How to Activate WordPress Revisions

WordPress automatically saves versions of your posts and pages as you edit, so you can compare changes and roll back if needed. Revisions are enabled by default, but many hosts and security plugins turn them off. This guide shows how to check, enable, and fine-tune them.

Revision workflow at a glance

1. Check whether revisions are already on

Before changing anything, confirm the current status:

• Open any existing post or page in the block editor.
• In the right-hand sidebar, click the "Post" tab and look for a "Revisions" link with a count, e.g. "12 Revisions".
• No Revisions link? Revisions are disabled on this site - continue below.

2. Enable revisions in wp-config.php

This is the most common cause of disabled revisions - a line in wp-config.php turning them off.

1. Connect to your site via FTP/SFTP or your host's file manager.
2. Open wp-config.php in the WordPress root directory.
3. Find a line that disables revisions: define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', false);
4. For unlimited revisions, delete that line or change it to: define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', true);
5. To cap the number kept per post instead (recommended), use a number: define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', 10);
6. Save the file and re-upload it if you edited it locally.

This line must sit above "/* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */" in wp-config.php.

3. Adjust the autosave interval (optional)

WordPress autosaves drafts every 60 seconds by default. To change that, add this to wp-config.php:

• define('AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL', 160);

A longer interval means fewer database writes - useful on high-traffic sites.

4. No file access? Use a plugin instead

1. Install "WP Revisions Control" or "Revision Control" from the WordPress Plugin Directory.
2. Activate the plugin.
3. Go to Settings and set how many revisions to keep per post type (Posts, Pages, custom post types).
4. Save your changes.

5. Verify it worked

1. Edit and update a post a few times.
2. Open it in the editor and check the Revisions count in the sidebar.
3. Click Revisions to open the comparison screen and browse past versions.

6. Restore an old revision

1. From the editor sidebar, click Revisions.
2. Drag the slider or use the arrows to preview differences - additions in green, deletions in red.
3. Click "Restore This Revision" to revert the post to that version.

Best practices

• Cap revisions (e.g. 5-20) instead of leaving them unlimited - unlimited history can bloat the database on frequently edited content.
• Revisions only apply to post types that declare 'supports' => array('revisions') when registered, so a custom post type may need that added.
• If the wp-config.php change doesn't take effect, check with your host - some hosting stacks or security plugins force revisions off.
• Always back up wp-config.php before editing it - a syntax error there can take the whole site down.