What You’ll Learn
- Configure sync timing and frequency
- Set up automatic updates for plugins, themes, and WordPress core
- Enable uptime and site health monitoring
- Manage email notification settings
- Optimize request settings for your hosting environment
- Access maintenance tools
Prerequisites
- MainWP Dashboard installed and activated
- Administrator access to your Dashboard site
- At least one child site connected (for testing settings)
Access Dashboard Settings
From any Dashboard page, click the ellipsis menu in the top right corner and select Settings.
Settings Reference
General Settings
General Settings
Automatic Daily Sync Time
Set a specific time for automatic synchronization. The time format displays as H:i (for example, 16:15) regardless of the Time Format setting.Daily Update Frequency
Set how often MainWP performs automatic synchronization. For example, if Automatic daily sync time is 7:00 and frequency is 3 times per day, syncs occur at 7:00, 15:00, and 23:00.Timezone
Choose a city in your timezone or a Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) offset.Date Format
Choose a pre-made format or create a custom format using WordPress date and time formatting.Time Format
Choose a pre-made format or create a custom format using WordPress date and time formatting.Sidebar Position
Default: RightSelect left or right sidebar position for your MainWP Dashboard.Hide the Update Everything Button
Enable to hide the Update Everything button in the Updates Overview widget.Show Widgets
Select which widgets appear on the MainWP > Overview page.Show Favicons
When enabled, MainWP downloads child site favicons during connection and displays them in the Sites table.Updates Settings
Updates Settings
Plugin Advanced Automatic Updates
Default: DisabledEnable auto-updates for Trusted Plugins.Theme Advanced Automatic Updates
Default: DisabledEnable auto-updates for Trusted Themes.WP Core Advanced Automatic Updates
Default: DisabledEnable auto-updates for Trusted Sites.Frequency of Automatic Updates
Default: DailySet update frequency to Daily, Weekly, or Monthly. Each option reveals additional time/day selectors.Advanced Automatic Updates Delay
Default: 1 daySet number of days to delay automatic updates after release.Show WordPress Language Updates
Default: YesWhen enabled, checks for language pack updates on child sites. Available updates appear in the Update Overview widget.Update Confirmations
Default: Enabled- Enabled: Prompts for confirmation before any update
- Disabled: Updates process immediately when clicked
- Disable for single updates: Confirmation required only for bulk updates
Check Site HTTP Response After Update
When enabled, MainWP checks child site header response after completing updates.Ignored HTTP Response Statuses
Select response codes MainWP should ignore when checking post-update status.Require Backup Before Update
Default: NoWhen enabled, MainWP checks if the child site was backed up within the last seven days before allowing updates. Works only with the MainWP Legacy Backups system.Abandoned Plugins/Themes Tolerance
Default: 365 daysPlugins or themes without updates for this number of days are marked as Possibly Abandoned. The list appears in the Update Overview widget.MainWP fetches last-updated information from wordpress.org. Delisted plugins/themes cannot be detected as abandoned.
Uptime Monitoring
Uptime Monitoring
For detailed information about uptime monitoring, see Uptime Monitoring.
Enable Uptime Monitoring
Toggle monitoring for all connected sites.Monitor Type
- HTTP(s)/Website Monitoring: Sends HTTP(s) requests to verify site response
- Ping Monitoring: Uses ICMP to ping the server
- Keyword Monitoring: Checks for specific keywords on the page (reveals keyword field when selected)
HTTP(s)/Website Monitoring Options
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| HTTP Method | GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, or DELETE |
| Monitor Interval | Check frequency from every 5 minutes to once daily |
| Request Timeout | Maximum seconds before timeout |
| Down Confirmation Check | Verify downtime before sending alerts |
| Up HTTP Status Codes | Status codes considered “Up” (default: all 2XX) |
Site Health Monitoring
Site Health Monitoring
Backup Options
Backup Options
Enable Legacy Backups Feature
MainWP recommends using backup extensions rather than the legacy system. For new installations, this feature is disabled by default.Select Primary Backup System
Default: N/AWhen multiple backup extensions are installed, select which one serves as primary. View available backup extensions.Hide MainWP Child Plugin from Search Engines
Removed in MainWP 4. The Child plugin now includes a custom .htaccess file with rewrite rules by default.
/wp-content/plugins/mainwp-child/. This does not work on NGINX servers and does not hide the plugin from the WordPress admin area. To hide the plugin in wp-admin, use the White Label Extension.Advanced Settings
Advanced Settings
Configure request settings to prevent sync issues, failed updates, and failed installations caused by too many simultaneous requests.
