Manage Sites - MainWP Documentation

The Manage Sites feature lets you connect WordPress sites to your MainWP Dashboard and control them from a single location. From here, you can add new sites, synchronize data, edit site settings, organize sites with tags, run security scans, and monitor site health.

What You’ll Accomplish

After following this guide, you will be able to:

Connect single or multiple WordPress sites to your Dashboard
Import sites in bulk using CSV files
Synchronize site data between Dashboard and child sites
Edit site settings and manage tags
Run security scans and fix detected issues
Configure site health monitoring

Prerequisites

MainWP Dashboard plugin installed and activated on your Dashboard site
MainWP Child plugin installed and activated on each site you want to connect
Administrator access to both Dashboard and child sites
Valid SSL certificates recommended for secure connections

Connect Sites to Your Dashboard

Connect a Single Site

After installing the MainWP Child plugin on your website, add it to your Dashboard.

Open Add New Site

Enter site details

In the Add a Single Site section:

Field	Description
URL	Your website URL
Verify Child plugin	Toggle on to reveal additional fields
Administrator Username	Admin username on the child site

Configure authentication

Option	Description	Default
Administrator Password	Uses the administrator password for initial authentication. See connection security	Enabled
Unique Security ID	Uses the Unique Security ID as an alternative or additional connection check. Configure in MainWP Child settings	Disabled

MainWP Child requires at least one connection authentication method. You can use Administrator Password only, Unique Security ID only, or both, but you cannot disable both in MainWP Child settings. If both methods are enabled, enter both values when connecting.Find both options at: your-child-site.com/wp-admin/options-general.php?page=mainwp_child_tab

MainWP Child settings with Unique Security ID

Configure optional settings

Option	Description
Site icon	Upload custom icon (site favicon used if empty)
Select icon	Choose from built-in icons (uploaded icon takes priority)
Tags	Add to existing tags or create new ones
Client	Associate with a client
Verify SSL certificate	Enable for sites with valid SSL. Disable for self-signed or outdated certificates
SSL version	Leave default if no SSL certificate
HTTP username/password	Required if site uses HTTP Basic Authentication

Add the site

Click Add New Site.

Extensions Settings Synchronization

When using MainWP Add-ons that require third-party plugins:

Extension Type	What Happens
Requires third-party plugin	Option to install plugin and sync default settings
Standalone extension	Option to sync extension default settings only

If you experience connection issues, use Test Connection to verify Dashboard-to-site communication. Check Potential Issues for solutions or submit a support ticket.

Connect Multiple Sites

Add several sites simultaneously using the Multiple Sites table. Prerequisite: Install and activate MainWP Child plugin on each site before connecting.

Open Multiple Sites tab

Navigate to MainWP > Sites > Add New > Multiple Sites.

Enter required fields

Field	Required	Description
Site URL	Yes	Full URL of each site
Admin Username	Yes	Administrator username for each site
Admin Password	If Password Authentication is enabled	Administrator password for each site

Configure optional fields

Field	Description
Site Title	Auto-filled from URL, customize for dashboard display
Tag	Assign tag for organization
Unique Security ID	Required if enabled on the site; required when Password Authentication is disabled
HTTP Username/Password	For sites with HTTP Basic Authentication
Verify SSL	1 = enabled, 0 = disabled
SSL Version	Auto for most configurations

Add rows and connect

Click Add New Row for additional sites. When ready, click Add Sites.

Import Sites (CSV Import)

Import multiple sites using a CSV file.

Prepare sites

Install and activate MainWP Child Plugin on all sites you want to import.

Download sample CSV

Go to MainWP > Sites > Add New > Import Sites and download the Sample CSV file.

Edit the CSV

Open in a text editor and replace demo values (lines 9-13) with your site details.

Format entries

Use comma-separated values in this order:

Position	Field	Notes
1	Site Name	Display name
2	Site URL	Full URL
3	Administrator Username	Required
4	Admin Password	Required if Password Authentication is enabled
5	Tag name	Optional
6	Unique Security ID	Required if enabled; required when Password Authentication is disabled
7	HTTP Username	If using Basic Auth
8	HTTP Password	If using Basic Auth
9	Verify Certificate	T = true, F = false
10	SSL Version	auto, 1.x, 1, 2, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3

For each imported site, include the credential required by that site’s MainWP Child settings. Use Admin Password when Password Authentication is enabled, Unique Security ID when Unique Security ID is enabled, or both when both methods are enabled.

The CSV importer reads each line with str_getcsv() and maps the fifth column (wpgroups) into the import payload, so anything you place in that column becomes the raw tag list for a site. When the importer creates a site, it splits that tag list with preg_split('/[;,]/', $params['groupnames_import']), which means commas and semicolons are treated as tag separators. Because the CSV itself is comma-delimited, the simplest way to import multiple tags is to separate them with semicolons (for example, Tag A;Tag B;Tag C).

Upload and import

Save the CSV, upload it to your Dashboard, check CSV file contains a header if applicable, and click Import Sites.

MainWP requires CSV format. TXT and other text formats will not work.

Export Sites

Open Tools

Go to MainWP > Settings > Tools.

