How to disable WP-Cron and set up a cron job in cPanel Print

WordPress normally runs scheduled tasks (WP-Cron) when someone visits the site. On busy sites this wastes resources; on quiet sites tasks may run late. A real server cron job is more reliable.

Step 1: Disable WP-Cron

Edit wp-config.php and add above /* That's all, stop editing! */:

define( 'DISABLE_WP_CRON', true );

Step 2: Add a cron job

1. In cPanel, open Cron Jobs in the Advanced section.
2. Under Common Settings, choose Once Per Fifteen Minutes (or every 5 minutes for shops).
3. In Command, enter (replacing the path with your own):

cd /home/cpuser/public_html && php wp-cron.php >/dev/null 2>&1

1. Click Add New Cron Job.

Using php directly avoids web requests and firewall issues. Your home path is shown in cPanel's General Information panel.