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How to Schedule Automatic Updates for a Specific Time with Easy Updates Manager

18 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Easy updates manager

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Many WordPress site administrators want to run their automatic updates during off-peak hours, like the middle of the night, to minimize the impact of potential downtime on their visitors. A common question for users of the Easy Updates Manager plugin is how to achieve this precise scheduling.

This guide explains the relationship between Easy Updates Manager, WordPress core, and the WP-Cron system, and provides the most effective methods for controlling when your updates occur.

Why You Can't Set a Specific Time in the Plugin

By default, the free version of Easy Updates Manager does not include an interface to set a specific hour for updates to run. The plugin leverages WordPress's built-in automatic update system. WordPress itself checks for updates approximately every 12 hours. When an update is available, Easy Updates Manager will allow it to proceed automatically if configured to do so.

The timing of these checks is handled by the WP-Cron system. Standard WP-Cron does not run like a traditional server cron job; instead, it is triggered when a user visits your site. If a scheduled cron event (like an update check) is due and no one visits your site, the event will be delayed until the next visit. This is why updates might seem to happen at random times throughout the day.

Recommended Solution: Use an External Cron Job

The most reliable way to force WP-Cron (and therefore automatic updates) to run at an exact time is to replace the default WP-Cron with a real server cron job. This method is mentioned in several support threads as the effective solution.

Here is how to set it up:

  1. Disable Internal WP-Cron: Add the following line to your site's wp-config.php file. This stops WordPress from relying on site visits to trigger cron events.
    define('DISABLE_WP_CRON', true);
  2. Set Up a Server Cron Job: In your web hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel), locate the cron job settings. Create a new cron job that runs at your desired time (e.g., every night at 2 AM) and uses wget or curl to call your site's wp-cron.php file.
    Example command:
    wget -q -O - https://yourdomain.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron > /dev/null 2>&1
    Replace https://yourdomain.com with your actual website URL.

This external cron job will reliably trigger the WordPress cron system at the exact time you specify, which in turn will run any pending update checks and installations.

Alternative Method: Modify Cron Events with a Plugin

Another approach, suggested in the threads, is to modify the frequency of the specific WordPress cron events responsible for checking updates. You can use a free plugin like WP Crontrol to manage this.

With WP Crontrol, you can find the events named wp_version_check (for core updates), wp_update_plugins, and wp_update_themes. You can change their recurrence from the default 'every 12 hours' to a daily schedule. However, even on a daily schedule, the exact execution time will still depend on when a visitor triggers WP-Cron after the event is due. For more precise timing, this method should be combined with the external server cron job described above.

Important Considerations

  • Backups: Always ensure you have a reliable backup solution in place before enabling automatic updates. Some users integrate Easy Updates Manager with UpdraftPlus to perform a backup immediately before an update runs.
  • FTP Credentials: If your server requires FTP credentials for updates, you must define them in your wp-config.php file, as Easy Updates Manager does not have a built-in interface for this. Constants like FTP_HOST, FTP_USER, and FTP_PASS can be set there.

While the native scheduling feature some users seek is not present in the free version, combining Easy Updates Manager with an external cron job provides a powerful and reliable way to automate your update schedule.

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