A slow-loading WordPress dashboard can severely impact your productivity. When you’re trying to publish a blog post or update a page quickly, it’s frustrating to be stuck watching a loading wheel, turning a 5-minute task into a 20-minute ordeal.
We understand this frustration firsthand. At CanadaCreate, we’ve assisted thousands of users in overcoming this issue. Typically, slow dashboard performance is linked to a few common problems that can be identified and resolved more quickly than you might expect.
In this guide, we will take you through our effective step-by-step approach to pinpoint the reasons behind your WordPress dashboard’s sluggishness and provide lasting solutions. By following these strategies, you’ll restore your admin area to optimal speed, allowing you to focus on expanding your business.
What Factors Contribute to a Slow Loading WordPress Dashboard?
Several factors can lead to a slow-loading WordPress dashboard, with the most prevalent being insufficient server resources.
Most WordPress hosting providers allocate a specific amount of resources for each hosting plan, which are typically adequate for most websites.
As your WordPress website expands, you might experience a decline in performance or slower loading times. This is often due to increased traffic and higher server resource consumption.
To improve the speed of the front-end of your website, which is what visitors interact with, consider installing a caching plugin for WordPress to resolve speed and performance issues.
The WordPress admin area, however, does not benefit from caching, which means it requires more resources to function optimally.
If your WordPress dashboard is running slowly, it likely indicates that a plugin, a default setting, or another element on your site is using excessive resources.
Let’s explore how to troubleshoot and resolve the slow loading issues in the WordPress admin dashboard.
Here’s a summary of the steps we will discuss in this article:
- How to Evaluate the Performance of Your WordPress Admin Area
- Update Your WordPress Version
- Upgrade the PHP Version Provided by Your Hosting Service
- Increase the PHP Memory Limit
- Monitor the Performance of WordPress Plugins
- Install a Caching Plugin for WordPress
- Optimize Admin Screens and Disable Unnecessary WordPress Dashboard Widgets
- Improve the Performance of the WooCommerce Admin Dashboard
- Secure Your WordPress Admin Area and Login Pages
- Adjust WordPress Autosave Settings
- Upgrade or Choose a Superior WordPress Hosting Provider
- Common Questions About Improving WordPress Dashboard Speed
1. How to Evaluate the Performance of Your WordPress Admin Area
Before implementing any changes, it’s crucial to assess the speed of your WordPress admin area to obtain a clear benchmark for future improvements.
Typically, you can utilize website speed testing tools to evaluate your site’s speed and performance.
However, since the WordPress admin area is protected by a login screen, these tools cannot be used directly for testing.
Fortunately, many modern desktop browsers include built-in tools that allow you to analyze the performance of any webpage.
For instance, if you’re using Google Chrome, navigate to your WordPress dashboard and open the Inspect tool by right-clicking anywhere on the page.
This action will divide your browser screen, displaying the Inspect tool in a separate window, either at the bottom or on the side of your browser.
Within the Inspect tool, select the ‘Lighthouse’ tab and click on the ‘Generate Report’ button.
This will create a report similar to the Web Vitals report produced by PageSpeed Insights.
This section allows you to identify the factors causing slowdowns in your WordPress admin area. For example, you can pinpoint which JavaScript files are consuming excessive resources and impacting your server’s initial response time.
2. Keep Your WordPress Updated
The WordPress development team consistently works to enhance performance with each new release.
For instance, the block editor team conducts tests and implements improvements for performance in every update. The performance team focuses on optimizing speed and overall functionality.
By neglecting to install WordPress updates, you are missing valuable enhancements to your site’s performance.
Additionally, leading WordPress themes and plugins frequently release updates that not only resolve bugs but also improve performance.
To install updates, navigate to the Dashboard » Updates section to apply any available updates.
For further information, refer to our comprehensive guide on how to effectively update WordPress (infographic).
3. Upgrade the PHP Version Provided by Your Hosting Service
WordPress is built using the open-source programming language PHP. As of this writing, WordPress requires a minimum of PHP version 7.4 or higher. The latest stable version of PHP is 8.2.10.
Most WordPress hosting providers meet the basic requirements for running WordPress, but they may not be using the latest PHP version by default.
Similar to WordPress, PHP regularly releases new versions that offer significant performance enhancements. Using an outdated version means you are missing out on these improvements.
You can check which PHP version your hosting provider is using by visiting theTools » Site Healthsection in your WordPress dashboard and navigating to the ‘Info’ tab.
Fortunately, all reputable WordPress hosting providers make it easy for customers to upgrade their PHP version.
For example, if you are using Bluehost, log in to your hosting account dashboard, go to the ‘Websites’ tab, and click on ‘Settings’ for the site you want to update.
Next, navigate to the ‘Advanced’ tab and scroll down to the cPanel section.
Click ‘Manage’ to open the cPanel.
Once inside, you will see various apps and tools available in your cPanel dashboard.
Scroll down to the Software section and click on ‘MultiPHP Manager’.
On the following page, select your WordPress site.
Then, choose the PHP version you wish to use.
