As a beginner, WordPress can be overwhelming and frustrating when you encounter errors that seem impossible to fix. In some cases, reinstalling WordPress is the only solution. However, reinstalling WordPress doesn’t mean you have to lose all your content. In this article, we will show you how to reinstall WordPress without losing your content.
Before we dive into the methods, it’s important to note that creating a backup of your website is crucial before attempting to reinstall WordPress. This ensures that you have a copy of your website in case anything goes wrong during the reinstallation process.
Why/When to Reinstall WordPress?
Reinstalling WordPress should be your last resort when all other troubleshooting techniques fail. Here are some scenarios where you might need to reinstall WordPress:
– When you’re stuck with an error even after trying every troubleshooting technique in the book.
– When you need to reset and reuse a testing website.
– When you need to rebuild or repurpose your website after a hacker attack.
How to Reinstall WordPress: Methods
There are several methods to reinstall WordPress, and we will cover four of them.
Method 1: Reinstall WordPress from Your Admin Dashboard
The easiest and most beginner-friendly method of reinstalling WordPress is through your admin dashboard. To do this, navigate to Dashboard > Updates and click the Re-install Now button. This method only reinstalls WordPress core files, and your theme, plugins, design, content, and everything else remains intact.
Method 2: Reinstall WordPress Using WP-CLI
WP-CLI is a free, open-source, and developer-friendly tool that allows you to install plugins, configure multi-site installations, and do so much more without using a web browser. If you know your way around WP-CLI, you can use the following command to reinstall WordPress: wp core install –skip-content –force.
Method 3: Reinstall WordPress via FTP
To reinstall WordPress manually via FTP, download the latest version of WordPress from WordPress.org and extract the ZIP file to your computer. Delete the wp-content folder, log in to your website via FTP, and upload the remaining files from the WordPress folder to your site. This method preserves your content.
Method 4: Reinstall WordPress Without Preserving Content
If you want to start with a blank slate and don’t need to preserve any content, you can delete your WordPress install in cPanel. Click the WordPress icon under the Softaculous Apps Installer, find the website you want to delete, and click the (x) delete icon. Hit the Remove Installation button, and you can install a new blank site via your one-click installer or the famous 5-minute WordPress installation.
Bonus: Resetting WordPress via a Plugin
WordPress reset plugins are useful for theme and plugin developers who want to create a new test site quickly. To reset your WordPress install, you can use a plugin such as WP Reset or Advanced WordPress Reset.
In Summary
Reinstalling WordPress is simple and involves replacing WordPress core files on your site. You can do it manually or opt for any of the automatic options we’ve covered. The route you take depends on personal preference. Remember to create backups before deleting anything, and reinstalling WordPress should be your last resort when trying to fix an error. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know in the comments!
