How to Completely Delete a WordPress Site: A Step-by-Step Guide

Deleting a WordPress site can be a daunting task, especially for those who are new to the platform. Whether you’ve decided to discontinue your blog, switch to a new content management system, or simply want to clear your online presence, completely deleting a WordPress site is not as simple as just deactivating an account. It involves multiple steps to ensure that all data, files, and even backups are entirely erased. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of deleting your WordPress site, covering both WordPress.com and self-hosted WordPress.org sites.

Understanding the Difference Between WordPress.com and WordPress.org

Before we dive into the deletion process, it’s important to differentiate between WordPress.com and WordPress.org as the process varies depending on which one you are using.

• WordPress.com is a hosted platform that takes care of all the technical aspects for you. When you create a site on WordPress.com, you don’t need to worry about hosting, backups, or server management.
• WordPress.org is a self-hosted version of WordPress, where you have more control over your website. You are responsible for purchasing hosting, managing files, and handling other technical details.

Depending on which platform you are using, the process of deleting a WordPress site will differ slightly. Let’s first look at how to delete a WordPress.com site.

Deleting a WordPress.com Site

Step 1: Backup Your Content

Before proceeding with the deletion process, it’s essential to backup your content in case you want to restore it in the future or transfer it to another platform. WordPress.com makes it easy to export your content.

1. Log in to your WordPress.com account.
2. Go to the dashboard of the site you wish to delete.
3. Click on Tools and then select Export.
4. Choose the option to Download Export File.
5. The file will be saved on your computer in XML format, which contains all your posts, pages, and comments.

Step 2: Delete the Site Permanently

Once you’ve backed up your data, follow these steps to delete your WordPress.com site:

1. From your WordPress.com dashboard, go to Settings.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page, and you will see an option that says Delete Your Site Permanently.
3. Click on Delete Site.
4. WordPress will ask for confirmation, and you will be prompted to enter your site’s URL.
5. After entering the URL, click Delete This Site to confirm the action.
6. You will receive a final warning, reminding you that this action is irreversible. Once you confirm, your WordPress.com site will be permanently deleted.

Step 3: Cancel Any Paid Services

If you have any paid services associated with your WordPress.com account, such as a domain name or premium plan, make sure to cancel them before deleting the site.

1. Go to your account settings and review any active services.
2. Cancel your domain name registration if you don’t plan to use it elsewhere.
3. Cancel any premium subscriptions to avoid being charged in the future.

It’s worth noting that even after deleting your WordPress.com site, your account will remain active. If you want to delete your entire WordPress.com account, you’ll need to follow a separate process through your account settings.

Deleting a Self-Hosted WordPress.org Site

Deleting a self-hosted WordPress.org site involves a few more steps compared to WordPress.com, as you have full control over your website and hosting environment. Here’s how to completely delete your WordPress.org site.

Step 1: Backup Your Site

As with WordPress.com, it’s crucial to back up your data before proceeding. Since you’re using a self-hosted site, you’ll need to manually back up your files and database.

1. Log in to your web hosting account.
2. Use your host’s file manager or an FTP client like FileZilla to download all your site files, including themes, plugins, and media.
3. Access your hosting control panel (cPanel) and locate phpMyAdmin.
4. In phpMyAdmin, select your WordPress database and click Export.
5. Save the database file on your computer.

Step 2: Delete Your WordPress Files

Once you’ve backed up your site, the next step is to delete all your WordPress files from your server. You can do this using your hosting account’s file manager or an FTP client.

1. Connect to your site using an FTP client or access your hosting file manager.
2. Navigate to the root directory where your WordPress files are stored (usually in the public_html folder).
3. Select all the WordPress files and folders, including wp-admin, wp-includes, and wp-content, and delete them.

This will remove the files from your server, but your database will still exist. You need to delete the database as well to completely remove your WordPress site.

Step 3: Delete Your WordPress Database

The database stores all your site’s content, including posts, pages, and user information. To delete it, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your hosting control panel (cPanel or a similar interface).
2. Find phpMyAdmin and open it.
3. Select the database that corresponds to your WordPress installation.
4. Click on the Operations tab and select Drop the database.
5. Confirm the deletion by clicking OK.

Once the database is deleted, all your content will be permanently removed.

Step 4: Cancel Hosting and Domain Services

If you no longer wish to keep your hosting or domain name, you’ll need to cancel these services to avoid future charges.

1. Log in to your hosting provider’s account.
2. Navigate to the billing or subscriptions section.
3. Cancel your hosting plan and any domain registration if you don’t plan to use them for other projects.

Make sure to confirm that all billing is stopped, as some hosting providers automatically renew services if not manually canceled.

Removing WordPress Traces from Search Engines

Even after deleting your WordPress site, it’s possible that remnants of your content may still appear in search engine results. Here’s how to address that:

1. Remove URLs from Google

You can request that Google remove your URLs from its search index using the Google Search Console.

1. Log in to Google Search Console.
2. Select the property corresponding to your deleted site.
3. Go to Removals and click on New Request.
4. Enter the URL you want to remove from search results.
5. Submit the request.

It may take some time for Google to completely remove the URLs, but eventually, they will disappear from search results.

2. Use the Wayback Machine Removal Tool

If your site has been archived by the Wayback Machine (part of the Internet Archive), you can request that it be removed from their database.

1. Visit the Wayback Machine’s removal request page.
2. Fill out the necessary information, including the URLs you want removed.
3. Submit your request.

Keep in mind that removing content from search engines and archives doesn’t happen instantly. It can take weeks or even months for the content to be fully cleared from all online databases.

Conclusion

Completely deleting a WordPress site requires careful attention to detail, especially if you are using a self-hosted WordPress.org site. From backing up your content to removing files, databases, and associated services, each step is crucial in ensuring that your website is entirely erased from the internet. Learn More