Why is indexing stuck? Usually, nothing is running the next step of the build. This guide covers the common causes, starting with the simplest.
Keep the Index page open
While ExactFind > Index is open, the page runs the build itself and counts down. Open it and leave it for a minute.
Update the plugin
Early versions relied on WP-Cron alone, which can stall on a quiet site or behind a firewall. If your Index page says "Refresh to update", update ExactFind Search.
"Indexing stopped because of an error"
The page stops after five failed attempts in a row. Refresh the page to try again. If it stops again, your firewall or host may be blocking admin requests. See Fix 403 Forbidden Errors From a WordPress Firewall.
The count doesn't change at all
Check that your API key is set under ExactFind > Settings > Basic, and click Test connection. Indexing doesn't start without a working key.
Entries show an error
If items finish with the status error, the Summary column shows why. Common causes are a key with no credit or a provider rate limit. Fix the cause, tick the entries and apply Regenerate from Bulk actions, or click Build index again.
It finishes, but items are missing
- Empty items are skipped, such as a page with only a form or a gallery. See How the AI Search Index Works in ExactFind.
- Drafts, private and password-protected items aren't indexed.
- In ExactFind Knowledge, check the post type is ticked.
- Check your exclusions.
Build from the command line
If you have WP-CLI, this runs the build directly and doesn't need the page or WP-Cron:
wp exactfind index