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 | Status | Notes |
|---|
| Adding sites | Works | Avoid leading / in subdomain URLs |
| Synchronization | Works | No issues |
| Security checks | Works | No issues |
| Reconnecting sites | Works | No issues |
| Plugin updates | Works* | One update shows for all subsites |
| Theme updates | Works* | One update shows for all subsites |
| Translation updates | Works | Same behavior as plugins/themes |
| Posts management | Works | Full functionality |
| Pages management | Works | Full functionality |
| Plugin install/delete | Works* | Changes affect entire network |
| Theme install/delete | Works* | Changes affect entire network |
| User creation | Partial | May fail if user exists on another subsite |
| User deletion | Works | No issues |
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:
| Behavior | Description |
|---|
| Detection | One update displays as available on all subsites |
| Updating | Updating on any site applies to the entire network |
| Abandoned detection | Works normally, same behavior as updates |
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:
| Action | Behavior |
|---|
| Install | Available on all network sites immediately |
| Activate/Deactivate | Works per-subsite |
| Delete | Removes from all network sites |
Add-ons (Extensions)
MainWP extensions are not continuously tested for Multisite setups. Most extensions are expected to work, but some will likely have partial or unexpected behavior in Multisite environments.
This includes backup-focused extensions such as Time Capsule. Core workflows may work, but full Multisite behavior is not guaranteed and is not officially supported.
User Management
| Action | Status | Notes |
|---|
| Create users | Partial | Fails if user already exists on another subsite |
| Delete users | Works | No issues |
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
- Extensions risk: Extensions 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
