How to Schedule Blog Posts Automatically in WordPress
Introduction
Publishing content consistently is key to building an engaged audience. But what if you’re not always available to hit “Publish” at the right time? That’s where WordPress’s post scheduling feature comes in.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to automatically schedule blog posts in WordPress, so your content goes live when you want — even if you’re offline.
Why Schedule Posts?
- Maintain a consistent publishing schedule
- Target readers in different time zones
- Plan content for holidays or busy periods in advance
- Batch-create posts and spread them out over time
How to Schedule a Post in the WordPress Editor
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard
- Go to Posts > Add New or open a draft
- Write your content as usual
- In the top-right corner, click the “Publish” button dropdown
- Click “Immediately” next to the date — a calendar will appear
- Select the future date and time you want the post to go live
- Click “Schedule” instead of “Publish”
That’s it — WordPress will publish the post automatically at the specified time.
How to View and Manage Scheduled Posts
To view all your scheduled posts:
- Go to Posts > All Posts
- Click on the “Scheduled” filter at the top
You’ll see all posts with a future publish date. You can edit the post to reschedule it if needed.
Bonus Tip: Timezone Settings Matter
Make sure your WordPress site is set to the correct timezone:
- Go to Settings > General
- Set the Timezone to your local or preferred time
Otherwise, scheduled posts might publish at the wrong time!
Troubleshooting: Post Missed Schedule
Sometimes WordPress may miss a scheduled post due to hosting or cron job issues. To prevent this:
- Use a plugin like WP Missed Schedule
- Install a real cron job on your server if you have access
Advanced: Use Plugins for Bulk Scheduling
If you’re managing a large blog or editorial calendar, consider plugins like:
- Editorial Calendar – drag and drop interface
- SchedulePress – advanced scheduling options
Conclusion
Scheduling posts in WordPress is a simple but powerful feature that helps you stay consistent, save time, and plan ahead. Whether you’re running a blog, magazine, or business site, using the scheduling feature ensures your content reaches your audience at the right moment — even while you sleep.
Now that you know how to do it, go ahead and start scheduling your next few posts today!