Disable WordPress Heartbeat API

The WordPress Heartbeat API sends AJAX requests to the server every 15-60 seconds (depending on context – editor, dashboard, etc.). It is useful for auto-save and session management, but on shared hosting it can cause high CPU load. For more ways to improve your site speed, see the Guide to Google PageSpeed for WordPress Users.

If you want to slow down the Heartbeat or disable it completely, add the following code to your functions.php file:

/**
 * Disable or slow down WordPress Heartbeat API
 */
add_action( 'init', function() {
	// Option 1: Disable Heartbeat completely
	wp_deregister_script( 'heartbeat' );

	// Option 2: Slow down Heartbeat to 60 seconds (uncomment and remove Option 1)
	// add_filter( 'heartbeat_settings', function( $settings ) {
	//     $settings['interval'] = 60;
	//     return $settings;
	// } );
}, 1 );

Note: Fully disabling Heartbeat may affect auto-save in the post editor. If you need auto-save, use Option 2 (slow down to 60 seconds) instead of full disable.