Safe Mode is a resource-conservative operating mode that helps Content Guard Pro work reliably on limited hosting environments.

What is Safe Mode? #

Safe Mode adjusts scan behavior to use fewer resources:

Setting	Normal	Safe Mode
———	——–	———–
Batch Size	100	25
Batch Delay	2 seconds	5-10 seconds
Progress Saves	Every batch	Every batch (more frequent)
Memory Target	50% of limit	25% of limit

When Safe Mode Activates #

Automatic Activation (Default) #

With Safe Mode set to “Auto”, it activates when:

1. Large Site Detected:
– More than 2 million content rows
– Database larger than 2-5 GB

2. Resource Stress Detected:
– Average query time > 300ms
– Memory usage > 50% of limit
– Batch runtime > 5 seconds

3. Previous Failures:
– Recent scan timeouts
– Memory exhaustion errors
– Database connection issues

Manual Activation #

Set Safe Mode to “Always On” in Settings:
1. Go to Content Guard Pro → Settings
2. Find Performance section
3. Set Safe Mode to “Always On”
4. Save changes

Safe Mode Indicators #

During Scans #

When Safe Mode is active, you’ll see:

• “Safe Mode Active” badge in progress panel
• Lower batch count displayed
• Longer estimated completion time

In Settings #

The Safe Mode setting shows current state:

• Auto: “Currently: Active” or “Currently: Inactive”
• Always On: Permanently active
• Always Off: Never activates (use with caution)

Impact of Safe Mode #

Scan Duration #

Scans take longer in Safe Mode:

• ~3-5x longer for same content
• More batches to process same items
• Longer delays between batches

Resource Usage #

Significantly reduced impact:

• Lower peak memory
• Fewer concurrent database queries
• Less CPU usage per batch

Reliability #

Improved stability:

• Fewer timeout failures
• Better recovery from interruptions
• More frequent progress saves

When to Use Safe Mode #

Recommended Scenarios #

✅ Always On:

• Shared hosting (Bluehost, HostGator, etc.)
• Sites with frequent timeout issues
• Limited PHP memory (< 128MB)
• High-traffic sites (scan during peak)

✅ Auto (Default):

• Most sites
• Managed WordPress hosting
• VPS with 2GB+ RAM
• Sites with occasional issues

✅ Always Off:

• Dedicated servers with ample resources
• Sites needing fastest possible scans
• Testing environments
• When you’ve verified resources are sufficient

Not Recommended Off When: #

• Shared hosting environment
• Frequent scan failures
• Memory errors in logs
• Hosting provider has strict limits

Configuring Safe Mode #

Setting Safe Mode #

1. Go to Content Guard Pro → Settings
2. Scroll to Performance section
3. Find Safe Mode setting
4. Choose:
– Auto: Let plugin decide
– Always On: Permanent Safe Mode
– Always Off: Disable Safe Mode
5. Click Save Changes

Fine-Tuning Within Safe Mode #

Even with Safe Mode, you can adjust:

More Conservative:

• Reduce batch size further (10-15)
• Increase batch delay (10-15 seconds)

Less Conservative:

• Increase batch size (35-50)
• Decrease batch delay (3-5 seconds)

Safe Mode and Scheduled Scans #

Scheduled Scans #

• Use Safe Mode settings automatically
• Run during configured time
• Complete even if slower

On-Save Scans #

• Not affected by Safe Mode
• On-save scans are already lightweight
• Only scan single post content

Troubleshooting Safe Mode #

Scans Still Failing in Safe Mode #

If scans fail even with Safe Mode:

1. Reduce batch size further:
– Try 10-15 items per batch

2. Increase delay:
– Try 15-20 seconds between batches

3. Check server limits:
– PHP max_execution_time
– Memory limit
– Max input time

4. Contact hosting:
– May need to adjust server settings
– Consider hosting upgrade

Safe Mode Won’t Deactivate (Auto) #

If Auto Safe Mode stays active:

1. Check why it activated:
– Go to Diagnostics
– Look for resource warnings

2. Resolve underlying issue:
– Optimize database
– Upgrade hosting
– Fix performance bottlenecks

3. Manually override:
– Set to “Always Off” (if confident)
– Monitor for issues

Performance Comparison #

Quick benchmark comparison (100 posts):

Mode	Duration	Memory Peak	CPU Impact
——	———-	————-	————
Normal	45 seconds	128 MB	Medium
Safe Mode	3 minutes	64 MB	Low

Safe Mode trades speed for reliability.

Best Practices #

1. Start with Auto – Let the plugin decide
2. Monitor first scans – Watch for issues
3. Enable Safe Mode proactively – If on shared hosting
4. Don’t disable without testing – Verify resources are sufficient
5. Schedule during off-peak – Regardless of mode