User Meta Display

View, edit, and delete user metadata directly on profile pages. See all custom fields stored for a user, search through them, edit values on the fly, and delete unnecessary entries - all without needing database access.

Use Cases#

• Debug user-related issues by inspecting what data plugins are storing
• Clean up orphaned metadata left behind by uninstalled plugins
• View WooCommerce customer data, membership levels, or other plugin data
• Edit custom field values without writing database queries
• Troubleshoot “broken” user accounts by examining their meta data
• Understand what information is being stored about users

How It Works#

1. Enable the module
2. Go to any user’s profile edit page
3. Scroll down to the “User Metadata” section
4. Browse, search, edit, or delete meta fields

Where to Find It#

After enabling this module, go to Users → All Users and click Edit on any user. Scroll down past the standard profile fields to find the “User Metadata” section marked with the Switchboard badge.

The User Meta Interface#

Search Bar#

Type to filter meta fields in real-time. Searches both key names and values:

• Search “woo” to find WooCommerce-related fields
• Search “billing” to find billing address fields
• Search a specific value to find which field contains it

Toggle Hidden Meta#

Click “Show Hidden Meta” to reveal underscore-prefixed fields (like _billing_address_1). These are typically internal fields that plugins mark as “private”. Hidden by default to reduce clutter.

Add New Meta Field#

Click “+ Add New Meta Field” to create a custom meta entry:

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

Meta Fields Display#

Each field shows:

• Key - The meta key name with badges for “Hidden” or “Protected”
• Value - The stored value, formatted nicely for complex data (arrays shown as JSON)
• Actions - Copy, Edit, and Delete buttons

Actions#

Copy#

Click the copy button to copy a meta value to your clipboard. Useful for:

• Grabbing a value to use elsewhere
• Sharing field data in support tickets
• Testing values in code

Edit#

Click the edit button to modify a value inline:

1. The value transforms into an editable textarea
2. Make your changes (supports JSON for arrays)
3. Press Ctrl/Cmd + Enter to save
4. Press Escape to cancel

Delete#

Click the delete button to remove a meta field:

1. Confirm the deletion prompt
2. The field is immediately removed from the database
3. The row fades out from the display

Protected Fields#

Some fields are protected and cannot be deleted to prevent breaking user accounts:

• wp_capabilities - User’s roles
• wp_user_level - Legacy user level
• nickname - User’s nickname
• first_name / last_name - Name fields
• description - User bio

These fields show a “Protected” badge and don’t have a delete button.

Working with Complex Data#

Many plugins store arrays or serialized data in user meta. The module handles this automatically:

Arrays display as formatted JSON:

{
  "billing_first_name": "John",
  "billing_last_name": "Doe",
  "billing_city": "New York"
}

When editing arrays:

• Keep valid JSON format
• The module will re-serialize when saving
• Invalid JSON is saved as plain text

Meta Statistics#

At the bottom of the meta section, you’ll see:

• Visible - Count of standard meta fields
• Hidden - Count of underscore-prefixed fields
• Total - Total meta entries for the user

Common Plugin Meta Fields#

WooCommerce#

• billing_first_name, billing_last_name
• billing_address_1, billing_city, billing_postcode
• shipping_* fields
• _order_count, _money_spent

Membership Plugins#

• membership_level, subscription_status
• member_since, expiration_date

LMS Plugins#

• course_progress, completed_lessons
• quiz_scores, certificates

FAQ#