Custom Post Meta Display

View, edit, and delete all post metadata directly from the post editor. Perfect for debugging, troubleshooting plugin issues, or managing custom fields without needing database access.

Use Cases#

• Debug custom field values when something isn’t displaying correctly
• Identify and fix conflicting plugin data (ACF, Yoast, etc.)
• Quickly edit meta values without database queries
• Clean up orphaned or unwanted meta fields

How It Works#

1. Enable the module and select which post types to enable it for
2. Edit any post of those types
3. Scroll down to see the “Post Metadata” metabox
4. View, search, edit, or delete meta fields directly

Where to Find It#

Location: Edit any enabled post type → scroll to the “Post Metadata” metabox below the content editor.

Settings#

Features#

Categorized Display#

Meta fields are automatically organized into three categories:

Search & Filter#

Use the search box to quickly find specific meta keys or values. Type any part of the key or value to filter the list.

Inline Editing#

1. Click the ✏️ edit button on any meta field
2. Modify the value in the textarea
3. Press Ctrl/Cmd + Enter to save, or Escape to cancel
4. Changes are saved via AJAX without page reload

Copy to Clipboard#

Click the copy button to copy any meta value. Useful for:

• Sharing values with developers
• Backing up before making changes
• Copying to other posts

Delete Meta#

Click the 🗑️ delete button to remove a meta field. Protected core fields (like _edit_lock) cannot be deleted to prevent breaking WordPress functionality.

Understanding Meta Fields#

Hidden Meta (Underscore Prefix)#

Meta keys starting with underscore (_) are “hidden” by WordPress conventions:

_edit_last        → Who last edited the post
_thumbnail_id     → Featured image ID
_yoast_wpseo_title → Yoast SEO title

Toggle “Show Hidden Meta” to see these fields.

Common Plugin Prefixes#

Serialized Data#

Some meta values contain arrays or objects, displayed as JSON:

{
    "key": "value",
    "nested": {
        "data": true
    }
}

You can edit these as JSON — the module will parse and save correctly.

Protected Fields#

These core WordPress fields cannot be deleted:

• _edit_lock — Prevents simultaneous editing
• _edit_last — Tracks last editor
• _thumbnail_id — Featured image reference
• _wp_page_template — Page template assignment

They’re marked with a “Protected” badge.

Adding New Meta#

Click "+ Add New Meta Field" to create a new meta field:

1. Enter a meta key (e.g., my_custom_field)
2. Enter the value (supports JSON for arrays/objects)
3. Click Save

The field is immediately added to the post.

FAQ#