Title: networks_pre_query
Published: May 7, 2019
Last modified: August 20, 2026

---

# apply_filters_ref_array( ‘networks_pre_query’, array|int|null $network_data, WP_Network_Query $query )

## In this article

 * [Description](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/networks_pre_query/?output_format=md#description)
 * [Parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/networks_pre_query/?output_format=md#parameters)
 * [Source](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/networks_pre_query/?output_format=md#source)
 * [Related](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/networks_pre_query/?output_format=md#related)
 * [Changelog](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/networks_pre_query/?output_format=md#changelog)

[ Back to top](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/networks_pre_query/?output_format=md#wp--skip-link--target)

Filters the network data before the query takes place.

## 󠀁[Description](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/networks_pre_query/?output_format=md#description)󠁿

Return a non-null value to bypass WordPress’ default network queries.

The expected return type from this filter depends on the value passed in the request
query vars:

 * When `$this->query_vars['count']` is set, the filter should return the network
   count as an integer.
 * When `'ids' === $this->query_vars['fields']`, the filter should return an array
   of network IDs.
 * Otherwise the filter should return an array of [WP_Network](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_network/)
   objects.

Note that if the filter returns an array of network data, it will be assigned to
the `networks` property of the current [WP_Network_Query](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_network_query/)
instance.

Filtering functions that require pagination information are encouraged to set the`
found_networks` and `max_num_pages` properties of the [WP_Network_Query](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_network_query/)
object, passed to the filter by reference. If [WP_Network_Query](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_network_query/)
does not perform a database query, it will not have enough information to generate
these values itself.

## 󠀁[Parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/networks_pre_query/?output_format=md#parameters)󠁿

 `$network_data`array|int|null

Return an array of network data to short-circuit WP’s network query, the network
count as an integer if `$this->query_vars['count']` is set, or null to allow WP 
to run its normal queries.

`$query`[WP_Network_Query](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_network_query/)

The [WP_Network_Query](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_network_query/)
instance, passed by reference.

## 󠀁[Source](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/networks_pre_query/?output_format=md#source)󠁿

    ```php
    $network_data = apply_filters_ref_array( 'networks_pre_query', array( $network_data, &$this ) );
    ```

[View all references](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/files/wp-includes/class-wp-network-query.php/)
[View on Trac](https://core.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tags/7.1/src/wp-includes/class-wp-network-query.php#L242)
[View on GitHub](https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/blob/7.1/src/wp-includes/class-wp-network-query.php#L242-L242)

## 󠀁[Related](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/networks_pre_query/?output_format=md#related)󠁿

| Used by | Description | 
| [WP_Network_Query::get_networks()](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_network_query/get_networks/)`wp-includes/class-wp-network-query.php` |

Gets a list of networks matching the query vars.

  |

## 󠀁[Changelog](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/networks_pre_query/?output_format=md#changelog)󠁿

| Version | Description | 
| [5.6.0](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/since/5.6.0/) | The returned array of network data is assigned to the `networks` property of the current [WP_Network_Query](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_network_query/) instance. | 
| [5.2.0](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/since/5.2.0/) | Introduced. |

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