Request Limits
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Max simultaneous requests | 4 | Total concurrent requests to all child sites |
| Min delay between requests | 200ms | Pause between consecutive requests |
| Max simultaneous requests per IP | 1 | Concurrent requests to sites on the same server |
| Min delay between requests to same IP | 1000ms | Pause between requests to the same server |
| Max simultaneous sync requests | 8 | Sites synced concurrently |
| Max simultaneous install/update requests | 3 | Concurrent update or install operations |
| Max uptime monitoring requests | 10 | Concurrent uptime check requests |
If child sites appear offline during sync operations, reduce the maximum simultaneous requests value.
Optimize for Shared Hosting or Big Networks
Default: NoWhen enabled, MainWP caches updates for faster loading. Requires manual sync before performing updates. Recommended for Dashboards with 50+ sites or those on shared hosting.Use WP Cron
Default: YesSetting to No disables WP-Cron, stopping all scheduled events. Disabling requires manual cron job configuration.Verify SSL Certificate
Default: YesWhen enabled, MainWP verifies SSL certificates when connecting to child sites. Disable if experiencing connection issues with self-signed or outdated certificates. This global setting can be overridden per site.Verify Connection Method
Default: OpenSSLOpenSSL is recommended for most configurations. PHPSecLib serves as an alternative when OpenSSL is unavailable or misconfigured, particularly useful for localhost setups.OpenSSL Signature Algorithm
Default: OPENSSL_ALGO_SHA256SHA256 is the default, providing compatibility with both OpenSSL 1 and OpenSSL 3. Hosts running OpenSSL 3 may have disabled SHA1. See custom signature algorithm documentation for details.Force IPv4
Default: NoWhen enabled, forces IPv4 connections to child sites. Use on servers where IPv6 is not supported.Email Settings
Email Settings
MainWP 4.1 introduced full control over email notifications with options to enable/disable notifications, manage recipients, and customize templates.
Manage Email Settings
1
Navigate to Email Settings
Go to MainWP > Settings > Email Settings.
2
Select notification
Locate the email notification you want to configure.
3
Click Manage
The settings form appears with these options:
- Enable/Disable the notification
- Recipients: Add multiple addresses separated by commas
- Email Subject: Customize the subject line
- Email Heading: Customize the content heading
- Email HTML Template: View, copy to uploads for editing, or delete custom templates
Per-Site Email Settings
Configure individual site email settings for client-specific notifications:1
Navigate to site settings
Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites.
2
Edit site
Click Edit in the Actions menu for the target site.
3
Configure email
Go to the Email Settings tab and set preferences.
Token Support
Email notifications support tokens from:MainWP Tools
MainWP Tools
Select MainWP Theme
Choose from built-in Dashboard themes.Enable MainWP Guided Tours
Enable or disable guided tours. This feature uses Usetiful and is subject to the Usetiful Privacy Policy.Force New Connection
Forces reconnection with all child sites. Logs out currently logged-in users on child sites. Use only when directed by MainWP Support.Force New OpenSSL Keys
Generates new OpenSSL key pair for child site communication. Use if experiencing disconnection issues after upgrading from MainWP 4.4.X to 4.5.X.Start Quick Setup Wizard
Launch the MainWP Quick Setup Wizard.Export Child Sites
Export all sites to a CSV file compatible with the Import Sites feature.Import Child Sites
Redirects to MainWP > Sites > Import Sites.Disconnect All Child Sites
Breaks connection with all sites while leaving MainWP Child active. Designed for migrating sites to another Dashboard.Delete Extensions API Activation Data
Removes API activation data without affecting extension settings.Restore All Info Messages
Restores dismissed info messages in Dashboard and extensions.Common Configurations
Shared Hosting Optimization
For Dashboards on shared hosting or with 50+ sites:- Enable Optimize for shared hosting or big networks
- Reduce Max simultaneous requests to 2-3
- Increase Min delay between requests to 500ms
- Remember to sync manually before running updates
High-Performance Setup
For dedicated servers or VPS with strong resources:- Increase Max simultaneous sync requests to 15-20
- Increase Max simultaneous install/update requests to 5-8
- Reduce delays between requests
Self-Check Checklist
After configuring settings, verify:- Automatic sync time is set to a low-traffic period
- Update confirmations match your workflow preference
- Email notifications are configured with correct recipients
- Request settings are appropriate for your hosting environment
- SSL verification is properly configured for your sites
Related Resources
- Manage Sites - Connect and manage child sites
- Disable WP Cron - Set up server-side cron jobs
- OpenSSL and PHPSecLib - Alternative connection methods