Show/Hide Content at Set Time

What is Show/Hide Content at Set Time?

Show/Hide Content at Set Time is a lightweight WordPress plugin that uses shortcodes to control when specific content appears or disappears on your site. Developed by Dave Clements, this plugin has been available for 15 years, making it one of the older tools in the WordPress repository for time-based content scheduling. It currently holds 10K+ active installs and an outstanding 4.9/5 rating from 33 reviews, with 97% of those being five-star ratings and zero one-star reviews. The plugin was last updated on Oct 1, 2019 and is at version 2.5.

At its core, the plugin solves a simple but common problem: you want to show content on a specific date, then hide it after a certain time, all without editing pages manually. Whether you need to expire a promotion, reveal a competition winner at midnight, or display a countdown message, this plugin handles the logic through two primary shortcodes. It also supports repeating schedules for recurring events like weekly radio shows or daily office hours.

Key Features of Show/Hide Content at Set Time

• Single-use date restrictions — Use the [time-restrict] shortcode to show or hide content at a single point in time, with support for multiple date formats like YYYY-MM-DD or "September 10th, 2014".
• Combined start and end dates — Set both an "on" and "off" parameter in one shortcode to display content only within a specific date range, such as a limited-time offer from January 1st to January 10th.
• Repeating daily schedules — Use the [time-restrict-repeat] shortcode with type="daily" to show content during business hours (e.g., 9 AM to 5 PM) or even across midnight for overnight messages.
• Weekly recurring visibility — Schedule content to appear on specific weekdays, such as showing weekend information from Friday 5 PM to Monday 8 AM.
• Monthly and annual schedules — Repeat visibility patterns on a monthly or yearly basis, useful for seasonal notices or recurring events.
• Flexible time parsing — Accepts any date string supported by PHP, including "2014/09/10 18:00:00" or "10-September 2014", with a default time of 00:00:00 if omitted.
• Lightweight and shortcode-based — No widgets, blocks, or complex settings; just wrap your content in a shortcode and the plugin handles the rest.

Who Should Use Show/Hide Content at Set Time?

This plugin is ideal for site owners who need to schedule content visibility without upgrading to a premium membership plugin or writing custom code. With 10K+ active installs, the user base ranges from small business owners running limited-time promotions to radio station websites that need to show program schedules only during broadcast hours. The shortcode approach means even beginners can implement time-based visibility by copying examples from the plugin description into their posts or pages.

The plugin is particularly well-suited for event websites, ecommerce stores running flash sales, and membership sites with time-sensitive announcements. Because it supports repeating schedules, it also works for daily or weekly recurring content like "open now" badges or office hour notices. The 97% five-star rating from 33 reviews suggests users find the functionality reliable for these use cases, despite the plugin not having been updated since Oct 1, 2019.

Installation & Setup

Installation follows the standard WordPress process: upload the plugin zip file to /wp-content/plugins/, activate it from the Plugins menu, and then wrap your content in the provided shortcodes. The plugin requires WordPress 2.5 or higher and has been tested up to WordPress 5.2.24, so it works on older installations but may not be compatible with modern block editors. Setup is beginner-friendly if you can copy and paste a shortcode example, but users unfamiliar with shortcode syntax may need to reference the description tab for formatting help.

Support & Community

Support data shows 0 open threads and 0 resolved threads in the last 2 months, resulting in a 0% resolution rate. This is a red flag for users expecting active support. However, the plugin developer directs users to GitHub for issue reporting and feature requests. The FAQ reinforces this approach, asking users to submit issues via GitHub or contact the developer directly if they lack a GitHub account.

The rating picture tells a different story. With 4.9/5 from 33 reviews and 97% five-star ratings, the plugin clearly works well for most users. The zero one-star ratings suggest that when the plugin functions, it functions correctly. The disconnect between high ratings and zero resolved support threads may indicate that the plugin is stable enough that most users don't need help, or that users who encounter issues simply move on rather than seeking support through the WordPress forum.