the other hand, if you’re using a theme that does not support the full-site editor, then you can add a search form as a widget.
Simply go to the Appearance » Widgets page from the WordPress admin dashboard.
Here, click the Add widget block button (+) and add the Search block to your widget area.
Once the ‘Widget Block Menu’ opens up, locate the ‘Search’ block and add it to your WordPress sidebar.
Don’t forget to click the ‘Update’ button at the top to save your changes.
Once you’ve saved the changes, visit your site and see the search box in action.
Method 2: Adding Multilingual Search Using SearchWP (Recommended)
The default WordPress search feature used by TranslatePress is not very good. It is quite basic and only looks for search terms in certain places.
It is the best WordPress search plugin on the market and allows you to easily replace the default WordPress search with a more powerful search feature.
SearchWP automatically builds a search index and matches search keywords in content, title, categories, tags, shortcodes, documents, products, and more.
Plus, it automatically replaces the default search form upon activation so you don’t need to replace it if you were already using it on your site.
That being said, let’s take a look at how to easily add a better multilingual search to your WordPress site.
After that, go to the SearchWP » Settings page and then click on the ‘License’ menu option to enter your license key.
You can get the license key from your ‘SearchWP Accounts’ page. Simply copy the license key from there.
After that, paste it into the ‘License Key’ field and then click on the Activate button.
Now, you are ready to create your first custom search engine.
Simply go to the SearchWP » Settings page from the dashboard.
From here, you will see SearchWP’s first default search engine for you. It is pre-configured to work for most websites including multilingual websites.
You’ll see all your post types with different attributes. Next to each attribute there will be a slide that you can move to assign weight for that attribute.
You can also click on the Add/Remove Attributes button to include more areas in the search.
For instance, you can add custom fields and taxonomies to the attributes as well.
If you are unsure about a setting, you can leave it as it is. The default options would work for more use cases.
Finally, click on the Save Engines button to store your settings.
SearchWP will now start building your search index in the background.
Now, all you need to do is add the search form to your site.
Add a Search Block to your WordPress Site
SearchWP replaces the built-in search feature, which means you can use the default WordPress search form and it would still use SearchWP to show the results.
If you haven’t already added a search form to your website, then here is how you would add it.
If you’re using a block-based theme, then you’ll be adding a search block using a full-site editor.
Simply go to the Appearance » Editor page from the admin dashboard.
On the edit screen, click on the add block button (+) at the top and add the search block.
You can move the search block to the area where you want to display the search form by moving it up or down.
Finally, don’t forget to click on the Save button to save your changes.
If you’re using a theme that doesn’t support the full-site editor, then you’ll need to add a search widget to your website’s sidebar or widget-ready area.
For that, head over to the Appearance » Widgets page from the dashboard.
Now click on the add block button (+) at the top to open up the ‘Widget Block Menu’.
From here, locate and add the Search widget to your preferred widget area.
Don’t forget to click the ‘Update’ button at the top to save your changes.
Next, simply visit your website and use your improved search box.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
Learn how to display your Instagram Feed on your Elementor website with this step-by-step guide. Follow the instructions to install & activate the plugin, create an access token, configure your feed, and embed it in Elementor.
Recently one of our readers asked if there is an easy way to add box shadows in WordPress?
Shadows can make your most important content stand out and grab your visitors’ attention. They can also help flat website designs appear more engaging and interesting.
In this article, we will show you how to easily add box shadows in WordPress, step by step.
Why Add Box Shadows in WordPress?
A box shadow, sometimes also known as a drop shadow, is a visual effect that makes it look like an onscreen object is casting a shadow.
We tend to pay more attention to objects that appear closer to us. That’s why many website owners add box shadows to their most important content to make it look like it’s hovering above the page.
For example, if you add a big shadow to a call to action button, then it will look physically closer to the visitor. This will draw the person’s attention toward this important button.
With that said, let’s see how you can add box shadows to your WordPress blog or website. Simply use the quick links below to jump straight to the method you want to use.
Method 1. How to Add Box Shadows Using Code (Recommended)
When adding box shadow, the best practice is to only add it on your most important website elements. If you add a unique shadow effect to each WordPress block, then it can make your site look messy and confusing.
It’s also important that you keep your box shadows consistent across the site. The best way to do this is by defining the style in CSS using WPCode.
WPCode is the best code snippets plugin used by over 1 million WordPress websites. It makes it easy to add custom code in WordPress without having to edit the functions.php file.
With WPCode, even beginners can edit their website’s code without risking mistakes and typos that can cause many common WordPress errors.
In the above snippet, you may need to replace the px values depending on the kind of shadow you want to create.
To help you out, here’s what the different px values mean, going from left-to-right:
Horizontal offset. When you set a positive value, the shadow gets pushed to the left. If you type in a negative value like -5px, then the shadow will be pushed to the right. If you don’t want to add a horizontal offset, then you can use 0px instead.
