Slug Trace
Expose the hidden "old slugs" WordPress stores and automatically redirects for your Posts, Pages, and all Public Custom Post Types.
Use with caution
Slug Trace works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 5 months ago, and scores 49/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Slug Trace stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| history | >100 |
| permalink | >100 |
| redirect | >100 |
| seo | >100 |
| slug | >100 |
About Slug Trace
From the official readme · v1.0Description
Did you know that every time you change a URL (slug), WordPress remembers the old one? It stores these in your database and automatically performs a 301 redirect to the new URL.
However, WordPress core has two major flaws:
1. It provides no way to see this history in the admin dashboard.
2. It often fails to record history for hierarchical Pages and certain Custom Post Types.
Slug Trace bridges this gap. It provides a simple, elegant interface to see every previous URL a post, page, or product has ever had. It also includes a “Universal Tracker” that forces WordPress to remember slug changes for Pages and Custom Post Types that are usually ignored by core.
- Universal Support: Works with Posts, Pages, and any public Custom Post Type (CPT) like WooCommerce Products, Portfolio items, and more.
- View Hidden Redirects: Instantly see which old URLs are still pointing to your current content.
- The “Page Fix”: Adds a custom engine to ensure WordPress actually records slug history for hierarchical Pages—a feature missing from standard WordPress.
- SEO Audit Tool: Perfect for checking if old backlinks are being redirected correctly after a site restructure.
- Ultra-Lightweight: Written in clean, optimized PHP. No extra database tables and zero impact on site performance.
Recommended Plugins
The following plugins are recommended for users:
-
WP Power Cache – A high-performance static page caching engine that generates HTML snapshots of your WordPress site for near-instant loading times.
-
Ultimate Twitter Feeds – A lightweight plugin to display Twitter feeds. Fetch profiles, lists, or single tweets with customizable size, language and theme.
-
Calculate Page Execution Time – Track page execution time easily. Just activate and view page source to see the loading time at the bottom. No configuration needed for WordPress.
-
Facebook Page Feeds Widget – With Facebook Page Feeds Widget, you can display your Facebook Page feeds on your website quickly.
Features
- Dynamic Detection: Automatically detects all public post types on your site.
- Automatic Recording: Starts tracking Page and CPT slug changes the moment you activate it.
- Clean UI: No cluttered settings pages. It integrates natively into the Gutenberg (Block Editor) and Classic Editor sidebars.
- Developer Friendly: Uses native
_wp_old_slugmeta keys for maximum compatibility.
Installation
- Upload the
slugtracefolder to the/wp-content/plugins/directory. - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress.
- Open any editor (Post, Page, or CPT) and look for the “Slug History” box in the sidebar.
Frequently asked questions
Does this plugin create redirects?
No. WordPress handles the actual redirection. This plugin ensures the history is recorded and makes it visible to you.
Does it support WooCommerce?
Yes! It will automatically show slug history for Products and other public custom post types.
Can I delete old slugs with this?
This version is “view-only” to keep it safe and lightweight.
Changelog
Not Applicable.
1.0
- Initial release with universal slug tracking for Posts, Pages, and other public Custom Post Types.
Screenshots
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Slug Trace alternatives
All history plugins →
FAQ
Slug Trace: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 10, 2026
Is Slug Trace free?
Yes. Slug Trace is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Slug Trace safe to use in 2026?
Slug Trace works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 5 months ago, and scores 49/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Slug Trace?
Slug Trace is active on <10 WordPress websites and has been downloaded 385 times since it launched in March 2026. It was downloaded 67 times in the last 30 days.
Does Slug Trace work with WordPress 7.1?
Slug Trace is officially tested up to WordPress 7.0.7, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does Slug Trace need?
Slug Trace requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Slug Trace last updated?
The latest version, 1.0, was released on May 20, 2026 (5 months ago).
Who makes Slug Trace?
Slug Trace is developed and maintained by Milap.
What are the best alternatives to Slug Trace?
The most popular alternatives to Slug Trace are WP Activity Log (300K+ installs), Simple History (300K+ installs) and Timeline Widget For Element… (70K+ installs).
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