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Controlling the WordPress Heartbeat

3 min read

The WordPress Heartbeat API sends regular background requests to keep things like autosave and notifications in sync. xSpeed Cache lets you control it per area of your site so it does not run more than you need.

What this does

WordPress runs the Heartbeat API through admin-ajax.php on a timer. It powers autosave, post-lock notices, and dashboard notifications, but it also makes repeated requests that add server load.

xSpeed Cache splits your site into three contexts and lets you choose how heartbeat behaves in each:

  • Dashboard — the /wp-admin/ screens (autosave, notifications).
  • Editor — the post and block editor screens, the heaviest heartbeat users.
  • Frontend — the public side of your site.

For each context you pick one of three behaviors: Keep, Throttle, or Disable. When a context is set to Throttle, it uses the shared Throttle Frequency interval.

Why use it

  • Fewer background requests means less server load.
  • Disabling heartbeat where it is not needed (often the front end) is one of the cheapest wins.
  • You keep autosave and editor locks where they matter while trimming the rest.

How to set it up

  1. Go to the xSpeed Cache dashboard in your WordPress admin.
  2. Open the Heartbeat panel.
  3. Choose a behavior for Dashboard, Editor, and Frontend.
  4. Set Throttle Frequency for any context using Throttle.

Settings explained

SettingWhat it doesDefault
DashboardHeartbeat behavior on /wp-admin/ screensThrottle
EditorHeartbeat behavior in the post / block editorThrottle
FrontendHeartbeat behavior on the public siteDisable
Throttle FrequencyInterval in seconds for contexts set to Throttle60

Each context accepts one of three behaviors:

  • Keep — leave heartbeat alone and let WordPress defaults apply.
  • Throttle — keep heartbeat running, but at the Throttle Frequency interval.
  • Disable — turn heartbeat off entirely in that context.

Dashboard. Controls heartbeat on /wp-admin/ screens, which handle autosave and notifications. Default is Throttle.

Editor. Controls heartbeat in the post and block editor. Disable this only if you do not need autosave or co-editing locks. Default is Throttle.

Frontend. Controls heartbeat on the public site. This only takes effect when a plugin or theme actually loads heartbeat on the front end, such as WooCommerce cart fragments or membership and notification plugins. A default WordPress site loads no heartbeat there, so this has no visible effect on such sites. Default is Disable, which stops the admin-ajax polling those plugins add.

Throttle Frequency. The interval in seconds used by any context set to Throttle. The default is 60. Lower values sync faster but make more requests. The allowed range is 15 to 300 seconds.

Note: The frontend setting only matters if something on your site loads heartbeat on the public side. On a plain WordPress site, there is nothing to disable there.

Best practices

  • Leave Editor on Keep or Throttle so autosave and editor locks keep working.
  • Set Frontend to Disable unless a plugin needs frontend polling.
  • Start with a Throttle Frequency of 60 and lower it only if you need faster syncing.

Troubleshooting

  • Autosave or post locks stopped working in the editor. Editor may be set to Disable. Set it to Keep or Throttle.
  • My frontend setting seems to do nothing. That is expected on a default site. The frontend behavior only applies when a plugin or theme loads heartbeat on the front end.
  • Dashboard notifications feel slow. If Dashboard is on Throttle, raise the rate by lowering Throttle Frequency, or set Dashboard to Keep.

FAQ

What is the WordPress Heartbeat? It is a built-in API that sends periodic background requests to keep features like autosave, editor locks, and dashboard notifications in sync.

Will disabling frontend heartbeat break my site? On a default site there is nothing to break, since heartbeat is not loaded there. If a plugin uses frontend heartbeat, disabling it stops that plugin’s polling, so test that feature afterward.

What is a good throttle frequency? 60 seconds is a sensible default. The setting accepts 15 to 300 seconds.

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