Autopilot Configuration Guide

1. What Is Autopilot

Autopilot is Guardian Hub's AI-powered automation engine. It performs routine maintenance, security checks, and performance optimizations across all your connected WordPress sites.

Key Concepts

Spokes — Individual automation modules. Each spoke handles a specific task (e.g. plugin updates, security scans, performance checks). There are 19 spokes available, executing up to 72 distinct actions.
Core spokes — Free spokes available on all plans: Health Snapshot, Inventory Snapshot, Core Update, Plugin Updates, and Theme Updates.
Insight spokes — Advanced spokes available on paid plans that provide deeper analysis, AI-driven recommendations, and proactive security measures.

How It Works

Autopilot runs on a configurable schedule. Each cycle, it evaluates the current state of your site, determines which actions are needed based on active spokes, and either executes them automatically or queues them for your approval depending on the autonomy level.

2. Activating Spokes Per Site

Each site has its own Autopilot configuration. Navigate to Autopilot (/autopilot) and select the site from the dropdown.

Steps

Go to Autopilot from the sidebar.
Select the target site from the site selector dropdown at the top.
Choose a Spokes Mode:
- auto — The system selects spokes based on your site's profile and plan.
- manual — You handpick which spokes to enable.
If in manual mode, check or uncheck individual spokes from the list.
Click Save to apply the configuration.

Core Spokes (Free on All Plans)

Spoke	Description
Health Snapshot	Collects basic site status: versions, active theme, server limits.
Inventory Snapshot	Full inventory of core, plugins, and themes with version and update info.
Core Update	Automatically updates WordPress core when a new version is available.
Plugin Updates	Bulk-updates all plugins with available updates.
Theme Updates	Updates all themes with available updates.

Tip

If you are just getting started, use auto mode. The system will enable the most relevant spokes for your site based on its current state and your plan features.

Exclusions

You can define a list of plugins, themes, or actions that Autopilot should never touch. Exclusions override any automatic decisions, giving you full control over sensitive components.

3. Setting Autonomy Levels

The autonomy level controls how much freedom Autopilot has when executing actions.

Level	Behavior	Best For
Full Auto	All actions execute without human intervention.	Low-risk sites, staging environments, sites needing hands-off maintenance.
Semi-Auto	Non-critical actions run automatically. Critical actions (major updates, security fixes) go to the Approval Queue.	Most production sites. Recommended as a starting point.
Manual	All proposed actions require approval before execution.	High-value sites, e-commerce, sites with strict change management policies.

Steps

In the Autopilot dashboard for your site, find the Autonomy Config section.
Select Full Auto, Semi-Auto, or Manual.
Click Save.

Warning

Full Auto mode will apply changes (including plugin and core updates) without asking. While convenient, this can break sites if an update introduces incompatibilities. Use Semi-Auto for important production sites.

4. Scheduling Autopilot Runs

Configure when Autopilot executes its maintenance cycle.

Steps

In the Autopilot dashboard, find the Schedule section.
Set the Frequency: Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.
Set the Time: Choose an off-peak hour (e.g. 02:00) to minimize disruption to site visitors.
Toggle Enabled to activate or pause scheduled runs.
Click Save.

Tip

For most sites, a daily schedule at an off-peak time works well. Weekly or monthly schedules are suitable for sites that rarely change or where you prefer to batch all maintenance work.

WordPress Cron Dependency

Autopilot relies on WordPress cron for standalone operations. If DISABLE_WP_CRON is set to true in your wp-config.php, you must set up a real system cron job pointing to wp-cron.php for Autopilot to run on schedule.

5. The Approval Queue

When Autopilot proposes an action and the site is configured for Semi-Auto or Manual autonomy, the action lands in the Approvals page (/approvals).

What Each Approval Item Shows

Action type — e.g. "plugin update", "theme update", "security fix".
Requested via — How it was triggered (autopilot cycle, chat, scheduled scan).
Site — Which WordPress site is affected.
Requester — Who or what initiated the action.
Expiry — Deadline for acting on the item.
Payload preview — Summary of what will happen (e.g. plugin slug, version numbers).

