check_ajax_referer( int|string $action = -1, false|string $query_arg = false, bool $die = true )

Verifies the Ajax request to prevent processing requests external of the blog.

Contents

Description Description

Parameters Parameters

$action

(int|string) (Optional) Action nonce.

Default value: -1

$query_arg

(false|string) (Optional) Key to check for the nonce in $_REQUEST (since 2.5). If false, $_REQUEST values will be evaluated for '_ajax_nonce', and '_wpnonce' (in that order).

Default value: false

$die

(bool) (Optional) Whether to die early when the nonce cannot be verified.

Default value: true

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Return Return

(false|int) False if the nonce is invalid, 1 if the nonce is valid and generated between 0-12 hours ago, 2 if the nonce is valid and generated between 12-24 hours ago.

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Source Source

File: wp-includes/pluggable.php 

	function check_ajax_referer( $action = -1, $query_arg = false, $die = true ) {
		if ( -1 == $action ) {
			_doing_it_wrong( __FUNCTION__, __( 'You should specify a nonce action to be verified by using the first parameter.' ), '4.7' );
		}

		$nonce = '';

		if ( $query_arg && isset( $_REQUEST[ $query_arg ] ) ) {
			$nonce = $_REQUEST[ $query_arg ];
		} elseif ( isset( $_REQUEST['_ajax_nonce'] ) ) {
			$nonce = $_REQUEST['_ajax_nonce'];
		} elseif ( isset( $_REQUEST['_wpnonce'] ) ) {
			$nonce = $_REQUEST['_wpnonce'];
		}

		$result = wp_verify_nonce( $nonce, $action );

		/**
		 * Fires once the Ajax request has been validated or not.
		 *
		 * @since 2.1.0
		 *
		 * @param string    $action The Ajax nonce action.
		 * @param false|int $result False if the nonce is invalid, 1 if the nonce is valid and generated between
		 *                          0-12 hours ago, 2 if the nonce is valid and generated between 12-24 hours ago.
		 */
		do_action( 'check_ajax_referer', $action, $result );

		if ( $die && false === $result ) {
			if ( wp_doing_ajax() ) {
				wp_die( -1, 403 );
			} else {
				die( '-1' );
			}
		}

		return $result;
	}

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Changelog Changelog

Changelog
Version Description
2.0.3 Introduced.

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Uses Uses

Uses
Uses Description
wp-includes/load.php: wp_doing_ajax()

Determines whether the current request is a WordPress Ajax request.
wp-includes/l10n.php: __()

Retrieve the translation of $text.
wp-includes/pluggable.php: wp_verify_nonce()

Verifies that a correct security nonce was used with time limit.
wp-includes/pluggable.php: check_ajax_referer

Fires once the Ajax request has been validated or not.
wp-includes/functions.php: _doing_it_wrong()

Mark something as being incorrectly called.
wp-includes/functions.php: wp_die()

Kills WordPress execution and displays HTML page with an error message.
wp-includes/plugin.php: do_action()

Execute functions hooked on a specific action hook.
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Used By Used By

Used By
Used By Description
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_media_create_image_subsizes()

Ajax handler for creating missing image sub-sizes for just uploaded images.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_health_check_get_sizes()

Ajax handler for site health check to get directories and database sizes.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_health_check_dotorg_communication()

Ajax handler for site health checks on server communication.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_health_check_background_updates()

Ajax handler for site health checks on background updates.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_health_check_loopback_requests()

Ajax handler for site health checks on loopback requests.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_health_check_site_status_result()

Ajax handler for site health check to update the result status.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_wp_privacy_export_personal_data()

Ajax handler for exporting a user’s personal data.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_wp_privacy_erase_personal_data()

Ajax handler for erasing personal data.
wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php: WP_Customize_Manager::handle_load_themes_request()

Load themes into the theme browsing/installation UI.
wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php: WP_Customize_Manager::handle_override_changeset_lock_request()

Removes changeset lock when take over request is sent via Ajax.
wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php: WP_Customize_Manager::handle_dismiss_autosave_or_lock_request()

Delete a given auto-draft changeset or the autosave revision for a given changeset or delete changeset lock.
wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php: WP_Customize_Manager::handle_changeset_trash_request()

Handle request to trash a changeset.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_get_community_events()

Handles AJAX requests for community events
wp-includes/class-wp-customize-nav-menus.php: WP_Customize_Nav_Menus::ajax_insert_auto_draft_post()

Ajax handler for adding a new auto-draft post.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_search_install_plugins()

Ajax handler for searching plugins to install.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_delete_plugin()

Ajax handler for deleting a plugin.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_search_plugins()

Ajax handler for searching plugins.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_install_theme()

Ajax handler for installing a theme.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_update_theme()

Ajax handler for updating a theme.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_delete_theme()

Ajax handler for deleting a theme.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_install_plugin()

Ajax handler for installing a plugin.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_get_post_thumbnail_html()

Ajax handler for retrieving HTML for the featured image.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_save_wporg_username()

Ajax handler for saving the user’s WordPress.org username.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_delete_inactive_widgets()

Ajax handler for removing inactive widgets.
wp-includes/class-wp-customize-nav-menus.php: WP_Customize_Nav_Menus::ajax_load_available_items()

