Title: Live Auto Refresh (Hot Reload / Live Reload for WordPress Developers) Author: perron Published: octubre 25, 2023 Last modified: chunyo 10, 2026 --- Search plugins ![](https://ps.w.org/live-auto-refresh/assets/banner-772x250.jpg?rev=3570443) ![](https://ps.w.org/live-auto-refresh/assets/icon.svg?rev=2983797) # Live Auto Refresh (Hot Reload / Live Reload for WordPress Developers) By [perron](https://profiles.wordpress.org/perron/) [Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/live-auto-refresh.4.2.zip) * [Details](https://arg.wordpress.org/plugins/live-auto-refresh/#description) * [Reviews](https://arg.wordpress.org/plugins/live-auto-refresh/#reviews) * [Installation](https://arg.wordpress.org/plugins/live-auto-refresh/#installation) * [Development](https://arg.wordpress.org/plugins/live-auto-refresh/#developers) [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/live-auto-refresh/) ## Description **Instant live reload for WordPress development.** Eliminate manual browser refreshes. See your code changes immediately across all devices as you work. **Key Features:** – **Instant Feedback** – Changes to themes and selected plugins appear immediately – **CSS Hot Reload** – Stylesheet updates without full page refresh–** Content Sync** – Auto-reload when posts, pages, or builder content is saved – ** Multi-Device** – All logged-in browsers reload simultaneously – **Smart Transport**– Server-Sent Events with automatic fallback to AJAX polling – **Shared Connections**– Multiple tabs share one server connection (no worker exhaustion) **Security:** – Administrator/editor only (filterable capability) – Nonce-protected endpoints – Clean uninstall removes all data ## Screenshots [⌊Admin bar toggle for quick enable/disable⌉⌊Admin bar toggle for quick enable/disable⌉[ Admin bar toggle for quick enable/disable [⌊Console notifications showing active monitoring and change detection⌉⌊Console notifications showing active monitoring and change detection⌉[ Console notifications showing active monitoring and change detection [⌊Settings page with monitoring status and cache controls⌉⌊Settings page with monitoring status and cache controls⌉[ Settings page with monitoring status and cache controls ## Installation 1. Install from the WordPress Plugin Directory 2. Activate the plugin 3. Go to **Settings Live Auto Refresh** to configure monitoring 4. Use the admin bar toggle to quickly enable/disable while working ## FAQ ### What files are monitored? By default: `.php`, `.js`, and `.css` files in your active theme (parent and child) plus any plugins you select in settings. Changes are detected via modification time and file size. ### Which page builders are supported? Gutenberg, Elementor, Beaver Builder, Bricks Builder, WPBakery, Divi, Visual Composer, and ACF. ### Can I monitor my own plugin during development? Yes. Select it in Settings Live Auto Refresh. ### How do I add support for a custom builder? Use the `perron_auto_refresh_custom_hooks` filter: ``` add_filter( 'perron_auto_refresh_custom_hooks', function( $hooks ) { $hooks[] = 'my_builder_save_action'; return $hooks; } ); ``` ### Available filters * `perron_auto_refresh_capability` – required capability (default: `edit_others_posts`) * `perron_auto_refresh_reload_mode` – `'hard'` (full reload) or `'soft'` (CSS hot reload only) * `perron_auto_refresh_poll_interval` – seconds between filesystem checks (default: the Poll Interval setting; filter takes precedence) * `perron_auto_refresh_scan_budget_seconds` – max scan time per check (default: the Scan Budget setting; filter takes precedence) * `perron_auto_refresh_sse_max_runtime` – SSE connection lifetime (default: `180`) * `perron_auto_refresh_follow_symlinks` – return `true` to monitor symlinked themes/ plugins, e.g. when symlinking projects into wp-content during local development( default: `false`; cycles are guarded) ### Host Configuration Tips For best SSE performance, ensure your host supports: – PHP execution time of 180s + (or `set_time_limit(0)`) – Idle timeouts > 30s (for keep-alive pings) – Disabled proxy buffering on SSE endpoints If SSE fails, the plugin automatically falls back to AJAX polling. ### Do you accept donations? Yes! [Donate here](https://paypal.me/perronuk/) ## Reviews ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e33394eb5b65169b8e84ded1a65c94dacea303af33eb18642b9ee40501e24a29? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[Fantastic](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/fantastic-3440/)󠁿 [aderahmadw](https://profiles.wordpress.org/aderahmadw/) chulio 7, 2025 1 reply Fantastic Works. Easy use ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/226dfc76da6ea7c7d3c7be4351ccff2fa6728b08994597a13385170045430a99? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[Awesome](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/awesome-10538/)󠁿 [o2xav](https://profiles.wordpress.org/o2xav/) chunyo 17, 2025 1 reply I was starting to get huge issues with livereload VScode plugin with recent browsers, this module saved the day, works as intended and very fast on local development env. On very few occasions, you need to refresh manually, but I suspect it has to do with the browser putting the tab to sleep. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a42f9ac14f06a73dbfd8a262893d5628810075c180d97ced6509697cf18d50a0? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[Is great. Works fine.](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/is-great-works-fine/)󠁿 [thegje](https://profiles.wordpress.org/thegje/) octubre 13, 2024 1 reply Just installed. Works fine. Pretty impressive tbh. