Scheduling an Activity
BuddyPress Schedule Activity lets you write a post now and have it appear in the activity feed at a time you choose. The post stays hidden from everyone else until that moment.
How to schedule a post
Section titled “How to schedule a post”Step 1 - Write your content
Section titled “Step 1 - Write your content”Go to any page where you can post an activity update. This includes:
- Your own profile page
- The main site-wide activity page
- A group’s activity tab (if you are a member)
Type your post in the “What’s new?” text area as you normally would.
Step 2 - Open the scheduler
Section titled “Step 2 - Open the scheduler”Look for the Schedule Activity link or calendar icon in the posting toolbar. Its exact position depends on your theme:
| Theme / Platform | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| BuddyPress default | Below the text area, alongside other posting options |
| BuddyBoss | In the icon row with photo, GIF, and other options |
| Youzify | In the activity tools section below the text area |
| Reign | Same position as BuddyPress default |
Click the icon or link to open the scheduling panel.
Step 3 - Set the date and time
Section titled “Step 3 - Set the date and time”A modal dialog opens with two fields:
Date - A date picker shows today’s date as the earliest option and limits selection to within the next 90 days.
Time - A time picker shows times in 5-minute steps (9:00, 9:05, 9:10, and so on). Select your preferred hour and minute, then choose AM or PM.
Both fields must have values before you can continue.
Step 4 - Click “Next”
Section titled “Step 4 - Click “Next””When both date and time are filled in, the Next button becomes active. Click it to confirm the schedule.
The modal closes and a confirmation line appears in the posting area showing the date and time you selected (for example, “Scheduled For: Dec 25, 2024 at 9:00 AM”).
Step 5 - Submit your post
Section titled “Step 5 - Submit your post”Click the main Schedule button (it appears in place of the usual Post button once a time is selected) to save the post.
A success message confirms that your activity has been scheduled. The post is now stored on the server and will publish automatically - you do not need to stay logged in.
Scheduling a post in a group
Section titled “Scheduling a post in a group”Group posts work the same way. Navigate to the group’s Activity tab, write your post in the posting area, and follow the same steps above. The post will appear in the group’s activity feed when it publishes.
To schedule a group post you must be a member of the group with posting permissions.
What happens after scheduling
Section titled “What happens after scheduling”- The post is hidden from the activity feed and from other members’ profiles.
- Only you can see it, under Scheduled Posts on your profile.
- WordPress cron checks for due posts every minute. Your post will appear in the feed within one to two minutes of the scheduled time.
- Once published, the post behaves like any normal activity: other members can see it, like it, and comment on it.
Date and time rules
Section titled “Date and time rules”| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Earliest date | Today (past times today are not selectable) |
| Latest date | 90 days from today |
| Time format | 12-hour (AM/PM) |
| Time steps | 5-minute intervals |
| Timezone | The site’s configured timezone - not your local device timezone |
Note on timezones: The plugin uses the timezone the site owner configured in WordPress Settings > General. If you are in a different timezone, adjust your target time accordingly. Ask your site administrator which timezone the site uses if you are unsure.
After a post is scheduled
Section titled “After a post is scheduled”You can find all your pending scheduled posts on your profile. See Viewing and Deleting Scheduled Posts for details.
If you need to change a scheduled post, you must delete it and create a new one. There is no in-place edit for scheduled activities.
Common problems
Section titled “Common problems”The Schedule Activity icon is not visible. You must be logged in. If you are logged in and the icon is still missing, check with your site administrator that the plugin is active.
The Next button stays greyed out. Both the date field and the time field must have values. Fill in both before clicking Next.
The post did not appear at the scheduled time. Wait a couple of minutes - cron runs every 60 seconds but may not fire at the exact second. If the post still has not appeared after 5 minutes, check your Scheduled Posts list to confirm the post is still there and the time has passed. Contact your site administrator if the issue persists; it may indicate a cron problem on the server.
The time I set was wrong (wrong AM/PM, wrong hour). Delete the scheduled post and create a new one with the correct time. See Deleting a Scheduled Post.