Remember that deactivating a plugin only makes it inactive.

If you have been uninstalling plugins using the simple methods above, unfortunately, there is probably a lot of clean up that needs to be done on your WordPress site. And we aren’t trying to pick on Wordfence, the majority of plugins and themes on the market work this way. For example, after the Wordfence plugin was deleted, we were left with a “wflogs” folder in our wp-content directory. In our experience, this is commonly seen with security and caching plugins which create additional directories for logging. In our example, we uninstalled the Wordfence security plugin, and it left behind 24 tables in our database (as seen below)! Wordfence tables left behind after deleting the pluginĪnd besides the database, a lot of plugins also leave behind additional folders and files. Over time this can add up to a lot of data and even begin to slow your site down. The problem is that when you delete a plugin using one of the simple methods shown above, it typically leaves behind tables and rows in your database. Whenever you install a WordPress plugin or theme, it stores the data in the database. The Big Issue with Uninstalling WordPress Plugins Pretty simple right? Well, in most cases the above methods are the wrong way to go about uninstalling plugins, especially if you are never going to use the plugin again. Then delete the plugin folder from your server. Step 2īrowse to your /wp-content/plugins/ folder. Step 1Ĭonnect to your WordPress site via SFTP.

The second common method users utilize is to uninstall plugins via FTP (without removing data). The last step is to simply click on “Delete.” Delete WordPress plugin How to Uninstall a WordPress Plugin via FTP In this example, we are uninstalling the Wordfence security plugin. Navigate to “Installed Plugins” in your dashboard and click on “Deactivate” next to the plugin. Follow the steps below to uninstall a WordPress the normal way (without removing data). How to Uninstall a WordPress Plugin in the Dashboardīefore we dive into how to properly uninstall a WordPress plugin, lets first discuss the typical ways users delete plugins in WordPress.

How to Manually Cleanup Tables Left Behind by Plugins.

How to Uninstall a WordPress Plugin (the Proper Way).

The Big Issue with Uninstalling WordPress Plugins.

How to Uninstall a WordPress Plugin via FTP.

How to Uninstall a WordPress Plugin in the Dashboard.

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