MainWP Dashboard was not designed for managing WordPress Multisite networks. Many features can still work when connecting individual subsites to a MainWP Dashboard, but Multisite is outside the product’s intended architecture.
Multisite testing is periodic and limited. It is not part of a continuous test program, and our Multisite feedback volume is lower than standard single-site setups.
MainWP does not provide official support for Multisite setups.
What You’ll Learn
- How to set up MainWP with Multisite subsites
- Which MainWP features work with Multisite
- Known limitations and behaviors
Setup
Install the MainWP Child plugin in the standard wp-content/plugins/ directory. You can activate it:
- Network-wide: From Network Settings panel for all subsites
- Per-subsite: Individually for specific subsites
As long as MainWP Child is active on a subsite, you can connect it to your MainWP Dashboard.
When adding subdomain URLs, do NOT include a leading / in the URL. Including it can result in a 403 Forbidden error. If this happens, use SFTP to delete the plugin, remove the subdomain sites from MainWP, and clear the server cache.
Compatibility Summary
The results below reflect point-in-time checks in limited Multisite testing. They are compatibility observations, not support guarantees.
Feature Details
Sites Management
- Synchronization works without issues
- Security issue detection and fixing works
- Site reconnection works normally
Updates Management
Updates are detected normally, with one important behavior to understand:
Content Management
Posts and pages work fully:
- Publishing content (including meta) works as expected
- Changing post/page status works
- Deleting posts/pages works
Plugin & Theme Management
Installing and managing plugins/themes works, but changes affect the entire network:
Add-ons
MainWP add-ons are not continuously tested for Multisite setups. Most add-ons are expected to work, but some will likely have partial or unexpected behavior in Multisite environments.
This includes backup-focused add-ons such as Time Capsule. Core workflows may work, but full Multisite behavior is not guaranteed and is not officially supported.
User Management
Key Considerations
Before using MainWP with Multisite:
- Network-wide changes: Plugin and theme installations/deletions affect all subsites
- Duplicate updates: The same update may appear multiple times (once per subsite)
- User limitations: Creating users across subsites may fail if the username already exists
- Limited testing scope: Multisite checks are periodic and limited, not continuous
- Add-ons risk: Add-ons are not fully validated for Multisite and some will likely not work as expected
- Official support status: Multisite setups are not officially supported
- Roadmap scope: We are not currently expanding Multisite-specific functionality or support
Support Roadmap Note
Making MainWP Dashboard fully compatible across all Multisite scenarios would require significant development and support effort. Based on current demand, this is not a planned expansion area right now.
If this direction changes, this document will be updated with the new support position.
Self-Check Checklist