Vertical offset. If you use a positive value, then the shadow will be pushed downwards. If you type in a negative value then the shadow will be pushed upwards. If you don’t want to offset the shadow vertically, then just type in 0px.
Blur radius. This blurs the shadow so that it doesn’t have any harsh edges. The higher the value, the greater the blur effect. If you prefer to use sharp edges, then type in 0px.
Spread radius. The higher the value, the greater the shadow’s spread. This value is optional, so skip this one if you don’t want to show a spread.
Color. Although grey is the most common color for shadows, you can use any color you want by typing in a hex code. If you’re not sure what code to use, then you can explore different colors using a resource like HTML Color Codes.
When you’re happy with the snippet, scroll to the ‘Insertion’ section. WPCode can add your code to different locations, such as after every post, frontend only, or admin only.
We want to use the custom CSS code across our entire WordPress website, so click on ‘Auto Insert’ if it isn’t already selected. Then, open the ‘Location’ dropdown menu and choose ‘Site Wide Header.’
After that, you’re ready to scroll to the top of the screen and click on the ‘Inactive’ toggle, so it changes to ‘Active.’
Finally, click on ‘Save Snippet’ to make the CSS snippet live.
Now, you can add the custom CSS class to any block.
In the WordPress content editor, simply select the block where you want to add a box shadow. Then, in the right-hand menu click to expand the ‘Advanced’ section.
Here, you’ll see fields where you can add different classes.
In ‘Additional CSS Class(es),’ type in shadow-effect.
When you’re ready to publish the box shadow, just click on the ‘Publish’ or ‘Update’ button.
Now if you visit your website, you’ll see the box shadow live.
Method 2. Add a Box Shadow Using a Free Plugin (Quick and Easy)
If you’re not comfortable writing code, then you might prefer to create shadows using Drop Shadow Box. This free plugin allows you to add box shadows to any block using the built-in WordPress page and post editor.
First, you’ll need to install and activate the plugin. If you need help, then please see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
There are no settings to configure, so you can start using this plugin straight away.
To add a drop shadow, simply click on the ‘+’ icon and start typing in ‘Drop Shadow Box.’ When the right block appears, give it a click to add it to the page or post.
This adds the drop shadow as an empty box, so the next step is adding some content.
To do this, go ahead and click on the ‘+’ inside the Drop Shadow Box block.
Then, simply add the block you want to use and configure it as normal.
For example, in the following image we’ve added an Image block and selected a picture from the WordPress media library.
With that done, click to select the Drop Shadow Box block. In the right-hand menu, you’ll see all the settings you can use to style this block.
WordPress sets the shadow’s width automatically but you can change this by opening the ‘Width’ dropdown and then choosing either ‘Pixels’ or ‘%.’
You can then resize it using the settings that appear.
The Drop Box Shadow plugin comes with a few different effects such as curved edges and an eye-catching ‘Perspective’ effect.
To preview the different effects, simply open the ‘Effect’ dropdown and choose from the list. The preview will update automatically so you can try different styles to see what you prefer.
You can also change whether the plugin shows the shadow inside the box, outside the box, or both using the ‘Inside Shadow’ and ‘Outside Shadow’ toggles.
After that, you can change the color of the box and border using the settings under the ‘Colors’ header.
Just be aware that ‘Background’ refers to the inside of the Drop Shadow Box, while ‘Border’ appears outside of the block.
If you want to create a softer, curved shadow box then you can enable the ‘Rounded corners’ toggle. Finally, you can change the alignment and padding, similar to how you customize other blocks in WordPress.
To create more box shadows, just follow the same process described above.
When you’re happy with how the page looks, simply click on ‘Update’ or ‘Publish’ to make all your new box shadows live.
Method 3. Add a Box Shadow Using a Page Builder (Advanced)
If you want to add box shadows to landing pages, custom homepages, or any part of your WordPress theme, then we recommend using a page builder plugin.
It also lets you add box shadows to any block using its advanced drag-and-drop editor.
First, you need to install and activate the SeedProd plugin. For more details, see our step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Note: There’s also a premium version of SeedProd that comes with more professionally-designed templates, advanced features, and WooCommerce integration. However, we’ll be using the free version as it has everything you need to add box shadows in WordPress.
After activating the plugin, SeedProd will ask for your license key.
All of SeedProd’s templates are easy to customize, so you can use any design you want.
When you find a template that you like, simply hover your mouse over it and click on the checkmark icon.
You can now type in a name for your landing page into the ‘Page Name’ field. SeedProd will automatically create a ‘Page URL’ using the page name.
It’s smart to include relevant keywords in your URL wherever possible, as this can help search engines understand what the page is about. This will often improve your WordPress SEO.
To change the page’s automatically-generated URL, simply type into the ‘Page URL’ field.
