This guide explains all the settings available in the Post Duplicator plugin. Access these settings by going to Settings > Post Duplicator in your WordPress admin.
Overview
The settings page is divided into three main sections:
- Defaults – Configure default behavior for all duplications
- Permissions – Control who can duplicate posts
- Advanced – Fine-tune duplication behavior for special post types
Defaults Section
These settings determine the default behavior when duplicating posts. You can override these defaults for individual duplications using the duplication modal.
Post Status
Options:
- Same as original – The duplicate will have the same status as the original post
- Draft – All duplicates will be created as drafts (recommended default)
- Published – All duplicates will be published immediately
- Pending – All duplicates will be set to pending review
Recommendation: Keep this set to Draft to prevent accidentally publishing duplicates.
Post Type
Options:
- Same – Duplicate will be the same post type as the original
- [List of available post types] – Choose a specific post type to convert duplicates to
Use Case: If you want to convert all duplicated posts to a different type (e.g., convert all duplicated Posts to a custom “Article” post type).
Post Author
Options:
- Current User – The person duplicating the post becomes the author (recommended)
- Original Post Author – The duplicate keeps the original author
Recommendation: Use Current User so duplicates are attributed to the person creating them.
Post Date
Options:
- Duplicate Timestamp – The duplicate will have the same publication date as the original
- Current Time – The duplicate will use the current date and time (recommended)
Recommendation: Use Current Time so duplicates have fresh timestamps.
Duplicate Title
Description: Text that will be appended to the original post title.
Default: “Copy”
Example:
- Original: “My Blog Post”
- Duplicate: “My Blog Post Copy”
Tip: You can customize this per duplication in the modal, but this sets the default suffix.
Duplicate Slug
Description: Text that will be appended to the original post slug (URL-friendly version).
Default: “copy”
Example:
- Original slug: “my-blog-post”
- Duplicate slug: “my-blog-post-copy”
Tip: Keep this lowercase and URL-friendly. WordPress will automatically format it.
Offset Date
Description: When enabled, allows you to set a time offset for duplicated post dates.
Default: Disabled
How it works:
- Check the Offset Date checkbox
- Set the offset amount:
- Days – Number of days to offset
- Hours – Number of hours to offset
- Minutes – Number of minutes to offset
- Seconds – Number of seconds to offset
- Choose the direction:
- Newer – The duplicate date will be in the future
- Older – The duplicate date will be in the past
Example:
- Original date: January 1, 2024
- Offset: 7 days, direction: Newer
- Duplicate date: January 8, 2024
Use Case: Useful for scheduling duplicates at specific intervals or creating posts with historical dates.
Permissions Section
Control which user roles can duplicate posts and what they can duplicate.
Role-Based Permissions
For each user role (Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, etc.), you can enable:
- duplicate_posts – Allows users to duplicate their own posts
- duplicate_others_posts – Allows users to duplicate posts created by other users
How to Configure:
- Find the role you want to configure (e.g., “Author Permissions”)
- Check the boxes for the capabilities you want to grant
- Click Save Changes
Default Behavior:
- Administrators typically have all permissions by default
- Other roles may need permissions granted manually
Security Note: Be careful when granting “duplicate_others_posts” to lower-level roles, as this allows them to copy content created by others.
Advanced Section
These settings control duplication behavior for special post statuses created by other users.
Draft Posts
Question: Should users be able to duplicate other users’ draft posts?
Options:
- Disabled – Users cannot duplicate drafts created by others
- Enabled – Users can duplicate drafts created by others (if they have permission)
Default: Enabled
Use Case: Disable this if you want to prevent users from seeing or copying unpublished drafts from other authors.
Pending Posts
Question: Should users be able to duplicate other users’ pending posts?
Options:
- Disabled – Users cannot duplicate pending posts created by others
- Enabled – Users can duplicate pending posts created by others (if they have permission)
Default: Enabled
Use Case: Useful in editorial workflows where pending posts are under review.
Private Posts
Question: Should users be able to duplicate other users’ private posts?
Options:
- Disabled – Users cannot duplicate private posts created by others
- Enabled – Users can duplicate private posts created by others (if they have permission)
Default: Enabled
Use Case: Private posts are typically meant to be restricted. Consider disabling this for better privacy.
Password Protected Posts
Question: Should users be able to duplicate other users’ password protected posts?
Options:
- Disabled – Users cannot duplicate password protected posts created by others
- Enabled – Users can duplicate password protected posts created by others (if they have permission)
Default: Enabled
Use Case: Password protected posts are meant to be restricted. Consider disabling this for better security.
Future Posts (Scheduled Posts)
Question: Should users be able to duplicate other users’ scheduled/future posts?
Options:
- Disabled – Users cannot duplicate scheduled posts created by others
- Enabled – Users can duplicate scheduled posts created by others (if they have permission)
Default: Enabled
Use Case: Scheduled posts are often part of content calendars. Enable this if you want to allow copying scheduled content.
Saving Settings
After making any changes:
- Scroll to the bottom of the settings page
- Click Save Changes
- Your settings will be applied immediately
Best Practices
Recommended Default Settings
For most sites, we recommend:
- Post Status: Draft
- Post Type: Same
- Post Author: Current User
- Post Date: Current Time
- Duplicate Title: “Copy”
- Duplicate Slug: “copy”
- Offset Date: Disabled
Security Recommendations
- Limit Permissions: Only grant “duplicate_others_posts” to trusted roles (Editors, Administrators)
- Private Posts: Consider disabling duplication of private posts for better privacy
- Password Protected: Consider disabling duplication of password protected posts
- Review Advanced Settings: Regularly review the Advanced section to ensure it matches your site’s needs
Workflow Tips
- Editorial Workflows: If you have a review process, you may want to disable duplication of pending posts
- Content Templates: If you use posts as templates, set default status to Draft so templates aren’t accidentally published
- Multi-Author Sites: Use “Current User” for Post Author to ensure proper attribution
- Scheduled Content: Enable duplication of future posts if you want to copy scheduled content calendars
Understanding Settings vs. Modal Overrides
Settings Page (Defaults):
- These are the default values used when duplicating
- They apply to all duplications unless overridden
- Set once and use repeatedly
Duplication Modal (Overrides):
- These allow you to customize individual duplications
- Override the defaults for that specific duplication only
- Don’t affect future duplications
Example:
- Default status is set to “Draft” in settings
- You duplicate a post and change status to “Published” in the modal
- The duplicate is published, but future duplications will still default to “Draft”
Troubleshooting
Settings aren’t saving:
- Make sure you click “Save Changes” at the bottom
- Check that you have “manage_options” capability (typically Administrator role)
- Try refreshing the page
Defaults aren’t being applied:
- Clear your browser cache
- Check that you saved the settings
- Verify you’re looking at the correct settings section
Permissions aren’t working:
- Ensure you saved the Permissions section
- Check that the user role actually has the capabilities assigned
- Some plugins may override WordPress capabilities