If you’ve been experimenting with various designs for your website or have accumulated multiple themes over several redesigns, you probably have more WordPress themes on your site than necessary. While unused themes in your WordPress admin menu might appear harmless, they can negatively impact your site’s health. These themes can pose security risks if left outdated. So, what should you do? The solution is straightforward: delete them. In this piece, we’ll show you how to delete a WordPress theme.
Why Delete a WordPress Theme?
Deleting a WordPress theme can be beneficial for several reasons:
1. Free Up Server Space
Removing unused themes helps free up valuable server storage. Although individual themes might not take up much space, over time, the accumulation of several inactive themes can add up.
2. Prevent Conflicts
Having multiple themes installed can lead to conflicts with plugins or other themes. This can cause unexpected behavior or compatibility issues on your site. By deleting themes you don’t use, you reduce the risk of these conflicts.
3. Enhance Security
Outdated or inactive themes can pose security risks. If a theme is not regularly updated, it can become a target for security vulnerabilities. Removing themes that are not in use helps mitigate these risks and reduces your site’s attack surface.
4. Improve Management
Fewer themes in your WordPress dashboard make site management easier. It reduces clutter and simplifies the process of finding and activating the theme you want to work with.
5. Improve Performance
While themes themselves don’t typically affect performance significantly, having fewer themes can reduce the load on your WordPress installation. This can lead to slightly improved performance, particularly if themes have complex or resource-intensive files.
6. Maintain Focus
Keeping only the themes you actively use or plan to use helps you stay organized. It ensures that you are not distracted by obsolete themes or settings that are no longer relevant to your site’s design and functionality.
7. Avoid Confusion
By removing old or unused themes, you prevent confusion for users or administrators who might mistakenly activate an outdated or irrelevant theme. This can help ensure that the active theme reflects your current design and branding.
Steps to Take Before Deleting a WordPress Theme
Before deleting a WordPress theme, it’s important to take a few preparatory steps to ensure your website remains stable and you don’t lose valuable data. Consider the following:
a). Back Up the Theme and Customizations
Ensure you back up the theme files and any customizations before deletion. This precaution allows you to revert or retrieve specific design elements or functions later if needed.
b). Check for Child Themes
If you’re using a child theme (which relies on a parent theme), make sure deleting the parent theme won’t disrupt your site’s performance. Verify that the child theme will function properly without the parent theme.
c). Review Theme Dependencies
Some themes have dependencies, such as specific plugins or settings. Review these dependencies to avoid disrupting other aspects of your site. Consult the theme documentation or support forums to identify potential dependencies.
d). Understand Deleting vs. Uninstalling
Know the difference between deleting and uninstalling a theme. Deleting removes the theme from your WordPress installation, while uninstalling may involve additional steps like removing associated settings. Follow the correct procedure to avoid residual data.
e). Activate a Different Theme
Before deleting an active theme, you must first activate a different theme. You won’t be able to delete a theme that’s currently active, so choose and activate an alternative theme first.
How to Delete a Theme in WordPress: 3 Methods
Deleting an unused theme from WordPress can be done in several ways::
Method 1: Remove the Theme From WordPress Dashboard
This is the simplest method
1. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard with your username and password.
2. Go to Appearance > Themes. You’ll see a list of installed themes.
3. Hover over the theme you want to remove. Ensure it is inactive since you can’t delete the active theme. Click Theme Details.
4. In the bottom-right corner of the theme details window, click Delete.
Confirm the deletion when prompted. The theme will be removed.
Method 2: Delete the Theme Via FTP
For those comfortable with technical methods:
1. Download and install an FTP client like FileZilla. Open FileZilla and enter your FTP credentials (host, username, password, port) to connect to your server. These credentials are usually provided by your web hosting service.
2. Once connected, navigate to the root directory of your WordPress installation, typically /public_html/ or /www/. Open the /wp-content/ folder, then the /themes/ folder.
