Settings: Scheduler

Hive Mail > Settings > Scheduler shows whether the once-a-minute scheduler runs and how to set up a real server cron job. It has no saved settings. The status refreshes every 20 seconds. Background: Scheduled sending and cron.

Is the scheduler running? #

Status	Meaning
The scheduler is running (green)	Last ran within 5 minutes
The scheduler is running late (amber)	Last ran within 30 minutes; scheduled campaigns and queued emails can go out late
The scheduler is not running (red)	Last ran over 30 minutes ago or never; nothing scheduled goes out

Fact	Shows
Last run	"(time) ago" and the date
Runs in the last hour	"(number) of 60"; about 60 with a real cron
Waiting now	Emails, campaigns and steps due now; over 2 minutes late counts as overdue
Runs through	Action Scheduler or WP-Cron
WP-Cron on visits	On, or Switched off when DISABLE_WP_CRON is set
Site can call itself	Works, Failed or Not tested; click Test it

Check again reloads the status. Run the scheduler now does the due work at once (about 20 seconds at most, at your sending speed) and reports "Done in (number) ms. (number) emails handled." or "Nothing was waiting to be sent."

Set up a real cron #

Without one, WordPress runs scheduled work only when someone visits your site. The card Set up a real cron has tabs: Hostinger (hPanel), cPanel, Any other host, WP-CLI worker and A local site. The fitting tab opens first, with commands using your own address and folder.

1. Create a cron job that runs every minute: curl -s 'https://yoursite.com/wp-cron.php' > /dev/null 2>&1 (the guide fills in your address).
   • Hostinger: hPanel, Websites, Manage, Advanced, Cron Jobs.
   • cPanel: Advanced, Cron Jobs, "Once Per Minute (* * * * *)".
   • Other host with SSH: crontab -e; a wget version is offered. With no cron, use a web-cron service.
2. Add define( 'DISABLE_WP_CRON', true ); to wp-config.php, above "That's all, stop editing!".
3. After a few minutes click Check again; Runs in the last hour should climb towards 60.

• WP-CLI worker: wp hivemail worker --seconds=50 --quiet --path='/path/to/wordpress' every minute. Keep a wp-cron.php line too: the daily clean-up, visitor roll-ups and weekly summary still need WordPress's cron. See WP-CLI commands.
• Local site: keep a browser tab open, press Run the scheduler now, or run wp hivemail worker. Do not add DISABLE_WP_CRON unless you schedule the command yourself.

Warning: Before switching off WordPress's cron with DISABLE_WP_CRON, make sure a real cron exists, or nothing is sent. Until you add the line, both run, which is harmless.

Each minute Hive Mail requeues stuck messages, sends the queue, starts due campaigns, moves people along automations, finishes background jobs, scans abandoned carts, rolls up visitor statistics and checks alerts. When it runs late, the Campaigns list shows Scheduled campaigns are not going out or Scheduled campaigns may go out late with a Fix this button that leads here.

If Site can call itself shows Failed (blocked loopback, firewall, password-protected site, wrong address), see A scheduled campaign did not go out.

Next: Settings: Sending, Settings: Notifications.