How to Turn off Auto Save in WordPress

In this article, you will learn two ways to disable the autosave feature in WordPress. Specifically, this guide teaches how to perform the task using a plugin.

I will also demonstrate how to deactivate the autosave feature by adding a code to your theme’s function.php file.

This guide also features an FAQ section, where I answer a few questions people mostly ask related to the topic in view.

Disable Autosave in WordPress Using a Plugin

A major way to disable the auto-save feature in WordPress is by using a plugin. Although there are various plugins that can do that, we will focus on the Disable Gutenberg Autosave plugin for this article.

This free plugin automatically turns off the auto-save feature in WordPress as soon as it is activated. Thus, follow the procedures below to learn how to install and enable the plugin in WordPress.

This plugin only works for the WordPress Gutenberg block editor and not the WordPress classic editor.

1. Access the backend of your WordPress site as an administrator. Now, place your mouse cursor on Plugins on the left pane, then left-click Add New from options that appear.

2. On the Add Plugins page, type “disable Gutenberg autosave” in the search field.

3. Then, left-click the Install Now button on the Disable Gutenberg Autosave plugin from the search results.

4. After installing the plugin, click the Activate button. Consequently, the auto-save feature in WordPress should be automatically disabled.

Interestingly, this plugin not only disables the auto-save feature but also allows you to change the autosave interval. Basically, the plugin enables you to set a different time interval at which WordPress automatically saves a page/post.

This feature can come in handy if you don’t wish to completely disable the auto-save feature in WordPress. Well, to change the autosave interval using the plugin, open the WordPress Gutenberg block editor – it can be a page or post.

Then, click the Autosave Settings icon at the top right corner of the page/post. Finally, select a preferred autosave interval from the options that appear.

Without activating the plugin, you won’t find the Autosave Settings icon in the WordPress block editor.

Deactivate Autosave in WordPress Using Code

Another way to disable the autosave feature in WordPress is by adding a certain code to your theme’s functions.php file. To do that, observe the subsequent procedures and screenshot images below.

1. Sign in to the WordPress backend using an administrator account. Next, place your mouse cursor on Appearance among the options on the left pane, then click Theme File Editor.

2. After that, select the functions.php file among the Theme Files.

3. Now, add the subsequent command to the functions.php file content.

add_action( 'admin_init', 'disable_autosave' );
function disable_autosave() {
wp_deregister_script( 'autosave' );
}

4. Finally, click the blue Update File to save the input. Thus, the autosave feature in WordPress should be automatically disabled.

Frequently Asked Questions

My Final Thoughts

The autosave feature in WordPress is a helpful feature that automatically saves your posts or pages as you work on them. Thereby ensuring that you don’t lose any content in case of accidental page closing or a system crash.

However, some WordPress users may prefer to turn off the autosave feature for various reasons. Turning off the feature can help to reduce the number of revisions saved, reduce server load, and improve site speed.

Gladly, this guide demonstrated two ways to disable the autosave feature in WordPress. Specifically, we discussed how to execute this task with the aid of a free plugin.

Then, we learned how to deactivate the feature by adding a code to the theme’s function.php file.

I hope this guide was helpful to you. If it were, we would appreciate it if you could spare a few minutes to share your opinions with our community at Itechguides Community Forum.

You may also ask questions or make comments about this guide’s topic at Itechguides Community Forum. Our forum staff will ensure your questions or comments are attended to as soon as possible.

Finally, go through our WordPress & Websites How-to Guides page to find other insightful guides like this.

References and Further Reading

1. ultimateblocks.com – How To Disable Autosave In WordPress
2. Itechguides Community Forum