When you’re happy with the information you’ve typed in, click on ‘Save and Start Editing the Page.’ This will load the SeedProd page builder interface.
This simple drag-and-drop builder shows a live preview of your page design to the right. On the left is a menu showing all the different blocks and sections you can add to the page.
When you find a block that you want to add, simply drag and drop it onto your template.
To customize a block, go ahead and click to select that block in the SeedProd editor. The left-hand menu will now update to show all the settings you can use to customize the block.
For example, if you click on a Headline block then you can type in your own text, or change the text color and font size.
As you’re building the page, you can move blocks around your layout by dragging and dropping them. For more detailed instructions, please see our guide on how to create a landing page with WordPress.
To create a box shadow, click to select any block in the SeedProd page editor. The settings in the left-hand menu may vary between blocks, but you’ll typically need to click on an ‘Advanced’ tab.
Here, look for a ‘Shadow’ dropdown menu under the ‘Styles’ section. Simply open this dropdown and choose a shadow style such as Hairline, Medium, or 2X Large.
The preview will update automatically, so you can try different styles to see what looks the best on your page design.
If you don’t want to use any of the ready-made styles, then click on ‘Custom.’
This adds some new settings where you can change the color, blur, spread, and position of the custom shadow.
That done, you can continue working on the page by adding more blocks and box shadows.
When you’re happy with how the page looks, click the ‘Save’ button and then choose ‘Publish’ to make it live.
Method 4. How to Add a Box Shadow Using CSS Hero (Premium Plugin)
If you’re not comfortable working with code but still want to create advanced box shadows, then you can try CSS Hero. This premium plugin allows you to fine-tune every part of your WordPress theme without having to write a single line of code.
CSS Hero allows you to create a unique shadow for each block, so it’s also a great choice if you want to create lots of different shadow effects.
Upon activation, you’ll see a ‘Proceed to Product Activation’ button at the top of the screen. Go ahead and click on this button.
This will take you to the CSS Hero website where you can log into your account and get a license key. Simply follow the onscreen instructions, and you’ll be redirected back to your site in a few clicks.
Next, click the ‘Customize with CSS Hero’ text in the WordPress admin toolbar.
By default, clicking on any piece of content will open a panel with all the settings you can use to customize that content.
This is great if you want to add a box shadow to your website’s homepage. However, if you want to customize any other page then you’ll need to switch from ‘Select’ mode to ‘Navigate’ mode, as this allows you to interact with menus, links, and other content as normal.
To do this, click on the ‘Select / Navigate’ toggle in the toolbar so that it shows ‘Navigate.’
You can now navigate to the page or post where you want to add the shadow.
As soon as you reach that page, go ahead and click on the ‘Select / Navigate’ toggle again so that it shows ‘Select.’
With that done, click on the paragraph, image, button, or any other content where you want to add a box shadow.
In the left-hand panel, click on ‘Extra.’
You can now go ahead and click on ‘Make Shadow,’ which shows all the settings you can use to create a box shadow.
To start, you can change whether the shadow appears inside or outside the block using the ‘Shadow Position’ settings.
After making this decision, you can fine-tune the shadow’s orientation using the small dot in the ‘Orientation’ box.
Simply drag and drop the dot into a new position to see it move in the live preview.
When you’re happy with the shadow’s position, you can change its color, blur, and spread.
CSS Hero will show these changes immediately, so you can try different settings to see what looks the best.
To add a box shadow to other blocks, just follow the same process described above.
When you’re happy with how the page looks, click on ‘Save & Publish’ to make it live.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
Interested in starting a business and considering using the internet to conduct your transactions? Do you long for the day when you can sit back and watch as your online store generates passive income without any effort on your part? It’s natural to wonder how to sell online without keeping your own inventory or how […]
Some users may need to create a website anonymously to protect their privacy and additional security.
In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to easily create a truly anonymous website. We’ll also talk about protecting your identity online.
Why Create an Anonymous Website?
An anonymous website conceals the identity of who runs or owns a particular website.
Some users may want to remain anonymous for a number of reasons.
Whistleblowers trying to expose corruption.
Journalists under authoritarian regimes
Citizen watchdog groups
Or users who just want to remain anonymous for privacy reasons
Creating an anonymous website makes it difficult to find out who created and runs the website.
Important: Please keep in mind that there is no guaranteed way to remain completely anonymous. While you can make it difficult to trace, there is still a chance that it can be tracked.
Hostinger is one of the best WordPress hosting companies on the market and allows you to pay using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to keep your purchase as anonymous as possible.
Buying Hosting and Domain Name Anonymously
First, you need to make sure you have VPN turned on whenever you are working on your anonymous website.
After that, you need to visit the Hostinger website and click on the ‘Start Now’ button.
This will bring you to the pricing and plans selection page.
We recommend choosing a 48-month plan which gives you the best discount. Plus, you wouldn’t need to worry about future payments for a long time.
