Want to keep your scan data current without re-scanning manually every time your site changes? WPConsent Pro’s automatic scheduled scans run in the background on a configurable interval, so your detected services always stay up to date. This guide walks you through enabling and configuring automatic scheduled scans.
Pro Feature: This feature requires WPConsent Pro.
Table of contents
- Prerequisites
- Opening the settings page
- Enabling auto scanning
- Choosing a scan interval
- Saving your settings
- Reviewing scan results
- How background scanning works
- Disabling auto scanning
- Verifying your setup
- FAQ
- Conclusion
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have:
- WPConsent Pro installed and activated (see how to install WPConsent)
- A Pro license key verified (see activating your Pro license key)
- At least 1 completed manual scan (see scanning your website)
- Administrator access to your WordPress site
Opening the settings page
To get started, navigate to WPConsent >> Settings in your WordPress dashboard. The default Settings tab loads automatically.
Enabling auto scanning
Scroll down to the Auto Scanning row. Then, toggle the switch to enable automatic scanning. The description reads “Enable automatic scanning of consent compliance in the background.”
Choosing a scan interval
Below the toggle, find the Scan Interval dropdown. Select how often the scan runs from these 3 options:
| Interval | Frequency | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | Every 1 day | Scans once per day (default) |
| Weekly | Every 7 days | Scans once per week |
| Monthly | Every 30 days | Scans once per month |
Pick the interval that matches how frequently your site changes. For most sites, Weekly balances staying current with minimizing server load.
Saving your settings
Next, click the Save Changes button at the bottom of the page. WPConsent schedules a daily WordPress cron event that checks whether a scan is due based on your chosen interval.
Reviewing scan results
After an automatic scan completes, navigate to WPConsent >> Scanner. The Scan Overview section shows updated statistics:
- Last Successful Scan reflects the date of the most recent automatic scan.
- Next Scheduled Scan displays when the next scan runs based on your interval setting.
If the scan found new services, they appear in the Detailed Report section. Click Automatically Configure Cookies to add them to your cookie configuration.
Automatic scans update your scan results but don’t auto-configure new services. After each scan, review the Detailed Report and configure any newly detected services.
How background scanning works
WPConsent uses WordPress cron to manage automatic scans. When you enable auto scanning, a daily cron event fires and checks whether enough time has passed since the last scan based on your interval.
When a scan is due, the process works like this:
- WPConsent retrieves the same page URLs you configured in the Select content to scan section on the Scanner page.
- It sends each page to the WPConsent scanning API for analysis.
- Results from all pages are aggregated, and duplicate services are removed.
- The final results are saved, updating the Scan Overview statistics.
Because automatic scans use the same detection as manual scans, paid version users benefit from extended plugin-based and GTM detection. As you install or remove plugins, scheduled scans capture those changes automatically.
Disabling auto scanning
To stop automatic scans:
- First, navigate to WPConsent >> Settings.
- Then, toggle Auto Scanning off.
- Finally, click Save Changes.
WPConsent clears the scheduled cron event immediately. The Next Scheduled Scan indicator on the Scanner page updates to “Not Scheduled.”
Verifying your setup
To confirm automatic scanning is active:
- Navigate to WPConsent >> Scanner.
- Check the Next Scheduled Scan statistic. It displays a future date based on your interval.
- After the next scan runs, verify that Last Successful Scan updates to the current date.
If the Next Scheduled Scan still shows “Not Scheduled,” go back to WPConsent >> Settings and confirm the Auto Scanning toggle is on.
FAQ
Why isn’t my next scheduled scan date updating?
WordPress cron is triggered by site visits. If your site has very low traffic, cron events may not fire on time. Consider setting up a real cron job on your server to trigger wp-cron.php at regular intervals. Contact your hosting provider for help with this.
Why aren’t my automatic scans detecting new services?
Automatic scans process the same pages listed in the Select content to scan section. If a new service loads only on a page not in that list, the scan won’t detect it. Add the relevant pages on the Scanner page before the next scheduled scan.
My scanner overview still shows old data. What do I do?
Verify that Auto Scanning is enabled and that your scan interval has elapsed since the last run. Navigate to WPConsent >> Settings and confirm the toggle is on and the interval is set correctly.
Can I run a manual scan while automatic scans are enabled?
Yes. Manual and automatic scans are independent. Running a manual scan won’t interfere with your scheduled scans. Both update the same scan results on the Scanner page.
Conclusion
You’ve now configured automatic scheduled scans to keep your cookie data up to date. WPConsent runs background scans at your chosen interval, so you don’t have to remember to scan manually after every site change.
To learn how to act on your scan results, read about scanning your website.