Fix: Notification Bubble Not Working for WordPress Custom Post Types

• 10.02.2025
• Blog
• Ethan Martinez
• 0

Notification bubbles in WordPress are an essential feature that helps indicate new updates, comments, or messages within the admin dashboard. However, these notification bubbles sometimes do not work correctly for custom post types, leaving users unaware of new items that require attention. This issue can be frustrating, especially for those relying heavily on custom content types to manage their website efficiently.

Why Notification Bubbles May Not Work for Custom Post Types

There can be several reasons why notification bubbles fail to display correctly for custom post types. Some of the most common causes include:

• Incorrect Custom Post Type Registration – If the post type is not registered correctly with the right arguments, WordPress may not track its updates properly.
• Missing Update Count Hook – WordPress uses the dashboard_glance_items and similar hooks to display notifications. Custom post types might not be hooked into these.
• Plugin or Theme Conflict – A poorly coded theme or a conflicting plugin can prevent the notification bubble from appearing.
• Caching Issues – Some WordPress caching mechanisms may interfere with real-time updates, leading to missing notifications.

How to Fix Notification Bubbles for Custom Post Types

To resolve this issue, follow these troubleshooting and fixing steps carefully.

1. Check Custom Post Type Registration

Make sure that your custom post type is registered with the correct settings. Open your theme’s functions.php file or plugin where the post type is created and ensure the following options are correctly set:

'public' => true,
'show_ui' => true,
'show_in_menu' => true,
'hierarchical' => false,

The show_in_menu option should be set to true so that WordPress includes it in menu-related notifications.

2. Add a Custom Admin Notification Counter

If WordPress does not track updates for your custom post type, you can manually register a counter using the dashboard_glance_items hook.

Add this snippet to your functions.php file:

function custom_post_notification_bubble() {
    $num_posts = wp_count_posts('custom_post_type_name'); // Replace with your custom post type
    $pending = $num_posts->pending;

    if ($pending) {
        echo "

        Custom Posts $pending
";
    }
}
add_action('dashboard_glance_items', 'custom_post_notification_bubble');

This snippet will display a red notification bubble in the WordPress admin dashboard when there are pending custom posts.

3. Debug Plugin and Theme Conflicts

To check if a theme or plugin conflict is preventing the notification bubbles from working, follow these steps:

1. Disable all plugins and switch to a default WordPress theme (such as Twenty Twenty-Four).
2. Check if the notification bubble appears for your custom post type.
3. If it works, re-enable each plugin one by one to determine the culprit.

If you pinpoint a plugin causing the issue, check its settings or contact its developer for assistance.

4. Clear Caching and Refresh the Dashboard

Sometimes, caching solutions prevent notification bubbles from displaying in real time. Try the following:

• Clear your WordPress cache (if you’re using caching plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache).
• Refresh the WordPress dashboard with CTRL + SHIFT + R (Windows) or CMD + SHIFT + R (Mac).
• Disable object caching temporarily in your caching plugin and check if it resolves the issue.

Final Thoughts

Ensuring that notification bubbles work for custom post types in WordPress is essential for optimal content management. Whether the issue is caused by an incorrect custom post type setup, missing hooks, conflicts, or caching problems, following these steps will help you diagnose and fix the problem efficiently.

If you’ve tried everything and the issue persists, consider checking WordPress support forums or reaching out to a developer for more advanced troubleshooting.

By implementing these solutions, you can restore missing notification bubbles and enhance your website’s workflow, keeping your admin dashboard informative and up to date.