3. Identify the folder of the theme you wish to delete. Right-click on the theme folder and select Delete. Confirm the deletion when prompted. This will permanently remove the theme files from your server.
Method 3: Remove the WordPress Theme via cPanel/Hosting Panel
Using cPanel or a similar hosting panel is an effective way to delete a WordPress theme, particularly if you have access to your hosting account and are familiar with cPanel. This method allows for direct management of theme files on the server. Here’s how to delete a theme using cPanel:
1. Log in to your hosting account
or equivalent hosting control panel.
2. Access the File Manager
In the cPanel dashboard, locate and click on the “File Manager” icon to manage your website files directly.
3. Navigate to the WordPress Directory
In the File Manager, go to the root directory of your WordPress installation, typically found under `/public_html/` or `/www/`.
4. Open the Themes Folder
From the root directory, navigate to `/wp-content/` and then open the `/themes/` folder, which contains folders for each installed theme.
5. Delete the Desired Theme
Identify the folder of the theme you wish to remove. Right-click on the theme folder and select “Delete.” Confirm the deletion when prompted to permanently remove the theme files from your server.
Choose the method that best aligns with your experience level and access capabilities.
After Deleting a WordPress Theme
Once you’ve deleted a WordPress theme, there are several steps you should take to ensure your site remains clean and efficient. These actions help remove any leftover data and improve your site’s performance.
01. Remove Unused Images
Themes often include specific images such as backgrounds or icons. Go to the Media Library in your WordPress dashboard and delete any images associated with the deleted theme. This helps free up storage space and keeps your media library organized.
02. Remove Theme-Specific Menus
Some themes create custom menus. Navigate to Appearance > Menus and delete any menus that were specific to the deleted theme or are no longer needed.
03. Clean Up Widgets
Deleted themes may leave behind widgets that no longer function or are relevant. Go to Appearance > Widgets and remove any inactive or unnecessary widgets.
04. Delete Dummy Content
If the deleted theme included dummy content like posts or pages, remove these to prevent clutter. Review your content and delete any items added by the theme that are no longer needed.
05. Optimize Your Database
Residual data from the deleted theme can bloat your database. Use a database optimization plugin to clean up and enhance performance.
06. Review and Adjust Settings
Some themes add specific settings or options to your WordPress dashboard. Check and adjust or remove any options that are no longer relevant to prevent conflicts.
07. Test Your Site
After these changes, thoroughly test your site to ensure everything functions correctly. Look for broken links, missing images, or layout issues that might have arisen from the theme deletion.
When Not to Delete a WordPress Theme
There are situations where deleting a WordPress theme may not be advisable. Here are some scenarios where you should reconsider:
i. Active Parent Themes
If you’re using a child theme, it relies on the parent theme. Deleting the parent theme can disrupt your site’s layout and functionality. Ensure no active child themes depend on the theme before deleting it.
ii. Multisite Installations
In a multisite network, a theme may be used across multiple sites. Deleting a theme in use by another site can cause issues. Check the theme’s usage across the network before deleting it.
iii. Staging or Testing Environments
Keeping various themes in staging or testing environments helps with compatibility testing. Deleting themes here might limit your testing capabilities and disrupt your workflow.
iv. Legacy Support or Future Use
Older themes may be kept for their sentimental value, customizations, or potential future use. If a theme could be useful later, consider updating it instead of deleting it.
v. Troubleshooting and Backup
It’s sometimes helpful to retain additional themes for troubleshooting or as a backup. Having a fallback theme ready can help quickly resolve issues with your primary theme.
In these cases, consider updating the theme or using it for troubleshooting rather than deleting it.
Conclusion
Deleting a WordPress theme is a straightforward process, but you must follow these steps carefully to avoid any problems. Managing your themes regularly can help keep your site running smoothly and securely. Keeping only the themes you actively use results in a cleaner, more efficient WordPress performance.