Click to select the plan you want to buy, and then go to the payment section.
From here, first, you need to provide the anonymous email account you created earlier.
After that, you need to select ‘Coingate’ as the payment method and then click on the ‘Submit Secure Payment’ button.
This will take you to the payment wizard.
First, you need to select a cryptocurrency that you want to pay with and click Continue.
Next, you need to enter your anonymous email address and click on the ‘Continue’ button.
Note that you don’t need to create a Coingate account to pay using this method.
On the next screen, you’ll see the QR code to make the payment through your Bitcoin wallet app.
You can also pay manually, by sending the amount to the Bitcoin wallet address mentioned on the screen.
Upon completion of the transaction, you will be redirected back to the Hostinger website.
You will receive an email from Hostinger with a link to log in to the hosting control panel.
Once you log in to your hosting account control panel, you’ll see a notification to claim your free domain name.
During domain registration, ICANN requires website owners to provide their personal information such as name, address, email, and phone number.
You need to provide at least the email address you created earlier so that you can be reached for verification.
During the registration, you may also see an option to turn on Domain Privacy.
This feature hides any information you provide during domain registration from WHOIS searches. Anyone who checks will see Hostinger’s proxy info.
After domain registration, you may receive an email to verify your registration.
Installing WordPress to Make Your Anonymous Website
Now that you have completed the domain name and hosting setup, it is time to install WordPress.
Hostinger allows you to easily create a WordPress website. Click on the ‘Manage’ button next to your URL under the hosting panel.
This will bring you to your back-end dashboard.
From here, you need to visit the Website » Auto Installer page and then click on the ‘Select’ button under WordPress.
This will launch the auto-installer wizard.
Simply follow the on-screen instructions to finish the setup.
After that, you will see your new website options under the Hostinger control panel.
From here, first, you need to click on the ‘Install’ button next to the ‘SSL Certificate’ option.
After that, you need to click on the toggle next to ‘Force HTTPs’ option.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) allows your website to use secure HTTPs. Using it improves your WordPress security by encrypting all traffic to and from your website.
Having an SSL certificate is also a factor in ranking well in search engines and a part of a solid website SEO plan.
Finally, click on the ‘Edit Website’ button to launch and start editing your new WordPress website.
Working on Your WordPress Website Anonymously
By design, WordPress is privacy-conscious software to the extent that you can choose what information you want to share on your website.
First, you may want to visit the Users » Profile page and choose a pseudonym for the default admin or author of your website.
Don’t forget to click on the ‘Update Profile’ button to save your changes.
Next, you need to decide whether you want to allow users to comment on posts and pages across your website.
Simply go to Settings » Discussion page to configure comments. Uncheck all options under the ‘Default Post Settings’ section to disable comments, trackbacks, and pingbacks.
Don’t forget to click on the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your settings.
Adding Content to Your WordPress Site
WordPress comes with two default content types called posts and pages. Posts are part of a blog and are displayed in reverse chronological order, meaning that newer posts appear first.
Pages are standalone pages that are not part of a blog. They are used to create a website structure and layout. See our list of must-have WordPress pages for all types of websites.
To add a page, simply visit the Pages » Add New to create one.
WordPress comes with a powerful editor called the Block Editor. See our complete WordPress block editor tutorial to familiarize yourself with the interface.
Similarly, to create a post you will need to visit Posts » Add New page.
Choosing a Theme (Template) For Your Website
WordPress comes with a powerful templating engine that allows you to change the appearance of your website by installing themes.
There are thousands of free and paid WordPress themes available. You can choose one that looks closer to what you have in mind for your website.
You can look for themes under the Appearance » Themes page. It will show you a bunch of default themes that come with your WordPress install.
For more themes, click on the ‘Add New’ button at the top to find more free themes.
Plugins are like apps for your WordPress website. They allow you to add new features and extend the functionality of WordPress.
There are more than 60,000 free plugins available in the WordPress.org plugin directory alone. Plus, there are premium WordPress plugins sold by third-party developers with priority support and guaranteed updates.
However, you also need to consider which plugins you need to use to keep your WordPress website secure, private, and anonymous.
Following are our top picks for the best WordPress plugins to install on your anonymous website.
WPForms – It is the best WordPress contact form plugin and allows you to easily create forms for your website.
All in One SEO for WordPress – It is the best WordPress SEO plugin on the market and helps your anonymous website get more traffic from search engines.
SeedProd – It is a powerful WordPress page builder that allows you to use a drag-and-drop interface to create any type of page for your website.
OptinMonster – It is a conversion optimization software, which helps you convert website visitors into email subscribers and customers.
MonsterInsights – The best WordPress Google Analytics plugin which helps you see where your visitors and coming from and what they see on your website.
Following are some of the most commonly asked questions about creating an anonymous website.
