{"id":15351,"date":"2019-02-15T14:37:15","date_gmt":"2019-02-15T14:37:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/?p=15351"},"modified":"2026-03-09T19:19:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T19:19:47","slug":"how-to-fix-admin-ajax-file-in-wordpress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/ng\/tutorials\/how-to-fix-admin-ajax-file-in-wordpress","title":{"rendered":"How to resolve high usage of admin-ajax.php in WordPress"},"content":{"rendered":"

Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) is a set of web development techniques that enhances a website’s user experience and interactivity. <\/p>

WordPress theme and plugin developers commonly implement AJAX to create dynamic and interactive features. Moreover, AJAX allows site visitors to submit a newsletter form or comment on a blog post without reloading the web page. <\/p>

WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that utilizes the admin-ajax.php<\/strong> file to manage AJAX requests. <\/p>

The admin-ajax.php<\/strong> file enhances the website user experience. However, too many requests can impact performance. In this article, we will share troubleshooting methods to reduce your site’s admin-ajax.php<\/strong> file usage.<\/p>

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What Is the admin-ajax.php File in WordPress?<\/h2>\n


\nThe admin-ajax.php file<\/strong> is a WordPress core file. It serves as an endpoint for handling AJAX calls or requests, such as loading comments and processing form submissions. This PHP script processes web server data and returns relevant information to users’ web browsers. By default, the admin-ajax.php<\/strong> file is located in the wp-admin<\/strong> folder.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p>

How Can admin-ajax.php Slow Down Your WordPress Site?<\/h2>

The following are several factors that may cause an overload in WordPress AJAX requests:<\/p>

Excessive Plugin Usage<\/h3>

Plugins often require additional resources and code to fully operate. Using too many plugins that rely on AJAX requests can lead to excessive usage of the admin-ajax.php<\/strong> file, resulting in a slower page load time<\/a>.<\/p>

High Traffic Volume<\/h3>

A website with heavy traffic can eventually cause the admin-ajax.php<\/strong> file to overload. This is because WordPress uses the PHP file to establish a connection between your website’s front and back end.<\/p>

Inefficient Database Queries<\/h3>

Database queries retrieve and update WordPress site information from the back end. However, these queries can lead to high usage of the admin-ajax.php<\/strong> file if not optimized.<\/p>

Why Is It Important to Reduce WordPress Admin AJAX Requests?<\/h2>

Reducing the high load of admin-ajax.php<\/strong> in WordPress can bring benefits to your site, such as:<\/p>

Improved Performance<\/h3>

Minimize AJAX requests to reduce server response time. This results in faster page load times and a smoother browsing experience for your WordPress website visitors.<\/p>

Enhanced User Experience<\/h3>

An optimized Admin AJAX file lets your website respond quickly to user interactions. Therefore, visitors can seamlessly navigate through your web pages, interact with buttons and forms, and access content. A positive user experience boosts engagement, returning visitors, and conversion rates.<\/p>

Reduced Server Load<\/h3>

Reducing the number of admin-ajax.php<\/strong> requests can boost the server load, making your website accessible and responsive during high-traffic times.<\/p>

You can also minimize server resources, such as processing power, memory, and storage space, so the website can handle traffic more effectively. This is especially helpful when running sites on a shared hosting plan.<\/p>

How to Troubleshoot the admin-ajax.php Issue<\/h2>

In the following sections, we will use GTmetrix<\/strong> and Chrome Developer Console<\/strong> to identify if the admin-ajax.php<\/strong> file slows down your website.<\/p>

GTmetrix<\/h3>

GTmetrix<\/a> is a web-based tool used to monitor and analyze site performance<\/a>. It measures various performance metrics and provides insights to fix or improve them.<\/p>

The following are the steps to identify issues related to the admin-ajax.php<\/strong> file:<\/p>

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  1. Go to the GTmetrix homepage<\/a> and type your website URL in the required field.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Click the Test your site<\/strong> button to run the performance check. Note that the process varies depending on the size of your website.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
    \"The<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
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    1. Once finished, navigate to the Waterfall<\/strong> tab on the Latest Performance Report page.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Search for admin-ajax.php<\/strong> using the search bar. For instance, the following performance report shows that the POST admin-ajax<\/strong> request takes longer than other requests.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
      \"The<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
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      1. Click POST admin-ajax.php<\/strong> and navigate to the Post<\/strong> tab. The example below shows that the count_hit<\/strong> script causes the performance issue.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
        \"POST<\/a><\/figure>

        Chrome Developer Console<\/h3>

        Another method to diagnose your site’s Admin AJAX usage is by using Chrome Developer Console. Follow the steps below:<\/p>

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        1. Visit your website via Google Chrome.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        2. Right-click on the page, such as your homepage, and click Inspect<\/strong>. Alternatively, click the three dots icon<\/strong> on the top-right corner of the screen, and go to More tools<\/strong> → Developer tools<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        3. Click on the Network<\/strong> tab and reload your website.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        4. In the filter box, type admin ajax<\/strong> to see if any process uses a WordPress AJAX call.<\/li>\n<\/ol>

          How to Reduce High Usage of Admin AJAX in WordPress<\/h2>

          After identifying the admin-ajax.php<\/strong> file usage issue using GTmetrix or Google Chrome Console, implement the following methods to minimize the PHP file usage:<\/p>

          Disable WordPress Plugins<\/h3>

          Since WordPress plugins frequently use AJAX calls, disabling them is the easiest way to solve the issue. Especially if you have identified that a particular WordPress plugin sends unnecessary AJAX requests. The following are the steps to deactivate it:<\/p>

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          1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          2. Go to Plugins<\/strong> → Installed Plugins<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          3. Locate the plugin you want to disable and click the Deactivate<\/strong> button.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          4. Run a performance check using GTmetrix to see if the issue is solved.<\/li>\n<\/ol>

            If you cannot find which plugin is overloading the admin-ajax.php<\/strong> file, consider deactivating all plugins and running performance testing. Then, re-activate the plugins one by one if it doesn’t cause any problems. We highly recommend backing up your WordPress website first to avoid unexpected errors.<\/p>

            Enable Website Caching<\/h3>

            Caching is crucial as it helps speed up your WordPress site<\/a>. It involves creating a static version of your web pages and storing them in the visitors’ browsers or servers. The cached web pages are used when returning visitors access your website, making the page load faster.<\/p>

            WordPress has several caching plugins to help mitigate the impact of admin-ajax.php<\/strong> requests and optimize website performance:<\/p>