Export

Click Export Child Sites.

Sites export to a CSV file.

Synchronize a Child Site

Regular synchronization keeps your Dashboard current with child site data.

Global Synchronization

Click the Sync Dashboard with Child Sites button in the header.

Individual Site Synchronization

Open Manage Sites

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites.

Sync the site

Locate the site, open the actions menu, and click Sync Data.

MainWP automatically syncs sites once daily via WP Cron. For reliable cron execution, consider using Uptime Robot to ping your Dashboard regularly.

Edit Child Site Settings

Access per-site settings to update site name, administrator username, tags, and other options.

Navigate to settings

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites, locate the site, and click Settings in the actions menu.

General Settings

Setting	Description
Site URL	Change between HTTP and HTTPS if SSL certificate changes
Administrator Username	Update the connected user
Site Title	Update friendly name
Unique Security ID	Update if changed on the site
Tags	Add or remove tags
Auto Update Core	Enable automatic WordPress core updates
Ignore Core Update	Ignore WordPress core updates for this site
Ignore all Plugin Updates	Mark all plugin updates as ignored
Ignore all Theme Updates	Mark all theme updates as ignored
Ignore Translation Updates	Ignore translation updates for this site

Per-site settings provide translation ignore control. Configure automatic translation updates globally in MainWP Dashboard Settings.

Advanced Options

Setting	Description
SSL verification	Adjust if experiencing certificate issues
SSL Version	Leave Auto Detect unless specific version needed
HTTP username/password	Configure if site uses HTTP Basic Authentication

Suspend or Unsuspend a Child Site

When a site is suspended, it stays connected in MainWP Dashboard, but MainWP pauses actions for that site without disconnecting it.

Suspended sites are excluded from sync and update operations.
Suspended sites show the yellow pause icon in MainWP Dashboard.
Suspended sites can be filtered with the Suspended status filter in Manage Sites.
Unsuspending a site returns it to normal MainWP operations.

Suspend or Unsuspend a Single Site

Open site settings

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites, locate the site, and click Settings in the actions menu.

Change the suspension status

In Site Status, enable Suspend Site to suspend the site or disable it to unsuspend the site.

Suspend or Unsuspend Multiple Sites

Select sites

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites and select the sites you want to change.

Apply the bulk action

Select Suspend or Unsuspend from Bulk Actions and click Apply.

Access Child Site WP Admin

MainWP provides one-click access to child site admin areas.

Navigate to Manage Sites

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites.

Access admin

Locate the site and click the Login icon.

Security Issues

MainWP scans child sites for known security issues and provides tools to fix them.

Detected Security Issues

Issue	Description	Fix Action
WordPress Version	Checks whether WordPress core is up to date	Update WordPress
PHP Version	Checks whether PHP meets current security support expectations	No direct action in this table
PHP Error Reporting	Checks whether PHP error reporting is disabled	Disable PHP Error Reporting / Reenable PHP Error Reporting
Database Error Reporting	Checks whether database error reporting is disabled	Disable DB Error Reporting / Reenable DB Error Reporting
SSL Protocol	Checks whether SSL is enabled	No direct action in this table
Debug Mode	Checks whether WordPress debug mode is disabled	No direct action in this table
Outdated Plugins	Checks for outdated plugins	Manage Updates
Inactive Plugins	Checks for inactive plugins	Manage Plugins
Outdated Themes	Checks for outdated themes	Manage Updates
Inactive Themes	Checks for inactive themes	Manage Themes

MainWP Dashboard 5.4 removed outdated Site Hardening checks. Some current checks are informational and do not include a Fix button; available actions appear only when applicable.

If security issues are fixed by another plugin, MainWP detects them as fixed but cannot use the Unfix function.

Site Hardening Scan

Navigate to Manage Sites

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites.

Open Site Hardening

Locate the site, open the actions menu, and click Site Hardening.

Scan site

On the Site Hardening page, click Scan Site.

Review and act

Use the row actions to address detected issues, such as Update WordPress, Disable PHP Error Reporting, Disable DB Error Reporting, Manage Updates, Manage Plugins, or Manage Themes.

Reconnect a Child Site

Single Site Reconnection

Navigate to Manage Sites

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites.

Reconnect

Locate the disconnected site and click Reconnect in the actions menu.

Bulk Reconnection

Select sites

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites and check disconnected sites.

Reconnect

Select Reconnect from Bulk Actions and click Apply.

Delete a Child Site

Delete Single Site

Navigate to Manage Sites

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites.

Remove site

Locate the site and click Remove Site in the actions menu.

Delete Multiple Sites

Select sites

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites and check sites to delete.

Remove sites

Select Remove from Bulk Actions and click Apply.

When deleting a properly connected site, MainWP automatically deactivates the Child plugin. For disconnected sites, manually deactivate the Child plugin on the site.

Manage Child Site Notes

Create a Note

Open notes

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites and click the Note icon for the site.

Add note

Click Edit, add content, and click Save note.

View Notes

View notes through the Notes column or the Notes widget on the Individual Child Site Dashboard.