Ajax handler for loading available menu items.
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Ajax handler for searching available menu items.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_crop_image()

Ajax handler for cropping an image.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_update_plugin()

Ajax handler for updating a plugin.
wp-admin/includes/class-custom-background.php: Custom_Background::ajax_background_add()

Ajax handler for adding custom background context to an attachment.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_save_attachment_order()

Ajax handler for saving the attachment order.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_send_attachment_to_editor()

Ajax handler for sending an attachment to the editor.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_send_link_to_editor()

Ajax handler for sending a link to the editor.
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Ajax handler for auto-saving the selected color scheme for a user’s own profile.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_save_widget()

Ajax handler for saving a widget.
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Ajax handler for uploading attachments
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Ajax handler for image editing.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_set_post_thumbnail()

Ajax handler for setting the featured image.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_wp_fullscreen_save_post()

Ajax handler for saving posts from the fullscreen editor.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_wp_remove_post_lock()

Ajax handler for removing a post lock.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_save_attachment()

Ajax handler for updating attachment attributes.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_save_attachment_compat()

Ajax handler for saving backward compatible attachment attributes.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_add_menu_item()

Ajax handler for adding a menu item.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_add_meta()

Ajax handler for adding meta.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_add_user()

Ajax handler for adding a user.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_closed_postboxes()

Ajax handler for closed post boxes.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_hidden_columns()

Ajax handler for hidden columns.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_update_welcome_panel()

Ajax handler for updating whether to display the welcome panel.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_wp_link_ajax()

Ajax handler for internal linking.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_menu_locations_save()

Ajax handler for menu locations save.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_meta_box_order()

Ajax handler for saving the meta box order.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_get_permalink()

Ajax handler to retrieve a permalink.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_sample_permalink()

Ajax handler to retrieve a sample permalink.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_inline_save()

Ajax handler for Quick Edit saving a post from a list table.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_inline_save_tax()

Ajax handler for quick edit saving for a term.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_find_posts()

Ajax handler for querying posts for the Find Posts modal.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_widgets_order()

Ajax handler for saving the widgets order.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: _wp_ajax_add_hierarchical_term()

Ajax handler for adding a hierarchical term.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_delete_comment()

Ajax handler for deleting a comment.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_delete_tag()

Ajax handler for deleting a tag.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_delete_link()

Ajax handler for deleting a link.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_delete_meta()

Ajax handler for deleting meta.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_delete_post()

Ajax handler for deleting a post.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_trash_post()

Ajax handler for sending a post to the trash.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_delete_page()

Ajax handler to delete a page.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_dim_comment()

Ajax handler to dim a comment.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_add_link_category()

Ajax handler for adding a link category.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_add_tag()

Ajax handler to add a tag.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_get_comments()

Ajax handler for getting comments.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_replyto_comment()

Ajax handler for replying to a comment.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_edit_comment()

Ajax handler for editing a comment.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_fetch_list()

Ajax handler for fetching a list table.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_wp_compression_test()

Ajax handler for compression testing.
wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php: wp_ajax_imgedit_preview()

Ajax handler for image editor previews.
wp-admin/includes/class-custom-image-header.php: Custom_Image_Header::ajax_header_crop()

Gets attachment uploaded by Media Manager, crops it, then saves it as a new object. Returns JSON-encoded object details.
wp-admin/includes/class-custom-image-header.php: Custom_Image_Header::ajax_header_add()

Given an attachment ID for a header image, updates its “last used” timestamp to now.
wp-admin/includes/class-custom-image-header.php: Custom_Image_Header::ajax_header_remove()

Given an attachment ID for a header image, unsets it as a user-uploaded header image for the current theme.
wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php: WP_Customize_Manager::save()

Handle customize_save WP Ajax request to save/update a changeset.
wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php: WP_Customize_Manager::setup_theme()

Start preview and customize theme.
wp-includes/class-wp-customize-widgets.php: WP_Customize_Widgets::wp_ajax_update_widget()

Updates widget settings asynchronously.
Show 74 more used by Hide more used by

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User Contributed Notes User Contributed Notes

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    You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this noteVote results for this note: 2You must log in to vote on the helpfulness of this note
    Contributed by Codex —

    Example
    In your main file, set the nonce like this:

    <?php
//Set Your Nonce
$ajax_nonce = wp_create_nonce( "wpdocs-special-string" );
?>

<script type="text/javascript">
jQuery(document).ready(function($){
	var data = {
		action: 'wpdocs_action',
		security: '<?php echo $ajax_nonce; ?>',
		wpdocs_string: 'Hello World!'
	};
	$.post(ajaxurl, data, function(response) {
		alert("Response: " + response);
	});
});
</script>

    Expand full source codeCollapse full source code

    In your AJAX file, check the referrer like this:

    /**
 * Check the referrer for the AJAX call.
 */
function wpdocs_action_function() {
	check_ajax_referer( 'wpdocs-special-string', 'security' );
	echo sanitize_text_field( $_POST['wpdocs_string'] );
	die;
}
add_action( 'wp_ajax_wpdocs_action', 'wpdocs_action_function' );

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