update_user_meta

The timeline below displays how wordpress function update_user_meta has changed across different WordPress versions. If a version is not listed, refer to the next available version below.

WordPress Version: 6.1

/**
 * Updates user meta field based on user ID.
 *
 * Use the $prev_value parameter to differentiate between meta fields with the
 * same key and user ID.
 *
 * If the meta field for the user does not exist, it will be added.
 *
 * @since 3.0.0
 *
 * @link https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/update_user_meta/
 *
 * @param int    $user_id    User ID.
 * @param string $meta_key   Metadata key.
 * @param mixed  $meta_value Metadata value. Must be serializable if non-scalar.
 * @param mixed  $prev_value Optional. Previous value to check before updating.
 *                           If specified, only update existing metadata entries with
 *                           this value. Otherwise, update all entries. Default empty.
 * @return int|bool Meta ID if the key didn't exist, true on successful update,
 *                  false on failure or if the value passed to the function
 *                  is the same as the one that is already in the database.
 */
function update_user_meta($user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '')
{
    return update_metadata('user', $user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value);
}

WordPress Version: 5.5

/**
 * Update user meta field based on user ID.
 *
 * Use the $prev_value parameter to differentiate between meta fields with the
 * same key and user ID.
 *
 * If the meta field for the user does not exist, it will be added.
 *
 * @since 3.0.0
 *
 * @link https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/update_user_meta/
 *
 * @param int    $user_id    User ID.
 * @param string $meta_key   Metadata key.
 * @param mixed  $meta_value Metadata value. Must be serializable if non-scalar.
 * @param mixed  $prev_value Optional. Previous value to check before updating.
 *                           If specified, only update existing metadata entries with
 *                           this value. Otherwise, update all entries. Default empty.
 * @return int|bool Meta ID if the key didn't exist, true on successful update,
 *                  false on failure or if the value passed to the function
 *                  is the same as the one that is already in the database.
 */
function update_user_meta($user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '')
{
    return update_metadata('user', $user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value);
}

WordPress Version: 5.3

/**
 * Update user meta field based on user ID.
 *
 * Use the $prev_value parameter to differentiate between meta fields with the
 * same key and user ID.
 *
 * If the meta field for the user does not exist, it will be added.
 *
 * @since 3.0.0
 * @link https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/update_user_meta/
 *
 * @param int    $user_id    User ID.
 * @param string $meta_key   Metadata key.
 * @param mixed  $meta_value Metadata value.
 * @param mixed  $prev_value Optional. Previous value to check before removing.
 * @return int|bool Meta ID if the key didn't exist, true on successful update, false on failure.
 */
function update_user_meta($user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '')
{
    return update_metadata('user', $user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value);
}

WordPress Version: 4.3

/**
 * Update user meta field based on user ID.
 *
 * Use the $prev_value parameter to differentiate between meta fields with the
 * same key and user ID.
 *
 * If the meta field for the user does not exist, it will be added.
 *
 * @since 3.0.0
 * @link https://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/update_user_meta
 *
 * @param int    $user_id    User ID.
 * @param string $meta_key   Metadata key.
 * @param mixed  $meta_value Metadata value.
 * @param mixed  $prev_value Optional. Previous value to check before removing.
 * @return int|bool Meta ID if the key didn't exist, true on successful update, false on failure.
 */
function update_user_meta($user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '')
{
    return update_metadata('user', $user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value);
}

WordPress Version: 4.2

/**
 * Update user meta field based on user ID.
 *
 * Use the $prev_value parameter to differentiate between meta fields with the
 * same key and user ID.
 *
 * If the meta field for the user does not exist, it will be added.
 *
 * @since 3.0.0
 * @link https://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/update_user_meta
 *
 * @param int $user_id User ID.
 * @param string $meta_key Metadata key.
 * @param mixed $meta_value Metadata value.
 * @param mixed $prev_value Optional. Previous value to check before removing.
 * @return int|bool Meta ID if the key didn't exist, true on successful update, false on failure.
 */
function update_user_meta($user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '')
{
    return update_metadata('user', $user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value);
}

WordPress Version: 4.1

/**
 * Update user meta field based on user ID.
 *
 * Use the $prev_value parameter to differentiate between meta fields with the
 * same key and user ID.
 *
 * If the meta field for the user does not exist, it will be added.
 *
 * @since 3.0.0
 * @link http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/update_user_meta
 *
 * @param int $user_id User ID.
 * @param string $meta_key Metadata key.
 * @param mixed $meta_value Metadata value.
 * @param mixed $prev_value Optional. Previous value to check before removing.
 * @return int|bool Meta ID if the key didn't exist, true on successful update, false on failure.
 */
function update_user_meta($user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '')
{
    return update_metadata('user', $user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value);
}

WordPress Version: 3.9

/**
 * Update user meta field based on user ID.
 *
 * Use the $prev_value parameter to differentiate between meta fields with the
 * same key and user ID.
 *
 * If the meta field for the user does not exist, it will be added.
 *
 * @since 3.0.0
 * @uses update_metadata
 * @link http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/update_user_meta
 *
 * @param int $user_id User ID.
 * @param string $meta_key Metadata key.
 * @param mixed $meta_value Metadata value.
 * @param mixed $prev_value Optional. Previous value to check before removing.
 * @return int|bool Meta ID if the key didn't exist, true on successful update, false on failure.
 */
function update_user_meta($user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '')
{
    return update_metadata('user', $user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value);
}

WordPress Version: 3.8

/**
 * Update user meta field based on user ID.
 *
 * Use the $prev_value parameter to differentiate between meta fields with the
 * same key and user ID.
 *
 * If the meta field for the user does not exist, it will be added.
 *
 * @since 3.0.0
 * @uses update_metadata
 * @link http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/update_user_meta
 *
 * @param int $user_id User ID.
 * @param string $meta_key Metadata key.
 * @param mixed $meta_value Metadata value.
 * @param mixed $prev_value Optional. Previous value to check before removing.
 * @return bool True on success, false on failure.
 */
function update_user_meta($user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '')
{
    return update_metadata('user', $user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value);
}

WordPress Version: 3.7

/**
 * Update user meta field based on user ID.
 *
 * Use the $prev_value parameter to differentiate between meta fields with the
 * same key and user ID.
 *
 * If the meta field for the user does not exist, it will be added.
 *
 * @since 3.0.0
 * @uses update_metadata
 * @link http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/update_user_meta
 *
 * @param int $user_id Post ID.
 * @param string $meta_key Metadata key.
 * @param mixed $meta_value Metadata value.
 * @param mixed $prev_value Optional. Previous value to check before removing.
 * @return bool True on success, false on failure.
 */
function update_user_meta($user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '')
{
    return update_metadata('user', $user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value);
}