Re-enabling WordPress Revisions:A Quick Guide to WordPress Enable Revisions

You’ve spent hours crafting your WordPress post, manually saving your progress to ensure everything is captured. Then, while reviewing, you realize you’ve accidentally deleted a crucial paragraph from an earlier version. Panic sets in!

You cannot undo the mistake because it’s too late. Is there no way to recover your deleted content? 

The kicker is that revisions in WordPress are saved by default. So if you can’t revert to an earlier version, your WordPress enable revisions setting might be turned off. Sometimes, plugins disable revisions to optimize performance or reduce database size, or it could have been a past admin’s decision.

Thankfully, fixing this is simpler than you might think. In this article, we will walk you through different ways to enable WordPress revisions.

TL;DR: Enable WordPress revisions by using a plugin or by tweaking the wp-config.php file. While this feature is a good safety net to fall back on, it is no match to having a complete backup of your site. Use a reliable backup solution like BlogVault to ensure your work is secure.

Why do WordPress revisions go missing?

WordPress automatically saves copies of your content each time you make an update. These are called revisions and act like snapshots, capturing the state of your post or page at different stages.If the WordPress auto-saving mechanism isn’t functioning properly, it may result in lost changes. Make sure that your site’s settings allow for automatic saves to help prevent data loss during editing.

Revisions are a lifesaver, especially when you make a mistake or want to undo an unwanted change. Additionally, they serve as an activity log for your posts and pages, allowing you to easily track all the modifications made over time.

But what if you can’t see these revisions? If WordPress revisions seem to be missing, it’s likely due to settings that have been changed, either by accident or on purpose. In other words, revisions on your WordPress site have been disabled.

Option 1: Reverse plugin-disabled WordPress revisions

Sites can go through multiple caretakers, and perhaps a previous admin or developer has chosen to use a plugin to disable revisions. If so, you’re in luck. This is the easiest way to bring back this core WordPress feature. 

Look for a plugin like Companion Revision Manager, for example. We’ll demonstrate using this plugin how you can easily turn revisions back on. 

1. Navigate to plugin settings: Log into your WordPress admin panel and find the plugin’s configuration section on the dashboard. Look for Revisions within Tools on your side panel.

2. Uncheck the Disable option: Next, look for the option that says Disable Post Revisions. Uncheck the box and save your changes. This will re-enable your revisions feature, ensuring your content is protected.

Obviously, the dashboard might vary for different plugins, but the broad strokes are essentially the same. If you are unsure which plugin is disabling revisions, you can disable them one by one from the Plugins menu as well to find the culprit. We strongly recommend eliminating plugins as a possibility before diving into core WordPress files. 

Option 2: Check for code in your wp-config.php file

If you find that revisions are not appearing even after multiple edits, and you’ve ruled out plugins as a possibility, chances are they were manually disabled. You can reverse this directive from within your wp-config.php file.

Please note that editing core files can be risky. One small error can crash your entire website. Always take a complete backup of your site before making such changes. We recommend using BlogVault for robust backups and easy restores. If something goes wrong, you can quickly restore your site from BlogVault’s external dashboard.

1. Connect to your site via FTP: Get your server’s FTP details from your hosting provider. Use these credentials on an FTP client like Cyberduck to access your site.

2. Locate and download the wp-config.php file: Navigate to your root directory, often named public_html or www. Once there, locate the wp-config.php file, right-click on it, and download it.

3. Edit the code: Open the downloaded file in a text editor like Visual Code Studio. Since revisions are a default WordPress feature, their absence likely means they’ve been manually disabled. Search for the following line just before the `/ That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. /` line: 

define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', false);

The “false” indicates that revisions are turned off. Simply replace “false” with “true”:

define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', true);

4. Save and upload the file: Save the changes and upload the edited wp-config.php file back to your server using your FTP client. Click Yes if you are asked to replace the existing file.

5. Confirm revisions are enabled: Finally, log in to your WordPress dashboard and edit a post or page a few times. Check for the Revisions section to confirm the changes.

Make the most of WordPress revisions

WordPress revisions are incredibly useful and here are some best practices to get the most out of them:

Regularly review and clean up old revisions: Over time, revisions can pile up and clutter your site’s database. This can eventually slow down your site. Periodically clean up old revisions to keep your database optimized. 

One way to do this is by a plugin like Companion Revision Manager. It helps clean up old revisions and maintain database performance. However, be cautious—once deleted, these revisions cannot be recovered.

Set a limit on revisions: Instead of letting revisions accumulate indefinitely, you can limit the number of revisions per post to avoid database bloat. This way, you can keep your database lean without losing valuable revision history for each post.

While revisions are a helpful safety net, they aren’t a substitute for regular backups. Ensure your entire site is backed up frequently using a reliable backup solution like BlogVault. BlogVault not only backs up your site but also offers an activity log, so you can track every change made. This adds an extra layer of security and peace of mind.

How do revisions affect your WordPress site’s database?

While revisions are useful for content management, they come with potential downsides.

Increased database size: Each revision is essentially a clone of your post at different stages. These clones are stored on your site’s database, which means it can grow substantially as more revisions accumulate. A large database can slow down your site, especially during content edits and saves.

Slower query performance: A bloated database requires more time to search through, retrieve, and store data. This can slow down not only the admin panel but also the site itself. This negatively affects your content management and the overall user experience.

Higher server resource consumption: A large database puts more load on your server and consumes additional resources. This increased load can slow down page loads and degrade the user experience. 

Parting thoughts

Revisions can be re-enabled simply by adjusting your plugin settings or tweaking the wp-config.php file. But remember to review and clean up old revisions to keep your database lean. You can also achieve this by setting limits on the number of revisions per post. This ensures that your site performs optimally at all times.

While WordPress revisions are convenient, they are no substitute for comprehensive site backups. Regularly backup your WordPress site to safeguard it against any kind of data loss. Use BlogVault for reliable and efficient backups. It offers automated daily backups and one-click restores that ensure your site’s security and peace of mind.

FAQs

How to activate revisions in WordPress?

To activate revisions in WordPress, you can either use a revision control plugin or modify the wp-config.php file.

How do I turn off revisions in WordPress?

To turn off revisions, you can use a plugin like Companion Revision Manager or Disable Post Revision. Alternatively, you can modify the wp-config.php file by setting define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, false); to turn off the feature through your WordPress dashboard.

How many revisions does WordPress keep?

By default, WordPress does not limit the number of revisions it keeps. However, you can set a limit by adding a line to your wp-config.php file, such as define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, 5);, to limit revisions to five per post.

Why can’t I see revisions on WordPress?

If you can’t see revisions in your WordPress editor, the feature has likely been disabled manually through the wp-config.php file or via a plugin. Check your settings to ensure that revisions are enabled.

Will all my changes be recorded if I enable the feature?

Yes. If you enable revisions, WordPress will now record all changes you make to your posts and pages. Use this to revert to previous versions if needed. This provides an extra layer of security for your content.