Scheduling a post in WordPress allows you to write content ahead of time and have it automatically published at a date and time you choose. This is especially useful if you want to plan your content in advance, maintain a consistent posting schedule, or publish at a time when your audience is most active — even if you're not at your computer. In this guide, we'll walk you through the simple steps to schedule a post in WordPress.
How to schedule a post in WordPress
Step 1: Log in to your WordPress dashboard
To get started, log in to your WordPress dashboard by visiting your website's login page (usually yourwebsite.com.au/wp-admin). Enter your username and password, then click "Log In".
Step 2: Create a new post or open an existing draft
From the dashboard, go to Posts > Add New to create a new post. If you've already started writing a post and saved it as a draft, go to Posts > All Posts, find your draft, and click on it to open the editor.
Step 3: Write your post content
Add your post title, write your content, and make any formatting changes you need. You can also add images, categories, tags, and a featured image — just as you would for any regular post.
Step 4: Open the publish settings
When your post is ready to go, look at the right-hand sidebar in the editor. You'll see a section called Status & visibility (in the block editor) or the Publish box (in the classic editor). Find the Publish date option — by default, it will say "Immediately".
Step 5: Set your desired date and time
Click on the date next to "Publish". A calendar and time picker will appear. Select the date and time you want your post to go live. Make sure you set a date in the future — this is what tells WordPress to schedule the post rather than publish it straight away.
Step 6: Click "Schedule"
Once you've set your future date and time, you'll notice the blue "Publish" button at the top of the editor has changed to say "Schedule". Click the "Schedule" button to confirm. WordPress will automatically publish your post at the date and time you selected.
Step 7: Verify your scheduled post
To confirm your post has been scheduled, go to Posts > All Posts. You'll see your post listed with the status "Scheduled" and the date it's set to publish. If you need to make changes, simply click on the post to edit it — you can update the content or change the scheduled date at any time.
Tips for scheduling posts
Check your timezone: Make sure your WordPress timezone is set correctly under Settings > General. If your timezone is wrong, your posts may publish at unexpected times.
Plan ahead: Scheduling posts is a great way to batch your content creation. You can write several posts in one sitting and schedule them throughout the week or month.
Edit anytime: You can always go back and edit a scheduled post or change the publish date before it goes live.
And that's it! Scheduling posts in WordPress is a simple but powerful feature that helps you stay organised and keep your website updated with fresh content — even when you're busy with other things.
