Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

What happens when Meta Key is Null in ACF WordPress?

When using Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin in WordPress, it is common to create custom meta fields for posts, pages, and custom post types. However, if you forget to assign a meta key to a field, it can cause unexpected behavior or errors.

A meta key is a unique identifier for a custom field in the WordPress database. It is used to store and retrieve the value of the field for a specific post or page. When creating a new ACF field group, you are required to enter a field name and a field key. The field name is what will be displayed in the WordPress admin and the field key is the meta key that will be used to store the field value.

If you forget to enter a field key when creating a custom field in ACF, the plugin will assign a random string as the meta key. However, if you intentionally leave the field key blank or set it to null, ACF will not create a custom field at all. This means that any attempt to display or retrieve the field value will result in an error.

To avoid this issue, always make sure to assign a unique and descriptive meta key to your custom fields in ACF. This will ensure that the fields are properly saved and can be easily retrieved and displayed on your website.

In conclusion, if meta key is null in ACF WordPress, it will cause errors and prevent the custom field from being saved and displayed. Therefore, it is important to always assign a meta key to your custom fields when using ACF.