MSC: Post Last Updated Date

FAQ

How do I show the last updated date on my WordPress posts?

Activate the plugin — that’s it. By default a « Updated {date} » label appears below the content of any post or page that has been edited after publishing. Fine-tune the placement, label and date format under Settings → MSC Post Last Updated Date.

Why is the label not appearing on my posts?

1. Go to Settings → MSC Post Last Updated Date and confirm Enable output is ticked.
2. Make sure the relevant post type (e.g. Post or Page) is selected in the Post types list.
3. If Only show when modified date differs from publish date is ticked (the default), the label only appears on posts that have been edited after their original publish date.
4. If Automatic placement is set to Manual only, nothing is injected automatically — you need to add the template tag to your theme.

Does this plugin change my published date or modify my posts?

No. It is display-only: the label is added at render time via a content filter. Nothing is written to your posts, and your published and modified dates are untouched.

How do I place the date exactly where I want in my theme?

Set Automatic placement to Manual only on the Settings page, then add the following in your theme template where you want the label:

<?php msclup_the_last_updated(); ?>

See the Usage & Support tab on the settings page for full template tag documentation and examples.

Is there a shortcode?

Yes. Use [msclu_last_updated] anywhere shortcodes run (posts, pages, widgets). Optional attributes: post_id (defaults to the current post) and relative="true" / relative="false" to override the date style for that instance.

Can I show a relative date like « 3 days ago »?

Yes. Set Date format source to Relative on the settings page. The visible label reads « Updated 3 days ago », while the machine-readable <time datetime> attribute stays an absolute ISO-8601 timestamp for SEO.

Can I change the label text (« Last updated », « Last checked », …)?

Yes. Use the Label template setting. The %s token is replaced with the formatted date. Examples:

• Updated %s outputs Updated March 28, 2026
• Last checked: %s outputs Last checked: March 28, 2026
• Omitting %s entirely shows the label text with no date appended.

Can I use a custom date format?

Yes. Set Date format source to Custom and enter a PHP date format string in the Custom date format field. The Usage & Support tab includes a quick reference table and a link to the full WordPress date format documentation.

Can I show the date only when a post has actually been edited?

Yes — that is the default behaviour. The Only show when modified date differs from publish date setting suppresses the label on posts that have never been edited after publishing, so « Updated » always means something.

Does it add schema.org structured data for SEO?

The plugin outputs a semantic HTML5 <time> element with a machine-readable ISO 8601 datetime attribute, which search engines can parse. It does not inject JSON-LD structured data — your SEO plugin’s dateModified schema (which WordPress themes and SEO plugins generate from the same modified date) is complemented, not duplicated.

How do I style the date label?

The plugin outputs:

<p class="msclu-last-updated"><time datetime="2026-03-28T14:30:00+00:00">Updated March 28, 2026</time></p>

Style the .msclu-last-updated class in your theme stylesheet or the Customizer’s Additional CSS.

Does it work with custom post types?

Yes. All registered public post types appear in the Post types list on the settings page, in both include and exclude modes.

Will it slow down my site? What data does it store?

No measurable impact: the plugin loads no JavaScript, no stylesheets and makes no external requests. It stores a single options row and filters content only on singular views. Uninstalling removes the option — no data is left behind.