For additional hosting providers, check out our comprehensive guide on updating your PHP version in WordPress.
4. Boost PHP Memory Limit
Your web hosting server operates like any computer; it requires sufficient memory to run multiple applications efficiently.
Insufficient PHP memory on your server can lead to a slow website and may even result in crashes.
To check the PHP memory limit, navigate to the Tools » Site Health section and click on the ‘Info’ tab.
The PHP memory limit will be displayed under the Server section. If it’s below 500M, it’s time to increase it.
You can raise the PHP memory limit by adding the following line to your wp-config.php file:
define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '512M' );
For further information, refer to our article on increasing the PHP memory limit in WordPress.
5. Track WordPress Plugins for Performance
Certain WordPress plugins may operate within the WordPress admin area. If developers are not cautious, their plugins can consume excessive resources, slowing down your WordPress admin interface.
To discover plugins that may be affecting your site’s performance, consider installing and activating the Query Monitor plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our comprehensive guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
Once activated, the plugin will introduce a new menu item in your WordPress toolbar.
Clicking this menu item will display performance metrics for the current page you are viewing on your website.
This action will open the Query Monitor console.
In the console, navigate to the ‘Queries by Component’ tab on the left side. Here, you can evaluate the performance impact of each plugin and identify any that are consuming excessive resources.
You can temporarily disable the underperforming plugins to check if this enhances your site’s performance.
If performance improves, consider contacting the plugin author for support or look for a suitable alternative plugin.
6.Install a WordPress Caching Plugin
WordPress caching plugins not only enhance your website’s speed but can also resolve issues with a sluggish admin dashboard.
A reliable WordPress caching plugin optimizes page load times, improves CSS and JavaScript delivery, and streamlines your WordPress database, among other benefits.
This optimization helps free up resources on your WordPress hosting server, allowing your admin area to perform better.
We highly recommend WP Rocket, the top caching plugin for WordPress. It is user-friendly and effectively enhances your site’s performance right from the start.
For detailed instructions, check out our comprehensive guide on how to install and configure WP Rocket for your WordPress site.
7. Optimize Admin Screens and Disable Dashboard Widgets
WordPress automatically displays several widgets on the dashboard, including Quick Draft, Events and News, and Site Health.
Additionally, some plugins may add their own widgets to the dashboard. Having too many widgets can significantly slow down your dashboard performance.
You can easily disable these widgets by clicking the ‘Screen Options’ button and unchecking the boxes next to the widgets you want to remove.
Likewise, the Screen Options menu allows you to customize which sections appear on various admin screens.
For example, you can select the columns you wish to display on the posts screen.
8. Improve WooCommerce Admin Dashboard Speed
If you operate an online store with WooCommerce, certain features can impact the speed of your WordPress admin area.
For example, you can disable the WooCommerce dashboard widget by accessing the ‘Screen Options’ menu.
You can also modify the information shown on the Products page.
Over time, your WooCommerce store may accumulate unnecessary data in your WordPress database.
If you are using WP Rocket, navigate to the ‘Database’ tab in the plugin settings to easily delete transients and optimize your WordPress database with just one click.
9. Secure Your WordPress Admin Area and Login Pages
Random hackers and DDoS attacks frequently target WordPress websites, posing significant risks.
These automated scripts attempt to access WordPress login pages and can make hundreds of login attempts in a very short period.
While they may not succeed in breaching your WordPress site, they can still significantly slow down its performance.
A simple method to prevent these scripts is to secure your WordPress admin directory and login pages.
If you’re using Bluehost, go to your hosting account and click on ‘Settings’ for your website.
Next, switch to the ‘Advanced’ tab.
Scroll down to the cPanel section and click on ‘Manage’.
This action will open the cPanel dashboard in a new tab.
Now, scroll down to the Files section and select the ‘Directory Privacy’ option.
First, locate the wp-admin directory, which is typically found within the public_html folder.
Next, click the ‘Edit’ button next to the directory.
You will then be prompted to enter a name for your protected directory.
After that, click the ‘Save’ button to proceed.
The control panel will save your settings, and you will need to click the ‘Go Back’ button to continue.
Next, create a username and password for the protected folder.
Now, when you access your WordPress admin area, you will be required to enter your username and password.
For further information, refer to our tutorial on how to password-protect the WordPress admin directory.
Secure Your WordPress Login Page
Next, you should restrict access to the WordPress login page. To do this, manually edit the .htaccess file on your website and create a password file.
First, connect to your WordPress website using an FTP client or the File Manager tool in your hosting control panel.
Then, navigate to the root folder of your website, where you will find the wp-admin, wp-includes, and wp-content folders.
Here, create a new file and name it .htpasswd.
First, go to this online tool to create a .htpasswd string.
Use the same username and password that you set for the WordPress admin directory.
Then, click the ‘Generate’ button.
The tool will produce a username and password string displayed in the output box.
Copy and paste this string into the .htpasswd file you created earlier.
