I’ve just recently started a photoblog, using WordPress 2.6.1. Not an upgrade, a new installation. After about a dozen posts, I noticed that the tag cloud was no longer updating with new tags from subsequent posts. At the time I noticed this, I was using the standard wp_tag_cloud template tag. I then also tried the cloud function in the Simple Tags plugin with the same results.

Here’s where the missing tags *would* show up:

• The tags list within individual post (theme does not have a single.php file)
• Admin » Manage » Tags
• Admin » Manage » Mass edit tags (Simple Tags)

But they would not show up here:

• The tag cloud on the front page
• The tag cloud in individual posts
• Admin » Manage » Manage tags (and are not searchable) (Simple Tags)

So, what’s the solution? I waited. Eventually the tags will show up. I’m not sure if it is a trigger, but it seems that visiting an individual post with a missing tag will push the tag to update to the cloud. I’ll chase that theory and update if necessary. I’ve seen a handful of posts on the WordPress support forum concerning incomplete tag clouds, but none have been answered or followed up, so I’m guessing that this delayed cloud update happened to them also.

The bottom line is if this is happening to you, give it a day or two and see what happens.