When configuring the WordPress site, we will install many plug-ins to achieve the functions we need, but sometimes for various reasons, such as no need for the corresponding functions, or find a better alternative plug-in, we no longer need this plug-in. At this time, we should remove the corresponding plug-in, In this article, we will share the method of deleting plug-ins in WordPress
Why delete unused WordPress plug-ins
A WordPress site is constantly changing from its establishment to its stability. The most changing one is the plug-in system. We will gradually find the WordPress plug-ins that are most suitable for our own use. So why must we delete the unused plug-ins? The main points are as follows
- Avoid unnecessary updates. WordPress plug-ins will prompt for updates whether they are enabled or disabled. If you delete unused plug-ins, you can reduce a lot of work
- To reduce security risks, many people have heard about the vulnerabilities of WordPress, which makes people feel insecure. But most of these security problems are caused by plug-ins. Deleting useless plug-ins also reduces the security risks of the website
- To avoid database growth, many WP plug-ins will insert data into the database, and some will gradually increase with the use of plug-ins. If we do not use these plug-ins, we should delete them to reduce useless data in the database
- Improve the website speed. Some plug-ins will add scripts or queries to the website, slow down the loading speed, and delete unused plug-ins, which can improve the website speed
To sum up, it is necessary to delete useless plug-ins
WordPress background delete plug-in
The easiest way to delete the WordPress plug-in is to delete it from the background dashboard, which is also our most common method
Enter the website background selection Plug in – Installed Plug in , you can see all the plug-ins installed on your WordPress site
However, when the plug-in is found, we cannot delete it directly. We need to disable it first. Click the disable button below
After disabling the plug-in, you can see the Delete button, and then delete the plug-in
Delete WordPress plug-in using panel or FTP
In addition to using the plug-in management system provided by WordPress, we can also delete the corresponding plug-in files in the panel or FTP. This method is very practical in the case of unable to access the background
Here I take the pagoda panel as an example to share how to delete it
Enter the backstage of the pagoda and select file
Directly enter the following path/www/wwwroot/themeforwp.net/wp-content/plugins
Here is the file directory of plug-ins, listing all plug-ins installed in WordPress. Find the plug-in you need to install, and then right-click - Delete
The same principle applies to FTP or other management panels. Find the corresponding directory and delete the plug-in folder. The only thing you need to pay attention to is the corresponding plug-in
Delete plug-in data table (advanced)
This is a step that needs to operate the database. There are certain risks. If you are a novice, you can skip it, because it is not necessary
As we said before, some plug-ins will insert data into the database and add their own data tables. If we delete the plug-in, these data tables can also be deleted. We can delete them through management software such as phpmyadmin
Note: Be sure to back up the database in advance before operating it
Open the pagoda panel – database, and then click Manage to enter the phpmyadmin management database
In phpmyadmin, we can see that some data tables are obviously generated by specific plug-ins. If we delete these plug-ins and will not use them in the future, we can delete the corresponding tables. Click the red delete button behind to delete the corresponding data tables
Plug ins are very important for building a website with WordPress. Every website should delete useless plug-ins to keep the website clean
