Your site on WordPress goes through a million different changes, which is why you sometimes want it off the internet. You might be getting rid of an outdated page, or editing a webpage away from the prying eyes. Either way, you would want to learn “how to unpublish WordPress site?
This guide will walk you through the exact steps that you need to follow to unpublish a website both temporarily or permanently.
Step-by-Step Guide to Unpublishing Your WordPress Site
- Use Maintenance Mode
Install a plugin that supports maintenance mode like “WP Maintenance Mode” or “SeedProd” to display a placeholder webpage while your website is unpublished. Kind of like a coming soon page but for displaying while maintaining.
Go to the Plug-in settings and enable maintenance mode. You can also customize the maintenance page with your preferred message.
- Change the site visibility settings
Use privacy settings to block all the users from accessing the site so that it remains unpublished. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard and navigate to the settings > readings in the menu. Check the box next to the “Discourage search engines from indexing this site.”
Save changes to prevent your site from appearing in the search results.
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- Password Protect the Site
Use a strong WordPress password to avoid outsiders from logging in to your website and allow access to authorized users only. Most hosting providers offer password protection to enable through the dashboard. Select the folder containing your WordPress site and apply a password.
- Delete the WordPress Installation
Access your web hosting control panel like CyberPanel to delete all the WordPress files and remove all the associated databases to permanently unpublish the site. Backup your core files and database to retain a copy for the future.
Delete all the WordPress files in the root directory and remove associated databases. Alternatively, you can move the domain to a new location.
Reasons to Unpublish a WordPress Site
Here are a few reasons as to why you might need to unpublish a WordPress site:
- You would need to unpublish a WordPress site temporarily to implement updates for site maintenance or redesign, fix issues, or completely redesign the site without affecting the user experience.
- If you are thinking of redesigning the content as it no longer aligns with your goals, audience, or branding, unpublishing a website temporarily gives you the perfect opportunity to reorganize and update.
- During the transition to a new CMS or hosting provider, unpublishing ensures that visitors do not encounter incomplete functionality.
- Unpublish the site if it contains sensitive information or vulnerabilities.
- If the website served a temporary purpose, such as a campaign, event, or project completion, unpublishing prevents unnecessary upkeep.
Things to Consider Before Unpublishing
Before you unpublish a website, it is important to consider a few essential things;
- Create a full backup of your site with all the core files and database to avoid missing out on important data.
- Unpublishing can negatively affect your SEO ranking especially if no redirects are implemented.
- Inform your audience about the downtime to maintain audience trust and transparency.
- Decide whether you want to park, redirect, or repurpose the domain in the future.
- Ensure that the unpublishing complies with the legal obligations with any reliable regulations or agreements.
Tools and Plugins to Assist with Unpublishing a WordPress Site
| Tool/ Plug-In | Purpose | Features |
| WP Maintenance Mode | Enable maintenance mode | Customizable maintenance pages, SEO-friendly, countdown timer |
| SeedProd | Create maintenance and coming soon pages | Drag-and-drop page builder, mobile-friendly, integrations with email tools |
| Password Protected | Restrict access to the entire site | Easy site-wide password protection, lightweight, quick setup |
| All-in-One WP Migration | Backup and restore WordPress sites | Full backups, cloud storage options, easy site restoration |
| UpdraftPlus | Backup WordPress files and database | Scheduled backups, supports multiple cloud storage options |
| Redirection | Set up redirects for unpublished pages/sites | 301 redirects, error tracking, user-friendly interface |
| File Manager | Manage files on your WordPress site | File and folder management, no FTP needed |
| Yoast SEO | Handle site visibility and SEO configurations | Control search engine indexing, manage meta robots settings |
How to Republish a WordPress Site
Republishing a WordPress site involves reactivating it to make it usable for the users. Here is how you can do it step-wise:
- Restore Site Visibility
Disable the maintenance mode plugin that you used earlier from your WordPress dashboard or manually via .htaccess. Then navigate to settings > readings from the dashboard. Uncheck “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” and save changes.
- Reinstall Backups
If you have deleted the site, you can restore it using backup tools like UpdraftPlus or All-in-one WP Migration. After that, reupload the site files using your web hosting control panel.
- Test Site Functionality
Check all the links, forms, plugins, and themes to make sure that they are working properly. Identify broken links and fix any missing elements before making the site live. Additionally, ensure that all your content is updated and relevant so that search engines can re-index your site. Also check your sitemap for accuracy.
- Communicate the Relaunch & Monitor Performance
Inform your audience that your site is live again through email or social media, highlight new features or updates that you worked on. Use tools like Google Analytics & Search Console to monitor site performance and ensure smooth functioning after republishing.
Conclusion – How To Unpublish WordPress Site
Unpublishing a WordPress site should be a strategic decision if it is for maintenance, redesign, platform migration, or privacy concerns. However, by understanding the reason, you can find the best possible method and take proper measurements!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I temporarily unpublish my WordPress site without deleting it?
Yes, you can temporarily unpublish your site using maintenance mode plugins, password protection, or by changing site visibility settings to discourage search engine indexing.
2. Will unpublishing my site affect its SEO rankings?
Yes, unpublishing a site can impact SEO rankings. To minimize the effect, implement proper 301 redirects and communicate with your audience about the unpublishing.
3. How do I put my WordPress site into maintenance mode?
You can use plugins like WP Maintenance Mode or SeedProd to create a maintenance page and enable maintenance mode with just a few clicks.
4. What should I do before permanently unpublishing my WordPress site?
Backup your site files and database, inform your users, set up redirects, and review your legal or compliance obligations to avoid issues later.
5. Can I recover my WordPress site after unpublishing it?
If you’ve backed up your site before publishing, you can easily recover it by restoring the backup files and database using a plugin or hosting control panel.
