WordPress is one of the most popular and powerful Content Management Systems. Every WordPress website must contain an active WordPress theme to work correctly. However, you may sometimes want to uninstall a WordPress theme.
In this post, I’ll show you how to uninstall a WordPress theme, whether because you want to use a new one or because it’s inactive.
How to Uninstall a WordPress Theme From the WordPress Dashboard?
The most straightforward way to uninstall a WordPress theme is by using the admin dashboard. The only thing you need here is administrator privileges that can let you uninstall or delete the theme.
1. Log into your WordPress dashboard
2. Scroll down and hover over your mouse on Appearance and click on Themes.
3. Remember that the first theme is the one currently active on the website. Hover over your mouse on the theme you want to uninstall or delete. The text “Theme Details” will appear.
4. Click on the theme that you want to uninstall and on Delete at the bottom of the selected theme.
5. A pop-up will appear on your screen to ask for confirmation. Click “Ok” to complete the process to uninstall or delete the WordPress theme.
What to Do if I Accidentally Uninstalled a WordPress Theme?
There are many ways to restore a theme you accidentally deleted.
The first way is to use your site backup. This process is arguably the easiest because multiple WordPress plugins can help you restore deleted themes quickly.
That’s why I always recommend using a backup plugin like UpdraftPlus. You can get your theme back in one click.
However, if you don’t have a backup plugin, you can install the deleted theme again. Although you will get your WordPress theme back, you will lose your customization.
What Happens if I Uninstall a WordPress Theme?
When you delete a WordPress theme, you remove it from your site.
Moreover, many top WordPress themes come up with website templates, demo content, plugins, and additional settings. When you uninstall a WordPress theme, it will remove all these settings and add-ons.
How to Deactivate a WordPress Theme?
To deactivate a WordPress theme, you simply have to activate another theme.
1. First, log into your WordPress admin dashboard. Scroll down and hover over your mouse on Appearance and click on Themes.
2. Hover over your mouse on the theme you want to activate and click Activate.
This process will deactivate your currently activated theme. Moreover, your website will now use the new theme you just activated.
Protect Your Website By Uninstalling Unwanted WordPress Themes
WordPress themes are important. However, unused but installed themes in your WordPress can lead to useless clutter and security vulnerabilities.
Therefore, you should prefer to uninstall a WordPress theme that you don’t need any longer.
However, Keeping one extra theme is a good idea. It allows you to switch themes or troubleshoot your website if needed. Also, remember to always update your active theme to protect yourself and your readers.
