How to Delete WordPress Site in 2026

To delete a WordPress site, first back up your content. If it’s WordPress.com: Settings > General > Delete your site permanently. If it’s self hosted (WordPress.org): remove files, drop the database, and optionally uninstall via your hosting panel. Keep your domain active to serve 301/410 responses and request removal in Google Search Console.

If you’re searching how to delete WordPress site, this guide walks you step by step for both WordPress.com and self hosted installs. You’ll learn how to back up content, remove files and databases safely, de index pages from Google, and handle domains, redirects, and privacy, without leaving residual traces that could resurface later.

Pre Deletion Checklist (do this first)

Before you hit delete, follow this quick checklist to avoid data loss, SEO gaps, and broken links. This is the same playbook I use for clients in high risk niches and creators migrating off WordPress to platforms like OnlyFans or paid fan sites.

• Export a complete backup: database, wpcontent (themes, plugins, uploads), and any custom code.
• Decide on SEO handling: 301 redirect to a new site or serve 410 Gone to cleanly remove URLs.
• Keep your domain registered and DNS controllable for at least 90 days to manage redirects/deindexing.
• Audit integrations: email (MX records), payment buttons, embeds, and third party pixels you’ll need to remove.
• Capture compliance needs: remove sensitive media, thumbnails, and cached files from CDNs/backups, especially for adult content.
• Confirm ownership of hosting, domain registrar, and Cloudflare/CDN accounts so you can make final changes.

WordPress.com vs WordPress.org (self hosted): which one are you using?

Deletion steps differ based on platform. Here’s how to tell.

How to check quickly

• WordPress.com: Your dashboard URL looks like wordpress.com/home/<site> and your plan is billed by WordPress.com. Some settings screens say “My Home, Plans, Upgrades.”
• Self hosted (WordPress.org): You log into yoursite.com/wp-admin, pay a web host (e.g., Bluehost, SiteGround), and manage files via cPanel/Plesk/SFTP.

Why it matters

• WordPress.com: Deletion is handled in your site settings and is permanent. Optional: make private instead.
• Self hosted: You must remove files, drop the database, and handle DNS. You’re also responsible for redirects and Google removals.

How to delete a WordPress.com site (hosted by WordPress.com)

• Back up your content: Tools > Export > Download export file (and Media Library if needed).
• Optional privacy: Settings > General > Privacy > Private (if you want to hide it first).
• Delete the site: Settings > General > scroll to Danger Zone > Delete your site permanently.
• Confirm via email and on screen prompts. This removes posts, pages, media, and settings.

Domains purchased via WordPress.com are separate. Deleting a site does not automatically cancel your domain. Keep the domain active to run redirects elsewhere or cancel/transfer it in your domain settings.

Alternative: make your WordPress.com site private

• Use this if you’re undecided or need a cooling off period.
• Visitors will need invitations; search engines will stop indexing.
• You can later export and migrate to another platform.

How to delete a self hosted WordPress (WordPress.org) site

For self hosted sites, you control the server and domain. The safest removal has three parts: back up, uninstall/remove, and deindex/redirect.

Method A: Delete via hosting control panel (easiest)

• Create a full backup: use your host’s backup tool or a plugin (e.g., UpdraftPlus) and download it offsite.
• Softaculous/Installer uninstall: If you installed via Softaculous or similar, open it in cPanel/Plesk > Installations > Remove. Tick options to delete files and database.
• Manually remove files: If not using an installer, go to File Manager (or SFTP) and delete the site’s folder (public_html or your subdirectory/subdomain folder).
• Drop the database: In phpMyAdmin, select your site’s database > Operations > Drop. Also remove the database user in MySQL Users.
• Disable CDN/Cache: Purge and disable Cloudflare or your host’s CDN so cached copies aren’t served.
• Remove scheduled tasks: Delete server cron jobs calling wp-cron.php and any uptime monitors.

Method B: Delete via SFTP/SSH and WP-CLI (fast and precise)

Use this when you have SSH access and want a verifiable, scriptable teardown. Replace placeholders with your actual paths/names.

# 1) Navigate to the site root
cd /var/www/example.com/public_html

# 2) Back up DB and files
wp db export ~/example-backup.sql --add-drop-table
tar czf ~/example-files.tgz .

# 3) Optional: wipe WP content before deletion (extra safety)
wp site empty --yes

# 4) Remove files (double-check path!)
cd ..
rm -rf public_html

# 5) Drop database and remove user (replace names)
mysql -u root -p -e "DROP DATABASE example_db;"
mysql -u root -p -e "DROP USER 'example_user'@'%'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;"

# 6) Purge CDN caches if using Cloudflare (via dashboard or API)

Never run destructive commands unless you’ve confirmed paths and backups. For adult creators, also confirm that media isn’t duplicated on staging, dev, or backup buckets (S3/Spaces).

Clean up search results (Google, Bing) after deletion

• Keep the domain live temporarily: Serve proper HTTP responses for old URLs.
• If moving to a new site: 301 redirect old URLs to their best new equivalents. This preserves equity.
• If removing permanently: Serve 410 Gone (or 404) for all removed URLs.
• Search Console: Open Removals > Temporary removals to hide outdated URLs while 410/404 takes effect. Request Indexing on key URLs.
• Remove sitemaps and set “noindex” while you transition, then remove crawling access cautiously. Don’t block via robots.txt before Google sees your 410/404; otherwise URLs can linger.

For sensitive genres, combine 410 responses with Removals in Search Console and purge CDN caches. If screenshots persist on third party caches, contact hosts with clear takedown requests.

Domain, email, and DNS considerations

• Keep your domain: Don’t let the registration lapse if you still need redirects or want to block impersonators.
• Email: If you used the same domain for email, deleting hosting may break mail if MX records or mailboxes were hosted there. Migrate email first.
• DNS: Point A/AAAA/CNAME to a lightweight server or static page to serve 301/410. Remove obsolete records (staging, FTP, subdomains).

Privacy, caches, and the Wayback Machine

• CDN caches: Purge Cloudflare or host caches after deletion. Disable “Always Online.”
• Image thumbnails: Some plugins create multiple sizes. Ensure all are removed from uploads/year/month folders.
• Wayback Machine: You can request exclusion by adding “User-agent: ia_archiver Disallow: /” to robots.txt and emailing archive support, but past captures aren’t guaranteed to be removed.

Alternatives to deleting your WordPress site

• Make it private or password protected: Useful for pause periods or compliance checks.
• Maintenance/Coming Soon mode: Keep branding while you rebuild or migrate.
• Clone then wipe: Duplicate to staging, verify the clone, then delete the public site.
• Static archive: Export a static HTML snapshot for legal or accounting records.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Blocking with robots.txt too early: Google can’t see 410/404, so results linger. Serve status codes first, then block if needed.
• Forgetting the database: Deleting files isn’t enough drop the DB and users.
• Leaving media on a CDN bucket: Remove S3/Spaces content and revoke public ACLs.
• Letting the domain expire immediately: You lose control of redirects and risk brand squatting.
• No backups: Always keep an offline copy, even if you think you’ll never need it.

Real world example: migrating an adult creator site

A creator rebrands from a self hosted WordPress blog to a premium fan platform. We exported posts, served 301s from high traffic posts to her new hub, then 410’d thin/duplicate URLs.

After 30 days, we removed hosting files and dropped the DB. Search Console removals and CDN purges cleaned residual thumbnails. The domain remained active to prevent impersonation.

FAQs