WordPress Error: Failing to Get unix_time
Understanding the Error
The “Unable to Get unix_time” error in WordPress usually indicates an issue related to time synchronization. It also signals a misconfiguration of your server’s time settings. This issue can prevent scheduled posts, updates, and other time-dependent functions from executing correctly.
Possible Causes
- Server Time Misconfiguration: Your server’s time settings are incorrect.
- Plugin Conflict: A plugin may interfere with WordPress’s ability to fetch the current time.
- Outdated Software: Your WordPress installation, theme, or plugins are obsolete.
- Misconfigured PHP Settings: The PHP settings on your server are improperly configured.

Solutions
- Check Server Time Settings
- Access your server via SSH or through your hosting provider’s control panel.
- Make sure that the server’s time and timezone settings are correctly configured.
- Update WordPress, Themes, and Plugins
- Navigate to
Dashboard > Updates
your WordPress admin panel. - Update WordPress to the latest version.
- Update all themes and plugins to their latest versions.
- Navigate to
- Turn Off Plugins Temporarily
- Turn off all plugins from
Dashboard > Plugins
. - Check if the error persists.
- Reactivate the plugins one by one to find the conflicting plugins.
- Turn off all plugins from
- Review PHP Settings
- Check the
php.ini
configuration file for thedate.timezone
setting. - Make sure that the timezone is correctly set, e.g.,
date.timezone = "UTC"
ordate.timezone = "America/New_York"
.
- Check the
Example PHP Timezone Configuration
date_default_timezone_set('UTC'); // Sets the default timezone to UTC
When to Contact Support
If the error persists after trying the above solutions, consider contacting your web hosting provider for further assistance. They may be able to offer extra insight into server-specific configurations causing the issue.
By addressing these aspects, you should be capable of resolving the “Unable to Get unix_time” error in WordPress.
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