1. Is it possible to create a fully anonymous website?
Yes, it is possible to create a fully anonymous website. However, you’ll need to be very vigilant about it. Each internet activity creates an information trail leading back to the person who initiated the activity. This trail can be traced by hackers, government agencies, and ISPs. As an anonymous website owner, it will be your job to anonymize all activities.
You can do this by minimizing the activities around your website and using a VPN to hide your IP address. Be careful about any social interactions as they may reveal personally identifiable information.
2. What is anonymous offshore hosting?
Anonymous offshore hosting is a website hosting service that allows users to purchase hosting and domain name without providing real name or credit card information.
Some of these lesser-known companies host their servers in countries with stricter privacy laws. These companies also promise to not store user logs or share them with third-country agencies.
However, these anonymous offshore hosting companies often have very bad customer service and outdated technology.
3. Can a website owner be traced?
Yes, a website owner can be traced even if they are trying to remain anonymous. However, an anonymous website owner can use privacy tools to make it harder to be traced.
Even then if someone is determined to figure out and has the technology, tools, and resources, then they may be able to find out who is running an anonymous website.
4. Can I buy a domain name anonymously?
Yes, you can buy a domain name anonymously from a domain name registrar that accepts cryptocurrencies as a payment method.
Hostinger, also allows you to register additional domain names using cryptocurrencies. During the registration, you can use a separate anonymous email account as the contact address for your domain name.
We hope this article helped you learn how to create a truly anonymous website. You may also want to see our guide on how to create a private blog or take a look at our complete WordPress security guide to keep your anonymous website secure.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
Do you want to enable automatic updates for major WordPress updates?
Automatic updates are enabled for minor releases on WordPress. This means that the WordPress.org team can automatically install security updates without requiring user input.
However, it does not automatically update your website when there is a new major release. Luckily, you can easily turn on automatic updates for major releases as well.
In this article, we’ll show you how to enable automatic updates in WordPress for major versions.
How WordPress Automatic Updates Work
The automatic updates feature was introduced in WordPress 3.7. This allowed WordPress to automatically install new minor releases to improve the security of your WordPress website.
There is an option to disable automatic updates in WordPress. However, we recommend that you keep automatic updates enabled because they usually address crucial security issues and vulnerabilities.
Now if you just run one or two WordPress websites, then you can simply follow our guide to safely update your WordPress site when there is a new major WordPress release. However, updating WordPress manually can be time-consuming if you manage multiple sites.
Luckily, managed WordPress hosting providers like WP Engine automatically update WordPress for all new releases, not just minor ones.
You can also enable auto-updates on a shared hosting provider like Bluehost and SiteGround. But first, you’ll just need to make sure that you have a proper backup system in place in case something goes wrong.
With that being said, let’s take a look at how to easily set up automatic updates for major WordPress releases. Here’s what we’ll cover in this tutorial:
The most important layer of security you can add to any website is to set up a backup system. Whether you turn on automatic updates or not, you should always have an automatic backup system in place for every WordPress website.
There are several helpful WordPress backup plugins that you can use to set up automatic backups on your WordPress site.
We recommend using Duplicator because it is the best WordPress backup plugin on the market, and it’s free. Duplicator allows you to easily set up automatic backups of your complete WordPress website.
It also allows you to automatically store your backup files in a remote location such as Google Drive or Dropbox or Amazon S3.
Once you have set up automatic WordPress backups, you can go ahead and turn on automated WordPress updates for major releases.
Method 1: Enable Automatic Updates for Major Releases From Dashboard » Updates
When you visit the Dashboard » Updates page in your WordPress admin area, you will see the message, ‘This site is automatically kept up to date with maintenance and security releases of WordPress only.’ These are the minor releases we mentioned above.
If you would like all WordPress updates to be handled the same way, then simply click the link labeled ‘Enable automatic updates for all new versions of WordPress.’
Now major WordPress releases will be automatically installed as well.
If you decide to turn off automatic updates in the future, then simply return to the Dashboard » Updates page and click the link that says ‘Switch to automatic updates for maintenance and security releases only.’
Now major WordPress versions will not be installed automatically, just minor releases and security updates.
Method 2: Enable Automatic WordPress Updates for Major Releases Using a Plugin
The plugin method gives you more control over what is updated on your site. For example, it includes options to automatically update WordPress core, plugins, themes, and more.
Upon activation, you need to visit Dashboard » Updates Options page to set up the plugin.
Under the ‘Quick configuration actions’ section, you should click the ‘Custom’ button. After that, click the ‘Auto update all releases’ button under the ‘WordPress core updates’ section.
Note: Be cautious clicking the ‘Auto update everything’ button under ‘Quick configuration actions’. This will turn on automatic updates for everything, including WordPress core, plugins, themes, and translations.
The plugin will automatically store your settings and enable the major WordPress releases to be automatically updated.
Method 3: Manually Enable Automatic Updates for Major Releases in WordPress
This method requires you to add code to your WordPress files.
