Get Your WordPress Site Back to Basics

WordPress is a powerhouse for managing websites, running over 40% of all sites on the internet. Why? It’s simple, flexible, and highly customizable. However, after some time, accumulated data and files may slow down or even break your website. If you want to get back to basics, resetting your website to its default state is a great option. A default WordPress site is a brand new installation, without themes, plugins, or content.

Make a Backup

Before resetting your website, create a backup of your files and data. It’s crucial to safeguard against any potential issues that might arise. Use a reliable plugin like UpdraftPlus or BackWPup to create a full backup of your website.

Methods of Resetting Your Site

There are different methods to reset a WordPress site to its default state. Here are the four main approaches:

1. Manual Resetting

The manual method involves deleting all the files and data in your WordPress installation. It’s useful if you want to start fresh without any customizations, themes, or plugins. However, this method is also risky as you may lose all your data permanently.

• Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
• Navigate to Tools > Export. This will allow you to export all your content, including posts, pages, comments, and media files.
• Select “All Content” and click “Download Export File.” This will create an XML file of all your content that you can use to restore your website later.
• Login to your hosting account or use an FTP client to access your website files. Navigate to the WordPress installation directory.
• Delete all the files and folders in the WordPress installation directory, except for the wp-config.php file.
• Access your website’s database using phpMyAdmin in your hosting account or a database management tool like Sequel Pro.
• Select all the tables in your database and drop them.
• Create a new database and user in your hosting account’s control panel.
• Import the default WordPress database using the import function in phpMyAdmin or your database management tool. You can download the default WordPress database from the WordPress.org website or use a local copy if you have one.
• Update your wp-config.php file with the new database name, user, and password.
• Open your browser and navigate to your website’s URL. You should see the default WordPress installation screen.
• Log in to your WordPress dashboard with the default username and password (admin/admin).
• Navigate to Tools > Import and import the XML file you created in step 3.
• Your content should now be restored, and your website should be back to its default state.

2. Using a Plugin

The manual method can be complicated and risky, especially if you lack technical expertise. So a plugin is a safer way to go.

• Install and activate the WP Reset plugin from the WordPress repository.
• Go to the WP Reset plugin settings page and scroll down to the “Site Reset” section.
• Click on the “Delete All Content” button. This will delete all your posts, pages, comments, and media files.
• You can also choose to reset your site’s settings to the default state by clicking on the “Reset Site” button.
• You will be prompted to confirm the site reset. Click on the “Reset Site” button to proceed.
• Your site will now be reset to its default state. You can log in to your WordPress dashboard with the default username and password (admin/admin).

3. Restoring a Backup

If you have a backup of a default WordPress site, you can restore it to your website. This is the easiest way to reset your website to its default state, assuming you have a backup file.

• Log in to your hosting account or use an FTP client to access your website files.
• Delete all the files and folders in the WordPress installation directory, except for the wp-config.php file.
• Upload your backup file to your website’s root directory.
• Extract the backup file using an archive tool like 7-Zip or WinZip.
• Access your website’s database using phpMyAdmin in your hosting account or a database management tool like Sequel Pro.
• Drop all the tables in your database.
• Import the SQL file from your backup into your website’s database using the import function in phpMyAdmin or your database management tool.
• Update your wp-config.php file with the new database name, user, and password.
• Open your browser and navigate to your website’s URL. You should see your site restored to its default state.
• Log in to your WordPress dashboard with the default username and password (admin/admin).

4. Reinstalling WordPress

If none of the above methods work, you can reinstall WordPress. Reinstalling WordPress will delete all your files and data and reinstall WordPress from scratch. This method is useful if your site is broken, hacked, or just too tangled up with customizations.

• Log in to your hosting account or use an FTP client to access your website files.
• Delete all the files and folders in the WordPress installation directory, including the wp-config.php file.
• Access your website’s database using phpMyAdmin in your hosting account or a database management tool like Sequel Pro.
• Drop all the tables in your database.
• Create a new database and user in your hosting account’s control panel.
• Download the latest version of WordPress from the WordPress.org website.
• Extract the WordPress files to your website’s root directory.
• Visit your website’s URL, and you will be prompted to create a wp-config.php file. Enter your database name, user, and password and click on the “Submit” button.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to install WordPress.
• Your website should now be reset to its default state, and you can log in to your WordPress dashboard with the default username and password (admin/admin).

Resetting your WordPress website to its default state can help you start with a clean slate. However, be sure to create a backup of all your files and data before resetting. Thus, you can always revert to a previous version that could save you a considerable amount of time, trouble and money.