Next, edit the .htaccess file and insert the following code:
### BEGIN BASIC BLOCK
AuthType Basic
AuthName "Protected Folder"
AuthUserFile /home/username/public_html/yourwebsite/.htpasswd
Require user jsmith
Satisfy All
### END BASIC BLOCK
Remember to replace ‘jsmith’ with your actual username and update the AuthUserFile path to point to your .htpasswd file, which you can find in the File Manager app.
Now, visit your WordPress login page to check if the password protection is working.
10. Adjust WordPress Autosave Intervals
The WordPress block editor includes an autosave feature that allows you to recover your content if you accidentally close the editor without saving.
When multiple users are accessing your website during busy times, the autosave feature can cause the WordPress admin area to slow down.
Autosave is an important feature, and we advise against disabling it. However, you can adjust its frequency to lessen its impact on performance.
To do this, simply add the following line to your wp-config.php file:
define( 'AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL', 120 )
This line instructs WordPress to perform autosave every 2 minutes (120 seconds) instead of every minute.
Minimize Heartbeat API Calls
WordPress utilizes the heartbeat API to send AJAX requests to the server without refreshing the page. This feature allows other authors to see when a post is being edited by someone else and enables real-time notifications from plugins.
By default, the API sends a ping every 60 seconds. If several authors are editing the site simultaneously, these server requests can consume significant resources.
If you are using WP Rocket, it will automatically adjust the heartbeat API to send pingbacks every 120 seconds.
You can also utilize the standalone plugin called Dynamic Front-End Heartbeat Control to minimize Heartbeat API calls.
We suggest setting the interval to at least 120 seconds or longer.
11. Upgrade or Switch to a Better WordPress Hosting Provider
The performance of your WordPress site heavily relies on the infrastructure provided by your hosting provider.
This limits your performance enhancements to the resources available from your hosting service.
The tips mentioned above will definitely help alleviate the load on your WordPress server, but they might not suffice for your specific hosting environment.
For even better performance, consider migrating your WordPress site to a new host and selecting a different hosting provider.
We recommend Bluehost, as they are among the leading WordPress hosting companies. Their shared hosting plans include built-in caching, which enhances WordPress performance.
However, as your website expands, you may need to upgrade your hosting plan.
High-traffic websites can benefit from transitioning to a managed WordPress hosting platform such as WP Engine or SiteGround.
At CanadaCreate, we use SiteGround to host our website.
Common Questions About WordPress Dashboard Speed
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the optimization of slow WordPress dashboards. The following answers will assist you in quickly diagnosing and fixing performance issues.
1. Why does my WordPress dashboard load slowly while my website performs well?
The WordPress dashboard operates without caching and demands more server resources compared to your front-end site. While visitors experience fast-loading cached pages, the admin area processes each request in real-time. This means that plugins, database queries, and server resources have a direct effect on dashboard speed. Common issues include limited server memory, outdated PHP versions, or resource-intensive plugins.
2. How can I assess the speed of my WordPress dashboard?
Standard speed testing tools like GTmetrix or PageSpeed Insights cannot be used since the dashboard is protected by a login. Instead, utilize your browser’s developer tools. In Chrome, right-click anywhere on your dashboard, select ‘Inspect’, navigate to the ‘Lighthouse’ tab, and click ‘Generate Report’. This will provide you with comprehensive performance metrics and highlight factors that are slowing down your admin area.
3. Will adding a caching plugin improve the speed of my WordPress dashboard?
Yes, using a high-quality caching plugin like WP Rocket can greatly enhance the speed of your WordPress dashboard. Although caching plugins do not directly cache the admin area, they help optimize your database, minify CSS and JavaScript files, and alleviate server load from your front-end site. This optimization allows your dashboard to utilize more server resources, leading to quicker loading times.
4. What is the recommended PHP memory limit for WordPress?
For optimal dashboard performance, we suggest setting your PHP memory limit to at least 512M. You can verify your current limit by navigating to Tools » Site Health » Info in your WordPress dashboard. If your limit is below 500M, consider increasing it by adding define( 'WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '512M' ); to your wp-config.php file.
5. How can I identify which plugins are slowing down my dashboard?
To determine which plugins are affecting your dashboard’s speed, install the Query Monitor plugin and activate it on your website. Then, go to any admin page and click on the Query Monitor option in your WordPress toolbar. Switch to the ‘Queries by Component’ tab to identify the plugins that are using the most resources. You can temporarily disable those plugins to see if performance improves.
6. When should I think about upgrading my WordPress hosting?
If you’ve followed all the optimization steps in this guide and your WordPress dashboard is still sluggish, it may be time to upgrade your hosting. Indicators that an upgrade is necessary include persistent slow loading times despite optimizations, frequent timeouts, or if you’re using basic shared hosting while your website continues to grow. Consider switching to managed WordPress hosting providers like SiteGround, which offer enhanced performance and resources tailored specifically for WordPress.
We hope this article has helped you resolve issues with a slow-loading WordPress dashboard. You might also find our guide on deciding whether to keep or delete outdated content in WordPress useful, as well as our expert recommendations for troubleshooting if your WordPress site frequently goes offline.
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