First, you need to add the following line of code to your site’s wp-config.php file.
define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', true );
There is one little problem with this code. It also enables what are called ‘nightly’ updates, or ‘nightlies.’ These are still under development and may contain bugs, so should not be installed on a live WordPress website.
This filter will disable automatic updates for nightly builds or development updates.
Your WordPress site is now ready to automatically update itself without your input whenever there is a new WordPress version available.
Frequently Asked Questions about WordPress Automatic Updates
1. Why do I need to install WordPress updates?
WordPress is a regularly maintained software. Thousands of developers contribute to making WordPress better and more secure.
You need to install WordPress updates as soon as they are available. This ensures that your website has the latest security patches, new features, and the best speed and performance.
2. Are updates safe for my website?
As the world’s most popular website builder, WordPress updates immediately become available to millions of websites. The core team works very hard to ensure that they are absolutely safe for all websites to install.
However, we recommend everyone always back their WordPress website before updates. This allows you to quickly revert back in case anything goes wrong after an update.
3. Can I also automatically update WordPress plugins?
By default, WordPress requires you to manually install plugin updates. However, you can enable automatic updates for plugins as well.
4. Can I install updates on all my websites from a single dashboard?
By default, you’ll need to log in to each WordPress website to install updates. Luckily, you can use tools to manage multiple WordPress sites. These tools make it easier to install updates on all your WordPress sites without having to log in to each site.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
Do you want to track key metrics like email signups or sales for your site?
If you want your site to be successful, then you need detailed metrics like which pages are getting you the most signups, which traffic source is producing the best results, and more.
In this article, we’ll show you how to set up Google Analytics goals for your WordPress site.
What Are Goals in Google Analytics?
Goals are user interactions that you can track using Google Analytics.
You can set up goals to measure conversions, track sales, email sign-up forms, and more.
All this can help you make more money online and increase your website conversions.
Note: Google Analytics 4 (GA4) replaces Goals with Events, and on July 1, 2023, GA4 will replace the current Universal Analytics. In this post, we will show you how to set up tracking for both Events and Goals simultaneously using the MonsterInsights Dual Tracking feature, as well as how to use Events in GA4 itself.
Why You Need to Create Good Goals in Google Analytics
With goals, you can find out all sorts of details about your site. For instance:
If you sell digital products, you could use goals to find out which sources are driving the most sales.
If you run an eCommerce store, you could use goals to see where customers will most likely abandon the checkout process.
If you’re a personal trainer with a fitness blog, you could use goals to see which posts encourage prospects to fill out your contact form.
Creating the right goals for your site is important. If you have an online store, there’s not much point in setting a goal to track how many people visit your About page. Instead, your goal should be how many customers buy from you.
Let’s look at how to set up goals in Google Analytics. Here’s what we’re going to cover. Use the quick links to jump straight to that part of the tutorial:
First, you’ll need to install and activate the MonsterInsights plugin. For more details, please check out our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Note: You’ll need the Pro version of the plugin or higher to unlock advanced tracking features and reports like the eCommerce report and the form conversions report. There is also a MonsterInsights Lite version you can use for free to get started.
After activating MonsterInsights, you’ll see the welcome screen in your WordPress dashboard. Simply click the ‘Launch the Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions.
You can also use the Dual Tracking feature to set up Google Analytics 4 (GA4) tracking in WordPress. GA4 is the latest version of Analytics, and it will replace Universal Analytics on July 1, 2023.
After the sunset date, you won’t be able to track data in Universal Analytics and will have to start from scratch. That’s why we recommend swapping to GA4 sooner rather than later. For more details, please see our guide on switching to Google Analytics 4 in WordPress.
Automatically Track Goals by Using MonsterInsights
Now that you’ve connected Google Analytics with your WordPress site, you can use MonsterInsights to set up goals automatically.
This method is recommended for beginners because you don’t have to manually create goals, edit code, and worry about your tracking working properly.
MonsterInsights helps you track conversions like eCommerce sales, form submissions, file downloads, link clicks, video plays, and more.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these in detail.
Tracking eCommerce Conversion in WordPress
Do you want to find out how many visitors are converting into paying customers?
In Google Analytics, you’d have to set up goals to track specific actions customers perform. This can be tricky for beginners, and it might require editing the tracking code.
The best part is that you don’t have to modify the tracking code. MonsterInsights handles everything else for you.
After setting up tracking, you can head to Insights » Reports and click on the ‘eCommerce’ tab to view your report. Once you’ve had some sales, it’ll look something like this:
You won’t have to manually set up goals or events to track eCommerce conversions. The plugin will let you see all sorts of other insights, like your top conversion sources, the total of products added to carts, and the total removed from carts.
You can even see how many days it typically takes people to make a purchase, and how often people visit before making a purchase.
