Windows Compatibility Fix
by Dave Jesch · Uncategorized
Also makes 3 other plugins · 2K+ installs across the portfolio →
Fixes long filename problem on Windows systems when doing updates, such as updating from EDD based sites.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
D 48/100
Stale · Likely abandoned · Few reviews
Active installs
1K+
≈1.5K estimated
Momentum
+7%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: “long filename”, “theme” and “update” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
48 health vs 58 average across 25,735 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →5.3%
of downloads still active
At least 1K of 18.7K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,764 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
High removal-risk signals
63/100Maintenance and integrity signals that tend to precede a WordPress.org removal. Not an official status, a heads-up to act.
- Long abandoned. No update in 8+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
- Compatibility drift. Tested only up to WordPress 5.0.31, well behind 6.8.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Under-optimized
Most to gain: Update recency
Updated 2931 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 5.0.31; the current branch is 6.8
5.0★ over 8 reviews, smoothed to 4.22★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Last updated 2931 days ago — ship an update; wp.org decays a listing's search weight after ~180 days.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
Not enough tracked days yet to call a direction. Momentum needs at least three keywords measured a week or more apart.
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| long filename your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| theme your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| update your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| upgrade your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| windows your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
0 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days. 5 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- “long filename”, “theme” and “update” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 271 · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
No release in a yearHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
0
releases in the last 12 months
8.0y ago
latest release · v1.0.2 · 22 Oct 2018
3
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 100% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “1K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 3.9 years ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 4 Oct 2022
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ arteagacz6.3y ago
Solved my issues with local WPML updates!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ crazylarry0016.3y ago
As far as I knew my file permissions were set okay but wasn’t really sure. Tried this first and it worked straight up. Easy! Thank you!!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Osama Ibrahim6.6y ago
I was trying to unsuccessfully update a plugin on my windows server. It took me hours of all the messing with file permissions and stuff until I found this plugin and it worked like a charm! Thank you so very much!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ njwp8.6y ago
Perfect – solves any messing around having to do manual installs. Thanks hepas!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Doug8.9y ago
BOOM! Worked right out of the box, the first time.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ flamenco8.9y ago
I had a plugin that wouldn’t update on my windows local server. I was pointed to this plugin as a fix for long filenames, and wow, immediate success! Thanks, Dave!! PS: I’ve got a tiny fix for you here. 🙂 Your plugin title here has the typo “compatability”, and I think you want “compatibility” there. Interestingly, the plugin URL is already good, so no problem with that!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Scott DeLuzio9.0y ago
I’m using DesktopServer on Windows and was unable to get a plugin update from an EDD store to update (not an EDD plugin). I came across a forum that mentioned this plugin, and figured I’d give it a try. After installing, the update worked perfectly.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ SiGa9.4y ago
I´m using DesktopServer on a Windows machine and had to update some themes manually, dashboard updates always produced an error. This can get annoying when you got quite a number of onboard playgrounds and blueprints… Stumbled over a thread where somebody mentioned your plugin – voila, problem solved. Got it in my ds-plugins folder now, very convenient. So: Thanks so much for sharing this – it´s about time somebody writes a review! 😉 This topic was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by SiGa.
Read on wp.org ↗
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.3
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
3 of 8 pass · checked 29 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ! Says what it does Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Easy Digital Downloads.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,892 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "upgrade" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2022-12-07 2K+ → 1K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2022-12-06 1K+ → 2K+ up after 8 days in tier
- 2022-11-28 2K+ → 1K+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2022-11-26 1K+ → 2K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2022-11-25 2K+ → 1K+ down after 8 days in tier
- 2022-11-17 1K+ → 2K+ up after 13 days in tier
- 2022-11-04 2K+ → 1K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2022-11-03 1K+ → 2K+ up after 6 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
- E Easy Theme and Plugin Upgrades 60K+ installs · 4.6★ · 3 shared tags D
-
Disable All WordPress Updates 20K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A - S Simple Automatic Updates 2K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Force Reinstall 2K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags B -
WP Theme Changelogs 800+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags D -
WP Core Update Cleaner 800+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Windows Compatibility Fix into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/fix-windows-compatibility" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Windows Compatibility Fix — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Windows Compatibility Fix: 1K+ active installs, 5.0★ (8 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/fix-windows-compatibility
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