Table of contents

What are WordPress revisions?How to restore a WordPress revisionHow to control WordPress revisionsGetting startedAdditional resources

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WordPress Guide → Post → Revisions

WordPress revisions: What they are and how to restore a previous page or post version

Ever made a change to a WordPress post and instantly regretted it? Or maybe you lost a draft after hours of writing? WordPress has a built-in safety net that can save you from these headaches—if you know how to use it.

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What are WordPress revisions?

WordPress revisions are a built-in feature that records changes made to posts and pages over time. Each time you update your content, a new revision is created, allowing you to revert to previous versions if necessary. This functionality is invaluable for content creators, providing a safety net against accidental deletions or unwanted changes.

Revisions are stored in the WordPress database, creating a history of edits that includes the date, time, and author of each change. This makes it easy to compare versions and identify modifications.

The revision feature also empowers users to experiment with content without fear of losing valuable information, as previous versions can be restored anytime.

In collaborative environments, WordPress revisions are particularly useful. They enable users to track changes and revert to earlier drafts, fostering a more organized and efficient content management process.

How to restore a WordPress revision

1. Access revisions

To restore a previous version of a post or page, start by accessing the revisions feature:

Navigate to the post or page you wish to edit.
In the post editor, locate the ‘Revisions’ section, typically found in the ‘Publish’ panel.

2. Review revisions

Once you access the revisions section, you can review changes:

Scroll through the list of revisions to see previous versions.
Compare different versions by clicking on them. WordPress highlights changes made in each revision.
Pay attention to the timestamps to understand when modifications were made, which can help you choose the most suitable version to restore.

3. Restore a revision

To revert to a previous version, follow these steps:

Select the revision you want to restore.
Click the ‘Restore This Revision’ button to revert to the selected version.
Save the changes to ensure the restoration is applied.
After restoration, review the content to confirm everything appears as intended before publishing.

How to control WordPress revisions

While WordPress revisions are useful, they can sometimes clutter your database or affect performance. Controlling the number of revisions can optimize your site’s efficiency while retaining the ability to revert to previous versions.

Limiting or disabling revisions

To limit or disable revisions, modify your site’s wp-config.php file:

Access your WordPress site via FTP or your hosting provider’s file manager.
Locate the wp-config.php file in the root directory of your WordPress installation.
Add the following line to the file: define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, 5); This limits revisions to five per post. To disable revisions entirely, use define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, false);
Save your changes and close the file.

Deleting old revisions to optimize performance

Deleting old revisions can help streamline your database and improve site performance:

Access your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the Posts section.
Click on All Posts and select the post you wish to edit.
In the post editor, locate the Revisions section to see all previous versions.
Select the revisions you want to delete and click the Delete option.

Getting started with an optimized WordPress site

Understanding WordPress revisions can be a game-changer for managing your site. Revisions are essentially snapshots of your content, allowing you to track changes and revert to previous versions of your pages or posts with ease. This feature offers peace of mind and helps maintain content integrity, ensuring that mistakes can be quickly rectified without starting from scratch.

To get started with optimizing your WordPress site, familiarize yourself with how to access and use the revisions feature. Navigate to the post or page you wish to edit, and locate the ‘Revisions’ section, typically found in the ‘Publish’ panel.

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