Scheduling Issues

Troubleshoot issues with scheduled SMS messages not sending on time.

Common Causes

1. Incorrect Timezone

The most common cause of scheduling issues is incorrect WordPress timezone settings.

Solution:

1. Go to Settings → General
2. Set the correct Timezone
3. Save changes

2. WordPress Cron Limitations

WP SMS uses WordPress cron for scheduling. WordPress cron only runs when someone visits your site.

3. Disabled WordPress Cron

Some hosting providers or configurations disable WordPress cron.

Check if cron is disabled:

Look for this line in wp-config.php:

define('DISABLE_WP_CRON', true);

If present and set to true, WordPress cron is disabled.

Recommended Solution

Replace WordPress cron with a server-level cron job for reliable scheduling.

Set Up Server Cron

1. Access your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, etc.)
2. Find Cron Jobs or Scheduled Tasks
3. Add a new cron job:

*/5 * * * * wget -q -O - https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron >/dev/null 2>&1

Or using curl:

*/5 * * * * curl -s https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron >/dev/null 2>&1

4. Disable WordPress native cron in wp-config.php:

define('DISABLE_WP_CRON', true);

Verify Cron is Working

Install a plugin like “WP Crontrol” to:

• View scheduled cron events
• See when cron last ran
• Manually trigger cron events

Related

• Scheduled Messages - Schedule SMS messages
• General Settings - Plugin settings