Manage Child Site Tags

Tags (formerly Groups) help organize sites for easier selection and management. Multiple tags can be applied to any site.

Filter the Manage Sites Table

Use the filter row on Manage Sites to narrow results by tags, statuses, and clients.

Manage Sites filter options in the top-right area

Filter	Purpose
Is / Is not	Include matches or invert selected criteria
Tags	Filter by one or more tags, including No Tags
Tag logic	Choose Match any (OR) or Match all (AND) when multiple tags are selected
Status	Filter by Connected, Disconnected, Available update, Site Health needs improvement, PHP Ver < 7.0, PHP Ver < 8.0, or Suspended
Clients	Filter by one or more clients, including No Client

Open filters

Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites and click Show Filters.

Set filter criteria

Select tags, tag logic (Match any (OR) or Match all (AND)), status, and clients as needed.

Apply or reset

Click Filter to apply the criteria, or click Reset to return to default filters.

Create a Tag

Open Tags page

Go to MainWP > Sites > Tags and click New Tag.

Name the tag

Enter a tag name and click Create Tag.

Assign sites

Click the tag name, select sites, and click Save Selection.

Edit a Tag

Go to MainWP > Sites > Tags, click the tag name, add or remove sites, and click Save Selection.

Delete a Tag

Go to MainWP > Sites > Tags and click the Trash icon next to the tag name.

Site Health Monitoring

WordPress Site Health checks security and performance. MainWP monitors child site health status and alerts you when sites need attention.

Monitoring configuration now lives in the dedicated Uptime Monitoring guide, including Site Health Monitoring settings.

Common Problems and Fixes

Problem	Likely Cause	Fix
Site won’t connect	MainWP Child plugin not activated	Verify the Child plugin is installed and activated on the site
Connection fails with SSL error	Invalid or self-signed SSL certificate	Disable Verify SSL certificate in the site’s connection settings
Site shows as disconnected	Changed admin credentials or site URL	Use Reconnect from the actions menu and update credentials
Sync fails for a site	Firewall or security plugin blocking requests	Whitelist your Dashboard IP in the site’s firewall settings
Security scan shows issues already fixed	Another plugin fixed the issue	MainWP detects the fix; no action needed
CSV import fails	Wrong file format or missing required fields	Ensure the file is CSV format and includes URL, administrator username, and the required authentication credential for each site

Self-Check Checklist

After working through this guide, confirm:

Sites appear in the Manage Sites table with green status indicators
Sync completes without errors
You can access child site WP Admin via the Login icon
Manage Sites filtering works for tags, statuses, and clients
Multi-tag filtering works with both Match any (OR) and Match all (AND)
Security scan runs and shows results
Site Health monitoring is enabled if needed (Uptime Monitoring)

MainWP User Interface: Tables - Learn common table controls used across MainWP pages
MainWP Dashboard Settings - Configure global dashboard settings
Uptime Monitoring - Configure Monitoring Settings (Uptime + Site Health)
Potential Issues - Troubleshoot common connection problems
Connection Security - Learn about MainWP’s security model

​What You’ll Accomplish

​Prerequisites

​Connect Sites to Your Dashboard

​Connect a Single Site

​Extensions Settings Synchronization

​Connect Multiple Sites

​Import Sites (CSV Import)

​Export Sites

​Synchronize a Child Site

​Global Synchronization

​Individual Site Synchronization

​Edit Child Site Settings

​General Settings

​Advanced Options

​Suspend or Unsuspend a Child Site

​Suspend or Unsuspend a Single Site

​Suspend or Unsuspend Multiple Sites

​Access Child Site WP Admin

​Security Issues

​Detected Security Issues

​Site Hardening Scan

​Reconnect a Child Site

​Single Site Reconnection

​Bulk Reconnection

​Delete a Child Site

​Delete Single Site

​Delete Multiple Sites

​Manage Child Site Notes

​Create a Note

​View Notes

​Manage Child Site Tags

​Filter the Manage Sites Table

​Create a Tag

​Edit a Tag

​Delete a Tag

​Site Health Monitoring

​Common Problems and Fixes

​Self-Check Checklist

​Related Resources

What You’ll Accomplish

Prerequisites

Connect Sites to Your Dashboard

Connect a Single Site

Extensions Settings Synchronization

Connect Multiple Sites

Import Sites (CSV Import)

Export Sites

Synchronize a Child Site

Global Synchronization

Individual Site Synchronization

Edit Child Site Settings

General Settings

Advanced Options

Suspend or Unsuspend a Child Site

Suspend or Unsuspend a Single Site

Suspend or Unsuspend Multiple Sites

Access Child Site WP Admin

Security Issues

Detected Security Issues

Site Hardening Scan

Reconnect a Child Site

Single Site Reconnection

Bulk Reconnection

Delete a Child Site

Delete Single Site

Delete Multiple Sites

Manage Child Site Notes

Create a Note

View Notes

Manage Child Site Tags

Filter the Manage Sites Table

Create a Tag

Edit a Tag

Delete a Tag

Site Health Monitoring

Common Problems and Fixes

Self-Check Checklist

Related Resources