A future publication time lets you prepare content before it should become public.
Steps
- Open the draft and its Page or Post settings.
- Choose a future date and time in the publishing controls. Verify the site's configured time zone.
- Review content and visibility, then confirm the scheduling action.
- Reopen the entry to confirm that it is scheduled for the intended time.
Check the result
Check the public URL after the scheduled time. Confirm the actual result instead of assuming the schedule ran.
Before you continue
Keep time-sensitive announcements under review. A schedule can fail if the site's scheduled processing is not working. Do not rely on the displayed date alone for a launch that requires precise coordination.
Choose the intended local time
Check Settings → General → Timezone. A named city in the appropriate timezone can follow seasonal clock changes; a fixed UTC offset represents that offset. Review upcoming scheduled items after a timezone change. For a timed launch, schedule a harmless test in advance and verify its actual publication, including when traffic is low.
Official documentation: WordPress guide.
Documentation for this guidance: wordpress.org — settings general screen; developer.wordpress.org — cron.
