Title: Live Auto Refresh (Hot Reload / Live Reload for WordPress Developers)
Author: perron
Published: <strong>October 25, 2023</strong>
Last modified: July 9, 2025

---

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# 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.3.2.1.zip)

 * [Details](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/live-auto-refresh/#description)
 * [Reviews](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/live-auto-refresh/#reviews)
 *  [Installation](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/live-auto-refresh/#installation)
 * [Development](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/live-auto-refresh/#developers)

 [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/live-auto-refresh/)

## Description

**THIS PLUGIN IS FOR USE DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORDPRESS THEMES**

Live Auto Refresh helps developers instantly see changes made to theme code or content
by automatically reloading the browser. No manual refresh is needed.

This greatly enhances the productivity and accuracy of web development. It allows
the developer to test and debug the website in real time and to instantly view how
the content appears on the front end of all loaded logged in browsers and devices.
With this feature, the developer can always ensure that the website matches the 
intended design and functionality.

This plugin is only active for logged-in administrators and does not affect regular
site visitors.

**🆕 MAJOR v3 UPDATES ~ New in this version:**
 – Usability: A settings page is 
available under Settings  Live Auto Refresh – Settings: option to monitor all file
types, or default (php, css, js). – BETA: Settings for monitoring selected plugin(
s) for changes during development. – BETA: Support for monitoring of non standard
folder paths. eg. /app/ not /wp-content/ in Roots Bedrock. – BETA: Support for popular
page builders monitoring of content saves. – Extensibility: Developers can add support
for additional builders via the `perron_auto_refresh_custom_hooks` filter – Performance:
File change detection uses faster file modification times. – Security: All AJAX 
requests are protected by nonces, and all user input is properly sanitized.

## Screenshots

 * [[
 * Admin Bar toggle to enable or disable the monitoring.
 * [[
 * Console notifications of active monitoring, file change detection, style detection.
 * [[
 * Disables monitoring after a defined timeout only if no changes have been detected.

## Installation

 1. Install to your site from the WordPress Plugin Directory
 2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu in WordPress
 3. Use the new settings page (Settings  Live Auto Refresh) to enable or disable auto
    refresh as needed.

## FAQ

### What files does this monitor for code changes?

By default, only .php, .js, and .css files within the active theme and child theme
are monitored for changes. This improves performance and avoids unnecessary checks
on other files.

### Do style changes reload the page?

Changes to CSS files will hot reload to display the updates styling without reloading
the HTML DOM.

### What content saves trigger a refresh?

Editor saves to the wordpress page or post content.

### How are PHP errors handled?

If WP_DEBUG is enabled then any non critical error messages will display.
 Critical
errors will prevent the plugin running, so a manual reload will be required once
the code error is fixed to restart monitoring.

### Supports popular page builders content save monitoring

Auto refresh triggers on content save in these builders:
 – WP Block Editor (Gutenberg)–
Elementor – Beaver Builder – Bricks Builder – WPBakery – Divi – Visual Composer

### How do I use the new settings page?

Go to Settings  Live Auto Refresh in your WordPress admin dashboard. You can enable
or disable auto refresh here, or use the admin bar toggle for quick access. The 
settings page also allows you to monitor all file types, or default (php, css, js).
You can also select which plugins to monitor for changes during development. Interval
and timeout options are also available.

### Advanced extensibility:

Developers can add support for additional builder save hooks using the `perron_auto_refresh_custom_hooks`
filter. Example:

    ```
    add_filter('perron_auto_refresh_custom_hooks', function($hooks) {
        $hooks[] = 'my_custom_builder_save_hook';
        return $hooks;
    });
    ```

### Do you accept donations?

This plugin saves developers valuable time, so any donations are greatly appreciated!

[DONATE](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/) July 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/) June 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/) October 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/) March 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/) February 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/) January 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

#### 3.2.1

 * inline toolbar button styling bugfix

#### 3.2

 * improved style change hot reloading

#### 3.1

 * improved style change hot reloading

#### 3.0

 * Settings option to monitor all file types, or default (php, css, js).
 * BETA support for monitoring selected plugin during development.
 * BETA support for monitoring non standard folder paths.
    eg. /app/ not /wp-content/
   in Roots Bedrock.
 * BETA: for popular page builders monitoring of content saves
 * Extensibility: Developers can add support for additional builders via the `perron_auto_refresh_custom_hooks`
   filter

#### 2.2

 * Title change to Live Auto Refresh (Hot Reload / Live Reload for WordPress Developers)

#### 2.1

 * Added settings link to the plugin page.
 * Fixed versioning for js file.

#### 2.0

 * Added settings page for enabling/disabling the plugin and to change the refresh
   interval.
 * Added settings option to alter the monitoring timeout.
 * Updated WP tested version to 6.8.1

#### 1.1

 * Updated WP tested version to 6.7.1

#### 1.0

 * Initial version

## Meta

 *  Version **3.2.1**
 *  Last updated **9 months ago**
 *  Active installations **100+**
 *  WordPress version ** 4.7 or higher **
 *  Tested up to **6.8.5**
 *  PHP version ** 7.0 or higher **
 *  Language
 * [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/live-auto-refresh/)
 * Tags
 * [auto refresh](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/auto-refresh/)[refresh](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/refresh/)
   [reload](https://pcd.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/reload/)
 *  [Advanced View](https://pcd.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)

[Add my 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/)