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WordPress Guide → Errors → Missing Page History
Error: Missing page history in WordPress [fixed]
Can’t find the revision history for a WordPress page or post? You’re not alone. When the “Revisions” link disappears, it usually means a setting, plugin, or hidden feature is blocking it. The good news? In most cases, you can get that history back without touching backups or code—if you know where to look.
Let’s walk through all the reasons your page history might be missing—and how to fix each one.
1. Confirm the page isn’t in the trash
If the entire page or post has gone missing, it could have been accidentally deleted. When a post is in the Trash, WordPress hides its revision history by default.
- Go to your dashboard and navigate to Pages > Trash (or Posts > Trash if it was a post).
- If your missing content is there, click Restore.
- Once restored, go back to the editor and check if the Revisions panel shows up.
If the page was never trashed or it’s still missing revisions, continue to the next steps.
2. Look for the “Revisions” panel in the editor
Sometimes the revision history is there—it’s just hidden.
- Gutenberg users: Open the page or post and check the right-hand sidebar under the “Summary” section for a Revisions link.
- Classic Editor users: Scroll below the content editor to look for the “Revisions” panel.
- If you don’t see it, click the Screen Options tab at the top-right of the screen and make sure Revisions is checked.
If this panel is missing entirely, it could be a deeper config issue.
3. Check if revisions are disabled in wp-config.php
WordPress lets you disable or limit post revisions using a line in wp-config.php.
- Access your site files via FTP or your host’s File Manager.
- Open wp-config.php in a code or text editor.
- Look for this line:
define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, false); - If it’s set to false, either delete the line or change it to:
define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, true); - Save the file and refresh the page editor.
This setting controls whether WordPress saves revisions at all. If it’s turned off, you’ll never see any history.
4. Deactivate conflicting plugins or themes
Some plugins and themes can accidentally suppress or overwrite revision data—especially performance optimizers, page builders, or database cleaners.
- Deactivate plugins one by one, starting with anything recently installed or updated.
- After each deactivation, reload the editor and check for the Revisions panel.
- If nothing changes, temporarily switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four.
- If the revision history comes back, you’ve found the culprit.
You can either look for an update or contact the developer of the plugin or theme causing the issue.
5. Check revision plugin settings (Revisions Control Ultimate and Revisionize)
If you’re using a revision management plugin, its settings may be hiding or deleting your history.
In Revisions Control Ultimate, for example:
- Go to Settings > Revisions Control.
- Check how many revisions are being stored for each post type.
- Increase the number (e.g., to 10 or 20) to ensure old revisions aren’t purged automatically.
- Save changes and recheck your page or post.
6. Clear browser and site cache
In rare cases, a stale cache can interfere with how WordPress displays editor elements.
- Clear your browser cache or open the editor in an incognito window.
- If you use a caching plugin, clear the plugin cache.
- Some hosts provide server-side caching as well—check your control panel or support tools to flush that cache.
Once caches are cleared, reload the editor and look for the Revisions link again.
7. Confirm revisions exist in the database
If revisions used to exist and now don’t, they may have been deleted, or the database might be corrupted.
- Use a database tool like phpMyAdmin or a plugin like WP-Optimize.
- Browse the wp_posts table and filter for post_type = ‘revision’.
- If you don’t see any matching rows, the data may be permanently deleted or never saved due to config settings.
Database cleaners can sometimes auto-delete revision entries. Check if such a plugin is active before proceeding with a restore.
8. Restore from a backup if needed
If revisions were recently deleted and you have regular backups, consider restoring to a point when they existed.
- Use your hosting provider’s backup tools or a plugin like UpdraftPlus.
- Choose a backup from before the issue started.
- Either restore the full site or just the affected database tables.
Keep in mind that restoring a full backup may overwrite other changes, so use this step cautiously.
9. Make sure your browser and JavaScript are working
The WordPress editor relies on JavaScript to show revision-related elements.
- Update your browser to the latest version.
- Make sure JavaScript is enabled in your browser settings.
- Disable browser extensions that might interfere with scripts (especially privacy or content blockers).
Try viewing the editor on another device or browser to confirm whether it’s a local display issue.
10. Contact your hosting provider or WordPress support
If you’ve gone through every step and still can’t recover or view revisions, the issue may be deeper:
- Your host might need to repair the database or restore a backup from their end.
- You can also ask for help on the WordPress.org support forums or from a developer.
Provide details about your plugins, theme, hosting setup, and anything you’ve already tried.
11. Bonus fix: Limit or expand revisions manually
Want to fine-tune how many revisions WordPress keeps for each post or page?
- Open your wp-config.php file.
- Add or edit this line:
define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, 10); - Change 10 to the number of revisions you want to retain per post.
This setting helps prevent future bloat, or stops you from losing revisions too early.
Next steps for fixing missing page history in WordPress
Missing revision history in WordPress is frustrating, but usually reversible. Whether it’s a config setting, a plugin, or a caching issue, each fix takes just a few minutes.
Start by checking if revisions are disabled in your config file and then look into your theme and plugins. Tools like Revisions Control Ultimate and Revisionize can help you regain control over versioning.
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