How to Troubleshoot WordPress Revisions Not Showing Issue

As a WordPress agency, you are tasked with building websites that are not only visually appealing and functionally robust but also reliable and easy to maintain. One critical component that many developers depend on is the revision system in WordPress. Revisions provide a detailed history of changes made to posts and pages, allowing you to recover lost content, track modifications, and improve collaborative workflows. 

Yet, when these revisions are not visible—when wordpress revisions not showing becomes an issue—it can lead to serious headaches.

In the following sections, we’ll explore the inner workings of WordPress revisions, identify common causes for missing revisions, and provide detailed, step-by-step solutions to get your revision history back on track. We’ll also share best practices to prevent this problem in the future.

Understanding WordPress Revisions

Before diving into troubleshooting, it’s essential to understand what WordPress revisions are and how they function. WordPress revisions are essentially a version control system built into WordPress. Every time you save or update a post or page, WordPress stores a snapshot of that content in the database. This historical log is what we refer to as the wordpress revision history.

How WordPress Revisions Work

• Automatic Saving: WordPress automatically saves a revision every time you update your content. These auto-saves help ensure that even if your browser crashes or your connection drops, your work isn’t lost.
• Manual Revisions: In addition to auto-saves, users can manually save drafts or update posts, creating additional revisions.
• Version Control: This system allows you to compare different versions of your content, revert to previous versions, or even merge changes.

Why WordPress Revisions are Important for Agencies

For agencies, the WordPress revision system is a crucial safety net. It allows multiple team members to collaborate on content without fear of losing valuable edits.

It also gives clients the flexibility to revert changes if they are unhappy with a recent update. When wordpress revisions are working correctly, they provide a detailed log of every change made—an invaluable resource for troubleshooting and content management.

Common Causes of “WordPress Revisions Not Showing”

Several factors can lead to the problem of revisions not showing in WordPress. Understanding these potential issues is the first step in troubleshooting.

1. Incorrect wp-config.php Settings

The wp-config.php file is where many key configurations for your WordPress installation reside. If you’ve set the WP_POST_REVISIONS constant to false or to a very low number, WordPress will not store enough revisions. For example:

• define( ‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, false );
• define( ‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, 3 );

If revisions are disabled or severely limited in this file, you’ll experience issues with wordpress revisions not showing.

2. Plugin or Theme Conflicts

Sometimes, custom functions in your theme’s functions.php file or certain plugins may inadvertently disable revisions. For instance, a custom plugin designed to optimize database performance might remove old revisions automatically, or a poorly coded theme might conflict with the revision system.

3. Database Corruption or Misconfiguration

Revisions are stored in your WordPress database. If your database tables are corrupted or if there are issues with the database configuration, revision data might not be properly stored or displayed. Regular database maintenance is essential for preventing this.

4. Caching Issues

Caching plugins and server-side caching systems can sometimes hide the latest revision data. If your site is aggressively cached, you might not see recent changes reflected in the revision history.

5. Insufficient PHP Memory Limit

WordPress operations, including saving revisions, require adequate PHP memory. A low memory limit might prevent revisions from being saved correctly, leading to wordpress revisions not showing.

6. Editor-Related Conflicts

The issue might also stem from the WordPress editor itself. Whether you’re using Gutenberg or the Classic Editor, conflicts or bugs within the editor could prevent revisions from being displayed, even though they are being saved.

How to Fix ‘WordPress Revsions Not Showing’ Error

We’ll approach troubleshooting systematically, starting with the most common and easiest-to-fix issues and progressing to more advanced solutions.

Verify Revisions are Enabled:

It might seem basic, but the first thing to check is whether revisions are enabled. WordPress doesn’t enable revisions by default in some cases.

Method 1: Check wp-config.php Settings

Access your website’s files via FTP or your hosting’s file manager. Open the wp-config.php file. Look for the following line:

define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, true);

If the line exists and is set to false, change it to true. If the line doesn’t exist, add it above the line that says /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */:

define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, true);

Save the wp-config.php file and recheck your post/page editor.

Setting a Limit (Optional): While enabling revisions is crucial, storing too many revisions can bloat your database. Consider setting a limit. You can define a number instead of true:

define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, 3); // Saves only the 3 most recent revisions

Or, even better, use the following to limit the number of revisions saved:

define(‘WP_POST_REVISIONS’, ‘3,false’); // Saves only the 3 most recent revisions and does not autosave

Method 2: Examine Theme and Plugin Conflicts

Go to WordPress Dashboard>Plugins>Installed. 

Select Deactivate from the Bulk Action drop-down and click on ‘Apply’. 

Once that’s done, see if the revision history reappears.

If that doesn’t work, change your theme to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Three.

Go to Appearance>Theme>Add New Theme. 

Now, test for a WordPress version by creating a new post and updating it. If you can see the WordPress revision history, the issue is resolved.

Reactivate each plugin individually to identify the one causing the conflict. In addition, check your theme’s functions.php file for any custom code that might be disabling revisions.

Method 3: Clear Caching

If caching is causing the issue, you need to clear the cache. The easiest way to do it is by installing a WordPress caching plugin. 

Go to WordPress Dashboard > Plugins > Add New. 

Type the name of the WordPress caching plugin of your choice and click on Install > Activate. 

Go to the plugin settings and clear the cache as instructed. 