Steps

Go to Approvals in the sidebar.
Review the list of pending items.
For each item, choose one of three actions:
- Approve — Confirm the action. The system executes it on the target site.
- Reject — Decline the action. Provide a reason when prompted.
- Modify — Edit the action details (e.g. change which plugins to update) before approving.

Expiry Warning

Approval items have an expiry time. If you do not act before the deadline, the item expires automatically and the action is not performed. Make sure notifications are enabled so you do not miss time-sensitive items.

6. Autopilot Chat

The Autopilot Chat (/autopilot/chat) lets you have AI-powered conversations about your sites. Ask questions, request analysis, or instruct Autopilot to take specific actions.

Steps

Navigate to Autopilot Chat from the sidebar.
Select a site from the dropdown at the top.
Start a new conversation thread or open an existing one from the left panel.
Type your message and press Send.
The AI responds with analysis, recommendations, or proposed actions based on the site's current state.
If the AI proposes a concrete action (e.g. "update plugin X to v2.0"), it may generate an Approval item for you to review.

Example Questions

"What plugins on my site have pending updates?"
"Is my site's performance score good? What can be improved?"
"Update all plugins except WooCommerce."
"What security issues were detected in the last scan?"

Requirement

Autopilot must be enabled on the selected site for the chat to work. If Autopilot is disabled, you will see a notice to enable it first from the Autopilot dashboard.

7. Spoke Bundles

Bundles are pre-packaged combinations of spokes and add-ons designed for specific use cases. They are available for purchase from Extras (/extras).

Available Bundles

Bundle	Focus	Includes
Performance Pack	Speed and optimization	Performance analysis spokes, caching recommendations, image optimization suggestions.
Security Shield	Security hardening	Security scan spokes, file integrity monitoring, vulnerability detection, malware scanning.
Full Care	Comprehensive maintenance	All core and insight spokes combined for complete hands-off management.

Steps

Go to Extras from the sidebar.
Browse available bundles and add-ons.
Click Purchase on the bundle you want.
Complete payment via Stripe Checkout.
The bundle's spokes are automatically activated on your sites.

Tip

Bundles offer a discounted price compared to purchasing individual add-ons separately. Check the Extras page for current pricing and promotions.

8. Monitoring Autopilot Results

After Autopilot runs, you can track what happened through several channels.

Where to Check Results

Location	What You See
Timeline (`/timeline`)	Chronological event log of all actions executed, including timestamps and outcomes.
Alerts (`/alerts`)	Security and health alerts triggered by Autopilot findings.
Site Score (`/score`)	Overall health and security score. Watch for improvements after Autopilot runs.
Suggestions (`/suggestions`)	AI-powered improvement recommendations based on Autopilot analysis.
Notifications	In-app, push, and email notifications for completed actions and detected issues.

Tip

Check the Site Score page regularly. A rising score indicates Autopilot is effectively maintaining your site. A declining score may indicate new issues that need attention.

9. Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue	Possible Cause	Solution
Autopilot not running	WordPress cron disabled	Check that `DISABLE_WP_CRON` is not set to `true`. Set up a real cron job for `wp-cron.php` if needed.
Spokes not executing	Autopilot disabled for the site	Go to the Autopilot dashboard, select the site, and ensure the toggle is enabled.
Actions stuck in approval queue	No one has reviewed them	Check the Approvals page and act on pending items before they expire.
Plugin update failed	File permission issues on server	Verify that your WordPress installation has correct write permissions for `wp-content/plugins/`.
Chat not responding	Autopilot disabled on selected site	Enable Autopilot on the site first, then return to the chat interface.
Spokes configuration not saving	Plan limit reached	Some spokes require a paid plan. Upgrade your plan or switch to available free spokes.
Health check data outdated	Plugin communication issue	Verify the site is still paired (check connection status in the WP plugin dashboard). Re-pair if needed.

Still Having Issues?

Create a support ticket from New Ticket in the sidebar. Include the site name, the spoke or action that failed, and any error messages you see.