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Troubleshooting: Why Posts Disappear When Using Post Types Order

20 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Post types order

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Are Your Posts Vanishing? Here's Why and How to Fix It

A common issue reported by users of the Post Types Order plugin is the sudden disappearance of posts, pages, or custom post types from either the WordPress admin area or the frontend of their website. This can be a alarming problem, but it's often caused by a few specific conflicts that are relatively straightforward to diagnose and resolve.

Why Does This Happen?

The core function of the Post Types Order plugin is to modify the menu_order value of posts in your database. This can sometimes conflict with other themes or plugins that also rely on or query posts based on this specific attribute. The sample threads reveal several root causes:

  • Query Conflicts: Your theme or another plugin may be running a custom query that expects the default menu_order value (usually 0). After Post Types Order changes this value, the query may fail to find the posts.
  • Auto-Sort Interference: The plugin's 'Auto Sort' feature can sometimes apply its ordering logic to queries where it's not wanted, such as in sliders, search results, or recent post widgets.
  • Memory Exhaustion: For sites with a very large number of posts, the re-order interface may not load (showing a blank page) due to server memory limits being exceeded during processing.
  • Plugin or Theme Code: Custom code snippets, especially those modifying queries with pre_get_posts, may not be fully compatible with the changes made by the ordering plugin.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

1. The Basic Checks: Caching and Conflicts

Before diving deep, start with these simple steps:

  • Clear All Caches: Clear your WordPress object cache, any page caching plugin (e.g., W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket), and your browser cache. A stale cache can often show outdated content.
  • The Conflict Test: Temporarily deactivate all other plugins except Post Types Order. Then, switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four. If the posts reappear, you know a conflict exists. Reactivate your plugins and theme one by one to identify the culprit.

2. Disable Auto-Sort for Specific Queries

If your posts are missing on the frontend (e.g., in a slider, search results, or widget) but are fine in the admin, the 'Auto Sort' feature is the most likely cause.

  • Navigate to Settings -> Post Types Order.
  • Locate the 'Auto Sort' option and ensure it is unchecked.
  • You must now manually specify the custom order in your theme's queries. Find the relevant template file (e.g., front-page.php, archive.php) and look for the WordPress loop or a WP_Query instance. Add the parameter 'orderby' => 'menu_order' to ensure it uses the order you've set.

3. Check for Custom Code and Queries

If deactivating the plugin doesn't bring your posts back, the issue may be a hardcoded query in your theme that depends on the original menu_order value.

  • Inspect your theme's functions.php file and any custom plugin files for functions using pre_get_posts or WP_Query that filter by 'orderby' => 'menu_order'.
  • If you find such code and no longer need the custom ordering it provides, you may need to remove or modify it.
  • Reset menu_order values: As a last resort, if your site's order is broken even with the plugin off, you may need to reset all menu_order values to 0 in the database. This can be done via phpMyAdmin by running an SQL query on your wp_posts table: UPDATE wp_posts SET menu_order = 0. Warning: Always back up your database before running any direct SQL queries.

4. Address Admin Interface Issues

If posts are missing from the WordPress admin list screen:

  • Check Screen Options: Click the 'Screen Options' tab at the top of the admin post list and ensure the number of items per page is set high enough to show all your posts.
  • Review Browser Console: Open your browser's developer tools (F12) and check the 'Console' tab for any JavaScript errors that might be preventing the list from rendering correctly.
  • Server Resources: A blank re-order page can indicate a server memory issue. Check your server's error logs. You may need to increase the PHP memory limit for WordPress.

Conclusion

The disappearance of posts is almost always a conflict rather than permanent data loss. By methodically testing for conflicts, managing the Auto-Sort setting, and auditing custom code, you can almost always restore your site's functionality while still benefiting from the powerful ordering capabilities of the Post Types Order plugin.

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