WordPress Cron Jobs Command Address – Rocon Free Website

WordPress cron jobs command address: Ever wonder why your scheduled posts don’t publish on time, WooCommerce emails stop sending, or backup plugins just… forget to run?

The answer is often the WordPress cron.

By default, WordPress uses something called wp-cron.php to simulate scheduled tasks (aka “cron jobs”). But unlike real cron jobs that run like clockwork, wp-cron only runs when someone visits your website.

That’s a big problem for:

• Low traffic sites
• Sites with aggressive caching (like Cloudflare or a plugin)
• Sites where timing is critical (like eCommerce or content publishing)

If no one visits, nothing gets triggered—and your site’s scheduled tasks just don’t happen.

That’s why setting up a real cron job using the correct WordPress cron job command address is the better, more reliable option.

In this post you’ll learn:

• What the command address is
• How to disable WordPress’s default cron
• How to create a real server-side cron job (with cURL or wget)
• And how to troubleshoot, secure and optimize your setup

Let’s get started and give your WordPress tasks a real clock to run on.

Unlike traditional server cron jobs that run on a strict schedule, WordPress has its own internal scheduler—and it’s a bit… weird.

Instead of using your server’s actual cron system, WordPress uses a file called:

arduino

https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron

Every time someone visits your site, WordPress checks:

“Hey, do I have any tasks to run right now?”

If the answer is yes, it runs them via wp-cron.php.

What Does WP-Cron Actually Do?

• Publish scheduled posts
• Sends out email notifications (like WooCommerce order emails)
• Handles plugin/theme background tasks (like SEO audits or social shares)
• Cleans up your database
• Runs scheduled backups and security scans

Sounds good, right? But here’s the thing…

It only runs when someone visits your site.

So, if you have a low-traffic blog or aggressive caching in place, tasks might not trigger when they should—or at all.

That’s why setting up a real cron job is often the better solution.

The WordPress cron system (wp-cron.php) is smart—but not perfect.

If your scheduled posts aren’t going live or WooCommerce emails are missing, here’s what’s going wrong:

Bottom line? If cron jobs are critical to your site—don’t rely on the default system.

Now let’s fix it.

When you set up a cron job outside of WordPress, you’ll need a specific command to tell your site to run its scheduled tasks. That command is:

arduino

https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron

This URL tells WordPress’s internal scheduler to check for any tasks (like scheduled posts, plugin cleanups or WooCommerce emails) that need to run. It’s like someone visiting your site – but without actual traffic.

You can automate this using tools like curl or wget:

bash

wget -q -O – https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron > /dev/null 2>&1

or

bash

curl -s https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron > /dev/null

Tip: This command works best when set up on a regular schedule via your hosting control panel, crontab or managed server.

To stop WordPress from trying to run cron on every page load you need to disable it before you set a real cron.

Edit wp-config.php:

Add this line before /* That’s all, stop editing! */:

php

define(‘DISABLE_WP_CRON’, true);

Now WordPress won’t run wp-cron.php on every page load.

You can now schedule a manual cron job on your hosting server using cURL or wget.

Option 1: Use cURL (Recommended)

Most servers support cURL and it’s lightweight and reliable.

curl https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron > /dev/null 2>&1

Option 2: Use wget (Alternative)

If cURL isn’t available, wget works too:

wget -q -O – https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron > /dev/null 2>&1`

Cron Frequency

Every 5 minutes: For active sites with frequent publishing or WooCommerce tasks.

Every 15 minutes: For blogs or small business sites with less updates

Not a fan of the command line? No worries — if your hosting provider uses cPanel, adding a real cron job is super easy.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Log in to your cPanel dashboard

(Usually at yourdomain.com/cpanel)

2. Scroll down to the “Advanced” section and click “Cron Jobs”

3. Choose your schedule

For example, to run the cron every 15 minutes, select:

markdown

*/15 * * * *

4. Paste the command in the box

Use either of the following:

bash

curl https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron > /dev/null 2>&1

Or

bash

wget -q -O – https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron > /dev/null 2>&1

5. Click “Add New Cron Job”

Done! You’ve just created a real cron job that runs even when no one visits your site.

