> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mainwp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How can I change tolerance for Abandoned Plugins and Themes?

> Adjust the Abandoned plugins/themes tolerance setting in MainWP Settings to control when plugins and themes are flagged as possibly abandoned. The default is 365 days without an update from the author.

The abandoned tolerance setting controls how long a plugin or theme must go without updates before MainWP flags it as "Possibly Abandoned." The default is 365 days, but you can adjust this based on your needs.

## What You'll Learn

* Adjust the abandoned tolerance threshold
* Understand when to increase or decrease the value
* Choose whether to use the local-file-date fallback
* Turn off abandoned data collection during synchronization

## Prerequisites

* MainWP Dashboard installed and activated
* Access to Dashboard settings

***

## Configure Abandoned Tolerance

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Settings">
    Go to **top-right user menu > MainWP Settings > General Settings** (`/wp-admin/admin.php?page=Settings`).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find Update Settings">
    Open **General Settings** and locate the **Updates Settings** section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set tolerance">
    Find **Abandoned plugins/themes tolerance** and enter your preferred number of days.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save Settings**.

    Sync the affected sites before running another abandoned check so MainWP Child receives the new tolerance.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Recommended Values

| Days | Use Case |
| - | - |
| 180 | Stricter monitoring, early warning of potential issues |
| 365 | Default balance between useful alerts and noise |
| 730 | Lenient monitoring, fewer alerts |

***

## When to Adjust

### Use a shorter tolerance (180-270 days) if:

* You prioritize security and want early warning
* You manage high-profile or sensitive sites
* You prefer proactive plugin/theme replacement

### Use a longer tolerance (500+ days) if:

* You use stable plugins that update infrequently
* You receive too many false positives
* Your plugins are intentionally feature-complete without frequent updates

### Turn Off Abandoned Data Collection During Sync

Setting the tolerance to `0` does not disable this feature; the General Settings save handler uses 365 when the submitted value is empty or zero. To stop collecting abandoned data during regular synchronization, open **top-right user menu > MainWP Settings > Advanced Settings > Select data to sync** (`/wp-admin/admin.php?page=SettingsAdvanced`), clear **Abandoned plugins information** and **Abandoned themes information**, and save settings.

This may suit a workflow where:

* You manually track plugin/theme status
* The alerts are not useful for your workflow

### Enable the Local File Date Fallback

Dashboard 6.3 adds **Abandoned check by local file date** beside the tolerance in **General Settings > Updates Settings**. Enable it to apply the same tolerance to a plugin's main file or a theme's `style.css` when WordPress.org has no usable last-updated date. Save settings and sync the affected sites; MainWP Child 6.3 or later is required.

The fallback is disabled by default. Read [the detection limits](/sites/updates/what-does-possibly-abandoned-mean#local-file-date-fallback-in-6-3) before relying on a local file date.

***

## Self-Check Checklist

* [ ] Tolerance is set to your preferred value
* [ ] Settings are saved
* [ ] Abandoned items appear in Updates page

***

## Related Resources

* [What does Possibly Abandoned mean](/sites/updates/what-does-possibly-abandoned-mean) - Understanding abandoned status
* [Check for Abandoned Plugins and Themes](/sites/plugins/check-for-abandoned-plugins-and-themes) - Manual checks
* [MainWP Dashboard Settings](/sites/management/mainwp-dashboard-settings) - All settings reference


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