# How To Run and Monitor Scheduled Audits With BetterShield?

See when BetterShield last audited the site, when the next audit is due, and run the read-only checks now.

[BetterShield](/) audits the site once a day. You can see the schedule or run the same checks immediately from **BetterShield › Settings › General**, under **Checks & passwords**.

## What it does

A scheduled audit reads the site's current security state and updates BetterShield's score, findings, and audit history. The audit itself does not change WordPress settings, content, accounts, or files.

BetterShield shows when the last audit finished and when the next one is due. WordPress runs scheduled work when the site receives traffic, so the displayed time can pass before a quiet site starts its audit.

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## Step 1: Run and Monitor Scheduled Audits

Scheduled audits are already enabled. There is no separate switch or time picker.

1. Go to **BetterShield › Settings › General**.
2. Open **Checks & passwords**.
3. Find **Scheduled audits**.
4. Check the displayed last-audit and next-audit times.
5. Select **Run an audit now** when you need fresh results immediately.
6. Select **See the full report** to open the Findings report.

You can also select **Run audit** in the BetterShield header from other plugin screens.

You do not have to run an audit after every change. The score and Findings update on their own after a fix or a settings change in BetterShield. A change to an account, a role, a plugin, a theme or WordPress itself is read the next time you open a BetterShield screen, and a screen opened when the last audit is more than five minutes old runs one again.

<figure class="doc-shot">
  <img src="/docs/screenshots/scheduled-audits.png" alt="Scheduled audits row with the next and last audit times, Run an audit now button, See the full report link, and two explanation menus." width="1960" height="230" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
  <figcaption>The Scheduled audits row shows the last and next run and gives you both audit controls.</figcaption>
</figure>

## Recommended settings

| Site | Recommendation |
| --- | --- |
| Blog or brochure site | Let the daily audit run. Run one manually after a hosting or domain change, or any change made outside WordPress. |
| Store, membership site, or busy community | Run an audit after releases and after changing account or access policies. |
| Staging or development site | Run an audit after copying the site so the results reflect that environment. |

The daily audit is a baseline, not a reason to delay a check after a meaningful site change.

## What it can break and how to undo

The audit is read-only, so it does not apply a protection that needs to be undone. It can change BetterShield's own score, findings, and audit-history records when the current site state differs from the previous result.

If an audit appears late, first check whether WordPress scheduled tasks are running. Opening BetterShield can also prompt an overdue audit to start. See [Troubleshoot scheduled work](/docs/troubleshooting/#scheduled-work-has-stopped-running) for the next checks.

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## Final Outcome

After selecting **Run an audit now**:

- The **Scheduled audits** row should show that the site was audited just now.
- The **Last audit** time in the BetterShield header should update.
- **See the full report** should open the Findings report with the current results.
- The next daily audit time should still appear in the **Scheduled audits** row.

<figure class="doc-shot">
  <img src="/docs/screenshots/scheduled-audits.png" alt="Scheduled audits row with the next and last audit times, Run an audit now button, See the full report link, and two explanation menus." width="1960" height="230" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
  <figcaption>Example Scheduled audits view. Check the saved values and status on your own site.</figcaption>
</figure>

## Related

- [Understand your score and findings](/docs/score-and-findings/)
- [Use the General settings](/docs/general-settings/)
- [Check server compatibility](/docs/server-compatibility/)

This is how you can run and monitor scheduled audits with BetterShield.

Getting Stuck? Feel free to contact our [Dedicated Support Team](/support/).