If WP-Cron cannot be triggered, scheduled tasks will not run. This is typically identified when cron events are delayed beyond their expected execution time.
Quick Checks
- Retry request
Reload to confirm if the issue is temporary. Persisting errors require further investigation. - Capture error details
Note the exact error message returned during the cron spawn attempt. - Plugin conflict test
Disable plugins (including MU and network-active) one by one to identify conflicts. - Hosting environment
Managed hosting users should escalate with error logs. For self-managed setups, review server configuration and logs. - Further debugging
Search the error message or consult WordPress support forums if unresolved.
Common Error References
- cURL 6 (DNS resolution failed)
Domain or DNS configuration issue. - cURL 7 (Connection refused)
Network/firewall/HTTPS misconfiguration. - cURL 28 (Timeout)
Loopback request blocked or timing out. - cURL 35 (SSL failure)
Invalid SSL/HTTPS setup. - HTTP 401 / 403
Access restrictions (firewall, auth, security rules, .htaccess). - HTTP 404
Missing wp-cron.php file. - HTTP ≥500
Server-side error; check error logs.
Note
WP-Cron failures are usually environment-related (server, DNS, firewall, or SSL) rather than plugin-specific.