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0553d67777d3f00d28ea83017c54e14464c528ebdfdac4498929ad0f4c3a1c84? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[Works erratically with Bricks Builder](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/works-erratically-with-bricks-builder/)󠁿 [ltpa](https://profiles.wordpress.org/ltpa/) marzo 19, 2024 Good idea but not stable. Sometimes it refreshes the page, sometimes not. Usually not. I tried it with Bricks Builder. I edit in Chrome. On my second screen I use an incognito window (logged out), also in Chrome. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bf87ad75fff1f36e839b80fdc3a00f090aa96b158630c503c1071524ce018dcf? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[Works fine !!](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/works-fine-1563/)󠁿 [notclo](https://profiles.wordpress.org/notclo/) febrero 19, 2024 1 reply Thanks for this solution 🙂 ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ba9fbb0bf98cc6ec15ca8f849520724228b76bf9bea713c8e2804e45b488843c? s=60&d=retro&r=g) ### 󠀁[Does exactly as promised. Makes Page Building So Much Better](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/does-exactly-as-promised-makes-page-building-so-much-better/)󠁿 [ryanjhunter](https://profiles.wordpress.org/ryanjhunter/) chinero 23, 2024 1 reply Simple. It refreshes when something changes or when you update a page.Makes page building SO NICE.Similar to hot-reload in development.Thanks for making this! [ Read all 6 reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/live-auto-refresh/reviews/) ## Contributors & Developers “Live Auto Refresh (Hot Reload / Live Reload for WordPress Developers)” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin. Contributors * [ perron ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/perron/) [Translate “Live Auto Refresh (Hot Reload / Live Reload for WordPress Developers)” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/live-auto-refresh) ### Interested in development? [Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/live-auto-refresh/), check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/live-auto-refresh/), or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/live-auto-refresh/) by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/live-auto-refresh/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss). ## Changelog #### 4.2 * Security: Capability-based access control (filterable via `perron_auto_refresh_capability`) * Fixed: File rename detection, builder save normalization * Improved: Database writes only on actual changes, leader-tab connection sharing, better error handling * New: Settings page rebuilt on Settings API, JavaScript translations * New: Poll Interval and Scan Budget are configurable on the settings page (filters still take precedence) * New: After the inactivity timeout, clicking the PAUSED admin-bar button resumes monitoring in place – no page reload needed (all tabs resume together) * New: `perron_auto_refresh_follow_symlinks` filter to monitor symlinked themes/ plugins #### 4.1 * Fixed: PHP stat cache clearing, hash stability on large themes * New: WP.org-compliant SSE streaming (admin-ajax primary, REST fallback, then AJAX polling) * New: Leader-tab streaming to prevent worker exhaustion * Improved: Builder save hook reliability, session expiration handling #### 4.0 * Major: Full refactor to singleton class architecture * New: SSE transport with automatic AJAX fallback * Improved: Hash-based change detection with performance safeguards #### 3.0 – 3.3 * Added: Plugin monitoring, page builder support, CSS hot reload improvements * Switched to filemtime-based detection for better performance #### 2.0 * Added: Settings page, configurable intervals, nonce security #### 1.0 * Initial release: AJAX polling with theme file monitoring and CSS hot reload ## Meta * Version **4.2** * Last updated **3 semanas ago** * Active installations **100+** * WordPress version ** 4.7 or higher ** * Tested up to **7.0** * PHP version ** 7.0 or higher ** * Language * [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/live-auto-refresh/) * Tags * [auto refresh](https://arg.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/auto-refresh/)[live reload](https://arg.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/live-reload/) [refresh](https://arg.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/refresh/)[reload](https://arg.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/reload/) * [Advanced View](https://arg.wordpress.org/plugins/live-auto-refresh/advanced/) ## Ratings 4.3 out of 5 stars. * [ 5 5-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/live-auto-refresh/reviews/?filter=5) * [ 0 4-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/live-auto-refresh/reviews/?filter=4) * [ 0 3-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/live-auto-refresh/reviews/?filter=3) * [ 0 2-star reviews ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/live-auto-refresh/reviews/?filter=2) * [ 1 1-star review ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/live-auto-refresh/reviews/?filter=1) [Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/live-auto-refresh/reviews/#new-post) [See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/live-auto-refresh/reviews/) ## Contributors * [ perron ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/perron/) ## Support Got something to say? Need help? [View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/live-auto-refresh/) ## Donate Would you like to support the advancement of this plugin? [ Donate to this plugin ](https://paypal.me/perronuk/)