This works best when only one of your clients is facing with ‘WordPress revisions not working’ issue. If you’re handling multiple client sites then better to switch to a site management tool and install the WordPress caching plugin on concerning sites in one go. 

Or, you can also perform a purge cache. This makes fixing the error in bulk a huge time-saver. 

For instance, agencies using the InstaWP site management tool don’t have to switch tabs for installing caching plugins on multiple sites. They have a centralized dashboard providing access to all the client sites. 

Just simply select the site dealing with revision page not showing in WordPress issue and install the caching plugin, using the slug, plugin URL, or ZIP file. 

Additionally, you also have to clear the server cache through the hosting provider and browser cache. 

Method 4: Check Database Integrity

If none of the above methods fixes the ‘ WordPress revisions not showing’ issue, you must check the database integrity. 

The traditional method is to access phpMyAdmin through the hosting control panel. However, agencies handling multiple sites can use the InstaWP dashboard to access the DB Editor tool. 

Choose the database used by your WordPress site.

Select the tables related to posts and revisions (e.g., wp_posts) and run the repair tool.

To avoid database-related issues in the future, consider using a database plugin. 

Method 5: Increase PHP Memory Limit

The next solution to fix the ‘WordPress revisions not showing’ issue is to increase the PHP memory limit. 

You can add or modify the following line in your wp-config.php file to increase the memory limit:

define( ‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’ );

Method  6: Debug the WordPress Editor

Try using both the Gutenberg editor and the Classic Editor to see if revisions appear in one but not the other. You can also add the following lines to wp-config.php to enable WordPress debug mode:

define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, true );

define( ‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true );

Check the debug.log file (located in the wp-content folder) for any errors related to revisions.
Also, if your WordPress version update is pending, go for it as updates often include fixes for editor-related issues.

Method 7: Use a Revision Management Plugin

If the default revision system is problematic, consider installing a revision management plugin like Revision Control. Such plugins can offer:

• Enhanced Revision Management: Control how many revisions are stored per post.
• Revision Cleanup: Easily remove old revisions that may be cluttering your database.
• User Interface Improvements: Provide a more intuitive revision history interface for easier navigation.

Method 8: Check .htaccess Issues

In some cases, incorrect rules in your .htaccess file can conflict with WordPress core functionality, including revisions. Try temporarily renaming your .htaccess file (e.g., to .htaccess_old) and see if the issue resolves. 

If it does, then you know the .htaccess file was causing the issue. You can then regenerate the .htaccess file from WordPress dashboard settings > permalinks, without having to manually recreate it.

Method 9: Enable Debugging

If you’ve tried all the above steps and are still unable to resolve the issue, enable WordPress debugging to get more information about potential errors. Add the following lines to your wp-config.php file:

define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, true );

define( ‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true );

define( ‘WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY’, true ); // Set to false in production environments

Advanced Troubleshooting Techniques

For agencies handling complex WordPress environments, further troubleshooting steps might be required:

Using the Query Monitor Plugin

Query Monitor is a powerful debugging tool that can help you identify performance bottlenecks and potential conflicts affecting your revision history.

• Install Query Monitor:
  From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins > Add New, search for “Query Monitor,” and install and activate it.
• Analyze Database Queries:
  Use Query Monitor to inspect queries related to post revisions. Look for errors or slow queries that might indicate a deeper issue.

Review Logs Regularly

Check the wp-content/debug.log file for any errors or warnings related to revisions. This can provide clues about underlying issues.

Testing with a Staging Environment

Before applying major changes or troubleshooting on a live site, create a staging environment. Experiment with enabling and disabling plugins, switching themes, and altering configuration files to see how they impact your revision history.

Best Practices to Prevent Revisions Not Showing

To make sure this trouble isn’t bothering your clients frequently, make use of these practices. 

1. Regular Database Maintenance: Keep your database optimized and repair any corrupt tables regularly to prevent issues with storing revisions.
2. Update WordPress and Plugins Regularly: Ensure that your WordPress core, themes, and plugins are always updated to the latest versions to avoid conflicts and bugs.
3. Avoid Overloading Your Site: Limit the number of revisions stored per post if necessary to prevent database bloat. Use the wp-config.php file or a revision management plugin to set reasonable limits.
4. Monitor Caching Settings: Configure caching plugins carefully to avoid interference with real-time data updates such as revisions. Periodically clear caches during development.
5. Thorough Testing: Before deploying major changes, test your revision history in a staging environment to catch potential issues early.
6. Educate Your Team: Make sure your development team understands how the revision system works and is aware of common pitfalls. This can save time during troubleshooting and ensure smoother workflows.

Conclusion

For WordPress agencies, ensuring that your revision history is intact is vital for maintaining quality, safeguarding content, and streamlining your workflow. Issues where wordpress revisions not showing can disrupt your development process and impact client satisfaction, but with a systematic approach to troubleshooting, you can quickly identify and resolve these problems.

By checking configuration settings, resolving plugin conflicts, clearing caches, and optimizing your database, you can restore your wordpress revision history and enable revisions in WordPress for smooth content management. Remember, the revision system is a key safety net for your projects—one that provides accountability and the ability to recover from mistakes swiftly.

Embrace best practices and use advanced tools like Query Monitor and detailed debug logs to keep your sites running efficiently. When you’re prepared for issues like revisions not showing in WordPress, you not only protect your agency’s reputation but also enhance the overall quality of your client websites.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)