update_post_meta( int $post_id, string $meta_key, mixed $meta_value, mixed $prev_value = '' )

Updates a post meta field based on the given post ID.


Description Description

Use the $prev_value parameter to differentiate between meta fields with the same key and post ID.

If the meta field for the post does not exist, it will be added and its ID returned.

Can be used in place of add_post_meta().


Parameters Parameters

$post_id

(int) (Required) Post ID.

$meta_key

(string) (Required) Metadata key.

$meta_value

(mixed) (Required) Metadata value. Must be serializable if non-scalar.

$prev_value

(mixed) (Optional) Previous value to check before updating.

Default value: ''


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Return Return

(int|bool) The new meta field ID if a field with the given key didn't exist and was therefore added, true on successful update, false on failure.


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Source Source

File: wp-includes/post.php

function update_post_meta( $post_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '' ) {
	// Make sure meta is added to the post, not a revision.
	$the_post = wp_is_post_revision( $post_id );
	if ( $the_post ) {
		$post_id = $the_post;
	}

	return update_metadata( 'post', $post_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value );
}

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Changelog Changelog

Changelog
Version Description
1.5.0 Introduced.


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User Contributed Notes User Contributed Notes

  1. Skip to note 5 content
    Contributed by Codex

    Other Examples
    Assuming a post has an ID of 76, and the following 4 custom fields:

    [key_1] => 'Happy'
    [key_1] => 'Sad'
    [key_2] => 'Gregory'
    [my_key] => 'Steve'

    To change key_2’s value to Hans:

    <?php update_post_meta( 76, 'key_2', 'Hans' ); ?>
    

    To change key_1’s value from Sad to Happy:

    <?php update_post_meta( 76, 'key_1', 'Happy', 'Sad' ); ?>
    

    The fields would now look like this:

    [key_1] => 'Happy'
    [key_1] => 'Happy'
    [key_2] => 'Hans'
    [my_key] => 'Steve'

    Note: This function will update only the first field that matches the criteria.

    To change the first key_1’s value from Happy to Excited:

    <?php 
    update_post_meta( 76, 'key_1', 'Excited', 'Happy' );
    
    //Or
    
    update_post_meta( 76, 'key_1', 'Excited' );
    
    //To change all fields with the key "key_1":
    
    $key1_values = get_post_custom_values( 'key_1', 76 );
    foreach ( $key1_values as $value )
    	update_post_meta( 76, 'key_1', 'Excited', $value );
    ?>
    

    Edit Page template

    [/php]

    For a more detailed example, go to the post_meta Functions Examples page.

  2. Skip to note 6 content
    Contributed by Drew Jaynes

    Please note that if your database collation is case insensitive (as with suffix _ci) then update_post_meta() and delete_post_meta() and get_posts() will update/delete/query the meta records with keys that are upper or lower case. However get_post_meta() will be case sensitive due to WordPress caching. See https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/18210 for more info.

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