# Default Settings for New Network Sites

> Applies your preferred timezone, date and time formats, week start, permalink structure and language to every site created on the network.

- Type: PHP
- Runs: Run everywhere
- Category: [Multisite](https://wpide.com/library/category/multisite/)
- Tags: new-site, defaults, settings
- Author: WPIDE Team
- Installs: 0
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Page: https://wpide.com/library/ms-new-site-default-settings/

## Code

```php
if ( ! is_multisite() ) {
    return;
}

$wpide_defaults = array( // Option name => value applied to each new site.
    'timezone_string'     => 'Europe/London',
    'date_format'         => 'j F Y',
    'time_format'         => 'H:i',
    'start_of_week'       => 1,
    'permalink_structure' => '/%postname%/',
    'WPLANG'              => '', // Empty = English (US), or a locale such as fr_FR.
);

add_action( 'wp_initialize_site', function ( $site ) use ( $wpide_defaults ) {
    switch_to_blog( $site->blog_id );

    foreach ( $wpide_defaults as $option => $value ) {
        update_option( $option, $value );
    }

    if ( isset( $wpide_defaults['permalink_structure'] ) ) {
        delete_option( 'rewrite_rules' ); // Rebuilt on the site's first request.
    }

    restore_current_blog();
}, 200 );
```

## Notes

Edit $wpide_defaults; any option name works. Existing sites are not changed.

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "Default Settings for New Network Sites" in its snippet library and add it in one click; or create a new PHP snippet in WPIDE (or any code snippets plugin) and paste the code above. More snippets: https://wpide.com/library/