If You’re Perplexed: How to Revert or Undo Changes on WordPress

Have you found yourself in a state of bewilderment while working with WordPress after making a change or update? Whether it was an accidental change made by actions of your own or someone else, or problems stemming from a plugin update, knowing how to revert changes on WordPress is vital and can save you from panic or frustration. It’s essential you understand the methods provided to undo or revert potentially damaging changes on WordPress – from fixing a single post to reviving a misconfigured theme.

Method 1: Use the Revision History Feature

The revision history feature in WordPress keeps track of changes made to posts and pages, and offers an option to roll back to a previous version if needed. Here are the steps to use this method:

1. Open the post or page you want to revert
2. Click on the “Revisions” link located in the Publish box on the right side of the screen
3. This will take you to the Revisions screen, where you can see a list of all the saved revisions for that post or page
4. Select the revision you want to revert to by clicking on its title
5. Click on the “Restore This Revision” button located at the top of the screen
6. WordPress will then replace the current content with the content from the selected revision.

Method 2: Use a Backup Plugin

One other way to revert changes on WordPress is to use a backup plugin. This plugin takes regular backups of your WordPress site and lets you switch to a previous version in case of a problem. Here’s how to use it:

1. Install and activate a backup plugin on your WordPress site. Some popular backup plugins include UpdraftPlus, WP Time Capsule, and Jetpack.
2. Configure the backup plugin according to your preferences.
3. When the backup plugin has taken a backup of your site, you can easily revert to a previous version with just a few clicks.
4. Most backup plugins have a one-click restore feature to easily restore your site to a previous version without any manual replacements.

Method 3: Use an Undo/Redo Plugin

An undo/redo plugin can save you a lot of trouble when it comes to reverting changes on WordPress. This plugin tracks all the changes made to your site, and lets you undo or redo them with one click. Here are the steps to use this method:

1. Install and activate an undo/redo plugin on your WordPress site. Some popular options include WP Rollback, WP Reset, and WP Site Reset.
2. Depending on the plugin you choose, you may need to configure it to your liking.
3. Once the plugin is set up, you can start undoing changes as needed by accessing the plugin settings page and selecting the option to undo the changes made.

Method 4: Revert to a Previous Version of a Plugin

If you encounter issues following a plugin update, then you might need to revert to a previous version. Here’s how to do it:

1. Log into your WordPress site and navigate to the Plugins page using the dashboard menu.
2. Locate the plugin you want to revert to a previous version and click on the “View Details” link. This will open the plugin details screen.
3. Scroll down to the “Previous Versions” section and select the version you want to revert to.
4. Click on the “Download” button next to the version you want to revert to.
5. Once the plugin file is downloaded, you can install it on your site by uploading it using the WordPress plugin installer.
6. Activate the plugin and verify that the previous version is now active on your site.

Method 5: Revert to a Previous Version of a Theme

Issues with a misconfigured or buggy theme may prompt you to revert to a previous version. Here’s how:

1. Log in to your WordPress site and navigate to the Appearance section on the dashboard menu.
2. Click on the “Themes” link to view a list of all the installed themes on your site.
3. Select the theme you want to revert to a previous version and click on the “Theme Details” button.
4. Scroll down to the “Previous Versions” section and select the version you want to revert to.
5. Click on the “Download” button next to the version you want to revert to.
6. Once you have downloaded the theme, you can install it on your site by uploading it using the WordPress theme installer.
7. Activate the theme and verify that the previous version is now active on your site.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are several methods you can use to undo or revert changes on WordPress depending on the issue at hand. Whether it’s the built-in revision history feature, a backup plugin, an undo/redo plugin, or a previous version of a plugin or theme, act quickly to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Always backup your site regularly to ensure you can easily revert back to a previous version in case of emergencies.