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Troubleshooting Common Duplicate Post Plugin Issues: Meta Keys, Custom Fields, and Compatibility

19 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Duplicate post

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If you use the popular Duplicate Post plugin, you might occasionally run into issues where it doesn't copy everything you expect or behaves unexpectedly with other plugins. This troubleshooting guide covers the most common problems reported by users and provides clear steps to resolve them.

1. Custom Fields and ACF Fields Not Copying

The Problem: When you duplicate a post or page, the custom fields (including those created by Advanced Custom Fields) are not copied to the new post.

Why It Happens: By default, the base version of the Duplicate Post plugin does not copy all post meta data, which is where custom field information is stored.

The Solution: The most common fix is to ensure the "All post meta" option is selected during duplication. For ACF fields specifically, you may also need to select the "Children" option, as ACF field content can sometimes be stored as separate posts. These options are available in the plugin's settings under "Which elements shall be copied?".

2. Unwanted Data Being Copied (e.g., Page Views)

The Problem: You want to duplicate a post's content but not certain data attached to it, like page view counts from statistics plugins.

Why It Happens: If the "All post meta" option is enabled, it will copy every piece of meta data associated with the post, including statistics and other information you might want to reset.

The Solution: Avoid using the "All post meta" option if you want to exclude specific data. Instead, use the plugin's exclusion settings to prevent certain meta keys from being copied. Navigate to the plugin's settings and look for the option to exclude specific meta keys (you might see it labeled as "exclude from duplication" or similar). You would need to add the specific meta key used by your statistics plugin (e.g., a key from Burst Statistics) to this exclusion list.

3. Proliferation of _cdp_origin Meta Keys

The Problem: Your database accumulates numerous '_cdp_origin' meta keys, sometimes many more than you have posts.

Why It Happens: The '_cdp_origin' meta key is used by the plugin to track the original source of a duplicated post. This multiplication occurs when you duplicate a post that is itself a copy of another post. Each duplication event can create a new meta key entry.

The Solution: These meta keys are generally safe and are part of the plugin's normal operation. They can typically be cleaned up if you are certain they are no longer needed, though it's advisable to have a database backup first. Uninstalling the plugin may not automatically remove these entries.

4. Compatibility Issues with Other Plugins (e.g., MailPoet)

The Problem: The Duplicate Post interface appears in unexpected places within the admin area, such as on a MailPoet newsletter listing page, taking up excessive space.

Why It Happens: This is typically a compatibility or display issue that can sometimes be caused by a conflict with another plugin or theme, or a specific configuration.

The Solution:

  1. Basic Checks: First, ensure both Duplicate Post and the other plugin (e.g., MailPoet) are updated to their latest versions.
  2. Conflict Test: Temporarily deactivate all other plugins except Duplicate Post and the one causing the display issue (e.g., MailPoet). Switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four. If the issue disappears, reactivate your plugins one by one to identify the conflict.
  3. Reinstall: As a further step, try reinstalling the Duplicate Post plugin by downloading the latest version directly from WordPress.org.

5. User Roles Not Seeing the Duplicate Option

The Problem: Administrators can see the 'Duplicate' option, but users with other roles (like Editors) cannot.

Why It Happens: The plugin's permissions are set by default to restrict duplication capabilities to administrators.

The Solution: To grant duplication permissions to other user roles, navigate to the Duplicate Post plugin menu in your WordPress admin dashboard. Go to the "Other options" section and look for "User level permissions". Here, you can select the additional user roles that should be allowed to duplicate content. Remember to save your changes.

General Troubleshooting Tips

  • Always ensure your WordPress core, theme, and all plugins are updated to their latest versions.
  • When reporting an issue, be prepared to share your WordPress version, PHP version, theme, and a list of all active plugins. This information is crucial for diagnosing problems.
  • For testing, you can use a free sandbox environment like TasteWP.com to recreate issues without affecting your live site.

By following these steps, you can resolve the majority of common issues encountered with the Duplicate Post plugin. If your specific problem persists after trying these solutions, detailing your issue in a support forum with the information mentioned above will help others assist you further.

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