WordPress auto-save interval

WordPress auto-save interval: the 60-second gap

WordPress saves drafts every 60 seconds by default—here’s when to change it, how to override the interval, and what happens when two tabs fight.

The cursor blinks in your draft, you type three paragraphs, and then the browser crashes. When you reopen the tab, the last two paragraphs are gone—because WordPress only auto-saves every 60 seconds, and you hit publish 47 seconds after the last checkpoint.

Most newsletter operators assume auto-save is instant. It’s not. The default interval is hardcoded, the mechanism runs on a timer you never see, and if you’re editing the same post in two browser tabs—say, checking mobile preview while writing on desktop—the save conflict silently overwrites whichever version finished typing last.

Tomorrow’s premium edition walks through the WordPress auto-save interval: the 60-second default, when shortening it makes sense (live event coverage, collaborative editing), when lengthening it saves server load (long-form posts with heavy media), and the exact filter hook you need to override AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL without touching core files.

You’ll see the two-tab conflict map—what happens when revision A and revision B both think they’re the latest draft—and the decision tree for whether your hosting plan can handle more frequent saves without throttling the editor.

Read the full edition

Tomorrow’s premium edition covers the WordPress auto-save interval default, the filter hook override, and the two-tab conflict map that explains which draft wins when you edit in parallel.

Stay curious,
The One Two Three Send Team

PS: The 60-second interval is a constant, not a setting—tomorrow’s edition shows you the three-line code snippet that changes it.