MonsterInsights also shows the percentage of new customers that bought a product for the first time from your store. It even shows a percentage of abandoned checkouts. You can use this data to reduce cart abandonment and convert users into paying customers.
Tracking Form Submissions in Google Analytics
Another great way to use Google Analytics and MonsterInsights is to track form conversions.
You can do this for any type of form. Here are just a few examples:
Non-fiction author: A form where people sign up for your email newsletter to hear about your upcoming books.
Realtor: A contact form where prospective clients fill in their details so you can call them back and arrange viewings.
Personal trainer: A booking form that customers use to book and pay for their personal training session.
To start tracking form conversions in MonsterInsights, go to Insights » Addons and find the Forms addon. Simply click the Install button beneath it to install and activate it.
This addon lets you track form submissions as ‘Events’ in Google Analytics 4. You don’t have to set up anything extra.
Once you’ve installed and activated the addon, you’re done! Just go to Insights » Reports and click on the ‘Forms’ tab to see your report.
After you’ve had some form submissions, it’ll look something like this:
Tracking Link Clicks and File Downloads in Google Analytics
MonsterInsights automatically adds tracking for link and button clicks on your WordPress site. It works out of the box, and you don’t have manually set up goals for tracking different user actions on your site.
You can view the report inside your WordPress dashboard. Simply go to Insights » Reports and click the ‘Publishers’ tab.
For instance, you can see which outbound links users click the most on your website.
Using this information, you can sign up for affiliate programs, get backlinks, submit guest posts, and uncover partnership opportunities.
If you have affiliate links on your site, then MonsterInsights also tracks them in Google Analytics. You can see your top-performing affiliates and promote them throughout your site to get more conversions.
MonsterInsights also automatically tracks file downloads on your site. If you offer downloadable content like ebooks, software, plugins, PDFs, and spreadsheets, then the analytics plugin tracks them in Google Analytics.
Tracking Video Plays in Google Analytics
If you have video content embedded on your site, then MonsterInsights can track them in Google Analytics and show which media content performs the best. It automatically tracks YouTube and Vimeo embeds along with other videos uploaded to your Media Library.
All you need to do is install the MonsterInsights Media addon by going to Insights » Addons from your WordPress dashboard.
Once the addon is active, you can view reports in your WordPress dashboard.
Simply head to Insights » Reports and click the ‘Media’ tab.
Here, you’ll see a graph of how many people played videos on your site in the past 30 days.
If you scroll down, then you can view more details about individual videos. For instance, the report will show video plays, average watch time, average percentage watched, and completion rate for each piece of media content.
If you don’t want to use MonsterInsights, or if you want to track a different type of goal, then you can do this manually in Google Analytics.
Do note that the latest version of Analytics (GA4) doesn’t have goals. You can only set up goals manually in Universal Analytics.
First, log in to your Universal Analytics account and click the ‘Admin’ tab on the bottom left.
Next, you’ll need to head to the View column.
From here, simply click on ‘Goals.’
Next, you can start creating a new goal.
Simply click the ‘+ New Goal’ button.
There are 4 types of goals you can create:
Destination: This tracks whether a visitor went to a specific page, like a thank you page, after filling in a form.
Duration: This tracks how long a visitor spends on your website.
Pages/Screens per session: This tracks how many pages someone looks at on your site.
Event: This can track all sorts of things, like button clicks, video plays, and downloads. It requires a bit more setup than the other options.
In many cases, Destination or Event goals will work best for tracking your key metrics.
We’re going to create a Destination goal for this example. Give your goal a name, click the radio button next to ‘Destination’ to set the type, and then click the ‘Continue’ button.
Next, you will need to enter the destination for your goal. This will normally be a specific page.
Note: Only enter the part of the URL that comes after your website’s domain name.
For instance, if your page is: https://www.example.com/thank-you-for-booking/
Then you should enter: /thank-you-for-booking/
You can add a value for the conversion if you want. This makes sense if people are completing a payment form or if you know how much each lead is worth to you on average.
If you want to track a funnel, such as a customer moving through a checkout process, then you can also do this as part of the destination goal. This can help you pinpoint areas you might want to improve.
You can click the ‘Verify this Goal’ link to see what conversion rate the goal would have based on your data from the previous 7 days.
If you get 0% and know that you’ve had some form submissions, check the destination URL you’ve entered.
Once you’re happy with your goal, click the ‘Save’ button. You should then see your goal listed in a table. You can edit it, switch it off and on, or create more goals here.
You can’t delete goals once you’ve created them, so you will need to simply switch them off if you no longer want to use them.
You can view your goal data in Google Analytics by going to Conversions » Goals, then clicking on Overview.
In the left-hand menu, you can dig further into your goals.
For instance, ‘Reverse Goal Path’ shows you what content visitors viewed before reaching the goal. Goal Flow can be used to examine all sorts of things, like the source that the visitors came from.
