How to Uninstall and Delete a WordPress Theme?

Do you want to uninstall and delete a WordPress theme but are worried that it might be insecure?

If you have newly switched your WordPress theme, then you might wish to delete the previous one. You might also have a couple of different WordPress themes that come pre-installed in your web site that you could wish to remove.

In this article, we’ll describe to you why and how to easily uninstall and delete a WordPress theme without affecting your website.

Why do we need to Delete a WordPress Theme?

In case you are not using a WordPress theme, then it is suggested to delete it from your website. There are a variety of causes for deleting unused WordPress themes.

  • WordPress theme codes are written in PHP and can be used to hide malicious code or malware on your website. Generally, rogue developers can hide backdoors in unused themes as well.
  • Preserving them put in your server will increase your backup size and it takes longer on your WordPress safety plugin to complete the scan.
  • You’ll additionally maintain getting updates for these themes, though you aren’t using them in any respect.

Many users install WordPress themes on their live websites for testing purposes. This is not a good way to test a WordPress theme.

We suggest using a staging site or a local WordPress install to do all of your testings. This way it doesn’t have an effect on your live website and lets you supply constant expertise to your customers.

Difference between uninstalling vs deleting a WordPress theme

WordPress allows you to only maintain one theme as your active theme. Nonetheless, you may set up as many themes as you need on your website.

These themes are not going to be active, however, they’re still installed on your website, and also you’ll proceed to receive updates for them.

To fully uninstall a WordPress theme, you could delete it. This may remove all theme’s files from your website.

It’s secure to delete a WordPress theme that you’re not using.

Every WordPress website wants at least one theme put in to operate correctly. That is the theme that WordPress will use to display your website.

You’ll be able to view which WordPress theme you might be at present using by visiting Appearance » Themes page. Your present theme will seem like ‘Active’ theme.

Active WordPress theme

We suggest holding one default WordPress theme (e.g. Twenty Twenty or Twenty Nineteen) installed on your website. It acts because the fallback theme in case your present theme just isn’t working.

Note: In case your active theme is a child theme, then additionally, you will have to keep the parent theme installed on your website.

What we do Before Deleting a WordPress Theme

When you’ve got customized a WordPress theme and need to protect these customizations earlier than deleting it, then you possibly can create a whole WordPress backup.

You too can simply download the theme folder to your computer as a backup.

To try this, you need to use an FTP client or the File Manager app in your WordPress hosting account dashboard. As soon as linked, go to /wp-content/themes/ folder and download the inactive theme folder to your computer.

Download file via FTP

After taking backup of your old theme, you can take action to delete it.

Uninstalling and Deleting a WordPress Theme

There are many ways to uninstall and delete a WordPress theme. We’ll start one by one.

1. Delete a WordPress theme via WP Admin Dashboard

This is simple, easy and the suggested method to delete a WordPress theme.

Go to Appearance » Themes page. Now click on the theme that you want to delete from your website.

The theme is open in a popup window. You need to click on the Delete button on the bottom right corner of the popup screen.

Delete WordPress theme

Next, you’ll be requested to confirm that you just need to delete the theme. Simply click on the OK button to proceed, and WordPress will delete your chosen theme.

2. Delete a WordPress theme via FTP

This technique is a bit superior, but it surely is useful if you’re unable to access the WordPress admin area.

Merely connect with your WordPress website utilizing an FTP client after which go to /wp-content/themes/ folder.

Delete WordPress theme via FTP

From here you’ll want to find the theme folder that you simply wish to delete. Right-click on the folder which chooses to delete.

Your FTP client will now delete your chosen theme.

3. Delete a WordPress theme via File Manager

If you’re inconvenient using an FTP client, then you can even use the File Manager app in your web hosting control panel.

For this example, we’ll be displaying screenshots from Godaddy’s hosting dashboard. Depending on your internet hosting provider, your internet hosting dashboard might look a bit totally different.

Login to your hosting account dashboard and click on the File Manager icon under Files tab.

File Manager

This may launch the file manager the place you’ll be able to browse the contents of your web server such as you would using an FTP client. You must go to the /public_html/wp-content/themes/ folder.

Download theme via file manager

Next, you simply need to right-click and delete the theme that you simply wish to do away with, and that’s all.

Accidentally Delete a WordPress Theme

In case you by accident deleted a WordPress theme, then there are a number of methods to restore it again.

First, you may restore the theme from the backup. That is simpler as many WordPress backup plugins assist you to rapidly restore your web site to an earlier stage.

Nevertheless, for those who didn’t make a backup, then you possibly can restore the theme by downloading and installing a fresh copy of the exact theme.

The drawback of the second method is that you’d lose any customizations you made to the theme.

I hope this article helped you learn how to uninstall and delete a WordPress theme. You can also read our article on how to install WordPress plugin and how to Install Google Analytics in WordPress site.

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