For sites where content changes in bulk (imports, syncs, feeds), the index can rebuild itself on a schedule: daily, weekly, or monthly, at a time you choose. Switch on Index Schedule under Elevated › Site Search › Settings › Advanced Options › Indexer.

Table of Contents

• Step 1: Switch On Index Schedule
• Step 2: Pick the Interval and Time
• When a Schedule Helps
• Troubleshooting

Step 1: Switch On Index Schedule

Navigate to Elevated › Site Search › Settings, expand Advanced Options, and switch on Index Schedule in the Indexer section.

Step 2: Pick the Interval and Time

Switching the toggle on reveals the schedule controls: an interval (Daily, Weekly, or Monthly) and a time of day. Pick a quiet hour and click Save Settings. Scheduled runs execute through WP-Cron, WordPress’s built-in scheduler.

When a Schedule Helps

• Bulk imports on a rhythm. If a nightly import updates products, a daily rebuild after it keeps search exact.
• External edits. Content changed directly in the database or by tools that skip normal WordPress saves is picked up on the next scheduled run.
• Not needed for everyday publishing. Normal publishing updates the index live; most sites run fine with no schedule at all.

Troubleshooting

Scheduled runs never happen. WP-Cron fires on site visits, so very low-traffic sites can miss the scheduled hour; the run then starts on the next visit. Hosts that disable WP-Cron need a real cron job pointed at wp-cron.php.

The schedule fields are missing. They appear only while Index Schedule is switched on.