So you’ve set everything up — but your scheduled posts won’t publish, backups don’t run, or emails don’t go out. Don’t worry, here’s a quick checklist to help you debug:

Check the cron command

• Make sure you’re using the right format:

https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron

Visit the URL

• Paste it into your browser and see if it loads.
• If you get a blank page — that’s okay (it’s running in the background).
• If you get a 403 or 404 error, there’s likely a permissions or rewrite issue.

Use the WP Crontrol plugin

This free plugin shows all scheduled events and lets you trigger or edit them. It’s a lifesaver when debugging cron issues.

Check wp-config.php

Make sure you have:

php

define(‘DISABLE_WP_CRON’, true);

If this line is missing or wrong, WordPress will still try to run cron on every page load — causing conflicts.

Once you’ve moved to a server-level cron job, you don’t need external bots (or even regular visitors) hitting wp-cron.php.

To keep things secure, you can block access to this file:

For Apache (.htaccess users):

apache

<Files wp-cron.php> 

Order deny,allow 

Deny from all 

Allow from 123.456.789.000 

</Files>

Just replace 123.456.789.000 with your server’s IP address, so only your real cron job can access it.

Bonus: This also reduces server load caused by automated crawlers or bad actors hitting the cron file repeatedly.

WordPress Users

If you’re seeing:

• Scheduled posts not publishing on time
• Backups not running
• Plugins acting weird

It’s probably WP-Cron not firing. Switching to a real server cron job will fix most of these issues instantly.

WooCommerce Stores

Order-related actions rely on cron:

• Emails not sending after purchase?
• Follow-ups or subscription renewals failing?

Make sure wp-cron.php is being triggered regularly or your store will silently miss critical automation.

For Developers

• Want total control and reliability?
• Use server-side cron jobs with WP-CLI to run specific tasks programmatically.
• Use wp cron event run to manually fire events or debug scheduled actions.

Pro tip: Monitor and log cron execution to catch failures early—especially on high-traffic or mission-critical sites.

Want your scheduled tasks to run on time? Remember:

Use curl not wget

curl is more reliable and server agnostic when triggering wp-cron.php.

Schedule wisely: 5-15 minutes

Too frequent = server overload. Too rare = delayed tasks. Find the sweet spot for your site.

Don’t forget to disable default WP-Cron

Add define(‘DISABLE_WP_CRON’, true); in wp-config.php — or WordPress will still run cron on page loads.

Check uptime and error logs regularly

Look for 403, 404 or timeout errors related to wp-cron.php. Tools like UptimeRobot will alert you to failures.

Use optimized hosting (like Rocon)

Some managed hosts will run cron for you and are better for WooCommerce or content heavy sites.

If your WordPress site uses scheduled posts, plugin automation, WooCommerce emails or backups then having a reliable cron is non negotiable.

While the default wp-cron.php setup may be fine for high traffic sites, it’s unreliable on low traffic or cached sites. That’s where a proper server side cron using the right WordPress cron job command comes in.

By taking the time to disable WP-Cron, setting up a real cron with curl and securing your config—you’ll avoid missed schedules, reduce server load and improve overall site performance.

Don’t let background tasks break your WordPress workflow. Set it once and let it run like clockwork.

1. What is the default WordPress cron job URL

https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron — used to simulate cron execution via HTTP.

2. Should I disable WP-Cron and use a real cron job?

Yes — especially for low traffic, caching or WooCommerce sites. It’s more reliable.

3. How often should I schedule the server cron job?

Every 5 to 15 minutes is good for most sites. WooCommerce or high task sites may want to go shorter.

4. Is curl better than wget for triggering cron?

Yes. curl is more consistent, better supported and recommended by most hosting providers.

5. Will disabling WordPress Cron break my site?

Not if you replace it with a correct cron job. Just add define(‘DISABLE_WP_CRON’, true); in wp-config.php.