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Troubleshooting Common ACF Datepicker and jQuery Conflicts

19 threads Sep 10, 2025 Plugin → Advanced custom fields (acf®)

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If you've landed here, you're likely facing a frustrating issue where your Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) datepicker has suddenly stopped working, is causing JavaScript errors, or is conflicting with another plugin. This is a common problem that often arises after a WordPress core update or when a new plugin is installed. This guide will walk you through the most common causes and their solutions.

What's Causing the Datepicker Conflict?

The root cause is almost always a JavaScript conflict. The ACF datepicker relies on libraries like jQuery and jQuery UI. When another plugin or your theme loads an incompatible or duplicate version of these scripts, it can break functionality. Common error messages you might see in your browser's console (F12) include:

  • Uncaught TypeError: jQuery(e).zIndex is not a function
  • Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'mouse' of undefined
  • Failed to initialize plugin

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

1. Perform a Conflict Test

Before making any changes, it's crucial to confirm a plugin conflict is the actual cause.

  1. Deactivate all plugins except Advanced Custom Fields.
  2. Switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four.
  3. Check if the datepicker works. If it does, you've confirmed a conflict.
  4. Reactivate your plugins one by one, testing the datepicker after each activation, until you find the culprit.

2. Update Everything

Outdated software is a primary source of conflicts. Ensure your WordPress installation, the ACF plugin, and all other plugins are updated to their latest versions. As seen in Thread 7, a specific bug was identified and fixed in a subsequent patch (v6.2.6.1).

3. Check for Known Issues

Sometimes, conflicts are widespread and known. For example, Thread 5 highlights a specific conflict with WooCommerce that was being tracked on GitHub. A quick search on the WordPress.org support forums or the GitHub repositories for the plugins involved can often reveal if others are experiencing the same issue and if a fix is available.

4. Disable ACF's Datepicker (Last Resort)

If the conflicting plugin is essential and cannot be replaced, and no other fix is available, you can disable ACF's built-in datepicker script. This allows the other plugin's datepicker to function. You can add the following code to your theme's functions.php file:

add_action('acf/init', 'my_acf_init');
function my_acf_init() {
    acf_update_setting('enqueue_datetimepicker', false);
}

Note: This will disable the ACF datepicker across your entire site, so only use this method if you are comfortable relying on the native datepicker from the other plugin.

Conclusion

JavaScript conflicts between plugins are an unfortunate but common part of managing a WordPress site. The process of elimination—deactivating plugins and switching themes—is the most reliable way to identify the source of the problem. Once identified, seeking out updates or known issues is the fastest path to a resolution. If all else fails, the code snippet to disable ACF's datepicker can serve as an effective workaround.

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