How to Replace Goals with Events in Google Analytics 4
As we mentioned before, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the new version of Google’s analytics platform. One of the main differences between GA4 and Universal Analytics is that there are no goals in the latest version.
That’s because Google Analytics 4 uses a completely different method of tracking and recording data. Instead of goals, it uses events to track user interactions and activities on your website.
You can create a custom event by logging into your GA4 property and then heading to the Admin settings.
After that, go to the Property column.
Simply click on the ‘Events’ option.
Next, you will need to add a new event in GA4.
Go ahead and click the ‘Create event’ button.
A new window will now slide in from the right, where all your custom events will be listed once they’re created.
You can click the ‘Create’ button to get started.
Next, you will need to enter details for your custom event.
You can start by entering a custom event name. GA4 already has many prebuilt events, so you can select one from the dropdown menu. For example, we will choose the ‘file_download’ event for this tutorial.
When you select an event name, GA4 will automatically enter the specific Parameter and Operator for the event. In this case, the event will be tracking the ‘event_name’ when it ‘equals’ a Value you will enter next.
In the ‘Value’ field, we will enter ‘.pdf’ so it tracks the number of downloads when a user downloads a file with the PDF extension. You might also use .epub for ebooks or even a specific word you use to organize filenames such as ‘v2’ or ‘_2023version.’
Once you’ve entered all the details, don’t forget to click the ‘Create’ button at the top.
You should now see your new event under the Custom events area of your dashboard.
Next, you can view reports to see the performance of your custom events.
Simply head to Reports » Engagement » Event: Event name from the menu on your left.
While setting up Events in GA4 is pretty easy, if you want to track multiple things, it can take a long time.
That’s why we think that if you want a simple way to set up event and goal tracking in Google Analytics, then MonsterInsights is definitely the way to go.
Setting up manual goals in Google Analytics might work for you if you’re confident using the Google Analytics interface, or if you have a lot of extra time on your hands.
What matters is that you create and track meaningful goals for your site. This is where MonsterInsights is beneficial, as you can use the data to boost signups, increase sales, and make more money or impact with super easy setup and reporting.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
Do you want to delay posts from appearing in your site’s RSS feed?
Delaying posts from appearing immediately can save you from sending out unfinished work accidentally, give you time to edit typos you might see, and help you beat content scrapers in SEO.
In this article, we will show you how to delay posts from appearing in WordPress RSS feed.
Why Delay Your RSS Feed in WordPress?
Sometimes you may publish a something on your WordPress blog with a typo that you just didn’t see. The mistake is then distributed to your RSS feed and all of your subscribers. If you have email subscriptions on your WordPress blog, then those subscribers will get it as well.
By adding a delay between your RSS feed and your live site, you get a little window of time to catch an error on a live site and fix it.
RSS feeds are also used by content scraping websites. They use it to monitor your content and copy your posts as soon as they appear live. If you have a new website with little authority, then a lot of times these content scrapers may end up beating you in the search results.
By delaying an article in your RSS feed, you can give search engines enough time to crawl and index your content first.
Having said that, let’s see how to easily delay posts from appearing in WordPress website‘s RSS feed.
How to Delay Posts in Your WordPress RSS Feed
To begin, we recommend using WPCode to delay posts from appearing in your site’s feed. WPCode lets you add custom code to WordPress safely and easily without having to worry about your site breaking.
For advanced users, you can copy/paste the following code into your theme’s functions.php file instead. You’ll need to modify the code to change the time interval. Remember that editing your core WordPress files can be dangerous, which is why we recommend WPCode. You’ll also lose any custom code snippets when you update your theme.
Upon activation, you can navigate to Code Snippets »Add Snippet. After that, simply search for ‘rss’ or scroll down to the ‘RSS Feeds’ category.
Then, just hover your mouse over ‘Delay Posts in RSS Feeds’ in the results and simply click on ‘Use snippet.’
Next, you will be taken to the ‘Edit Snippet’ screen, where WPCode has pre-configured the snippet settings for you.
By default, your posts will be delayed from appearing in your RSS feed by 10 minutes from the time it’s published.
If that delay is good for you, then all you have to do is click on the switch to change it to ‘Active’ and press the ‘Update’ button.
If you want to alter the length of the delay, you can do so by changing the number on Line 10 and the unit of time on Line 13.
For example, you can delay the post by one hour if you replace $wait = '10'; and $unit = 'MINUTE' with $wait = '1' and $unit = 'HOUR'.
If you need to adjust the delay again, simply repeat those steps, and if you want the posts to go back to hitting the feed immediately, simply toggle the switch back to ‘Inactive’ and press ‘Update.’
Don’t Forget to Check Out the WPCode Snippet Library
WPCode also comes with a huge collection of other code snippets, too. You can see what’s there at Code Snippets » Library in your admin dashboard.
You may be able to replace some single-use plugins on your site by simply activating snippets you find in the library.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
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