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WordPress Reset Plugins to Clean Up Your Site

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WordPress Reset Plugins to Clean Up Your Site

Done with testing and you need a clean slate? Just learning WordPress, and created a mess? Use one of these plugins to reset your site.

We all know it – the mysterious mess that slowly piles up in our lives. It should be no surprise that the same can happen with WordPress websites. You can tell that this is true every time you give your database a quick look.

Keep in mind that WordPress automatically creates entries in your database. If you don’t pay attention, it could turn into an avalanche and crush your site’s speed under unnecessary data. WordPress also does not come with a reset button, so many people tend to ignore this issue altogether.

Or, you could be a developer, creating WordPress themes and plugins. Testing them is tedious, especially if you have to install WordPress all over again every time you want to try the new plugin or theme out. They are the ones feeling the lack of the reset button the most.

Why Reset?

While these are both a good reason to give your WordPress a reset every now and then, there could be another, more popular one. WordPress powers 34% of all websites and is ready to power some more. It is still the platform of choice for bloggers, eCommerce sites, and DIY websites.

The latter is growing in popularity, and with those, the need for reset plugins. The truth is, there are numerous blogs offering advice on website design, available plugins, or even security measures for WordPress.

While those are incredibly useful when you know what you are doing, the best way to learn  is still a hands-on approach. Diving right in, and seeing what happens, is probably the quickest way to figure out your website. It is also tons of fun, too!

However, once the DIY attempt is complete it can end up looking like a third-grader’s craft project, hopefully without glitter. And this is where people tend to give up. If only there was a way they could reset their site, start over, and do it properly.

WordPress does not come with easy options to reset out of the box. But there are plenty of handy plugins. Each of the following plugins will get you there. Let’s see where, and how.

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WP Reset

WP Reset WordPress Plugin

WP Reset was originally intended for developers – who would need to reset the website several times a day. However, thanks to its ease of use, it went mainstream. Many people who need to start fresh, either to give their website a makeover or to clean up an accidental mess, started relying on this plugin.

Not only does it reset the website’s database to its original state in no time, but it can also help you clean out targeted segments of your site. Have one too many plugins or themes on your site? All it takes is a click of a button to clear them.

The plugin has multiple fail-safe mechanisms to ensure that you never delete what you don’t want to. Most importantly, with WP Reset, you get to choose your post-reset setup. So you don’t have to reinstall everything all over again. This plugin, like many others on this list, will not touch your data, so there is no need to worry. it will delete all of the users, but the user resetting the site can log in again.

Another important feature of this plugin which you probably won’t find with others is the ability to create database snapshots. Why is it important? Once you create a snapshot of the database, you can use this plugin to revert to that particular snapshot. Meaning that you get to reset the website to a particular point, which developers will find quite handy.

Probably the most praised feature of this plugin is the exceptional support. The inhouse WP Reset team is available to assist users with any issues that they might have.

This is rather important, as while WP Reset was originally designed for developers, everybody can use it. It is a perfect solution for both cleaning up a mess, discovering and fixing minor issues, and speeding up development, as it provides a quick way to re-test code.

WP Reset Webhook Integration

WP Webhooks WP Reset WordPress Plugin

WPWH – WP Reset Webhook Integration plugin can’t do much by itself, but it is worth mentioning as it adds another layer to WP Reset. What does it mean? This plugin integrates with WP Reset to add webhook functionality.

If you have another service that you are using hooks with to work on your site, then this plugin is a must. It will allow you to do everything you would normally do with WP Reset plugin through the admin dashboard.

From resetting the whole site to the cleaning of the uploads folder, with this integration you can do it through your preferred software.

How do you reset your site with WP Reset?

Step 1: Decide what you want to keep. Check the needed checkboxes to make sure that your site will come back with those options still in it.

WP Reset Actions

Step 2: Select what you want to reset. Do you need to reset the whole website, or do you need to clean up, for example, transients folder?

WP Reset Options

Step 3: Click delete! And if you want to reset the whole site, just type in “reset”, and hit the button.

WP Reset Confirmation

WP Database Reset

WP Database Reset Plugin

WP Database Reset is a similar solution to the first plugin mentioned. Sometimes, there are aspects of your site that you would like to keep, while deleting others.

Namely, we are talking about database, and database tables. With this plugin, it is almost effortless to delete the whole database and go back to the beginning. It is also next to nothing to clean up a specific table. Need to get rid of all your posts? You can do it in no time with a single click.

Just like the previous plugin, it is almost impossible to delete anything by accident. It has a bulletproof system similar to captcha so that you really have to think twice before deleting anything. If you are sure you want to erase a table or a database, it will do it for you in no time.

While there’s not a ton of features, it has everything a developer needs to speed up the development process. For those that need more options, go back to the first one, or read on.

How do you reset a database with WP Database Reset?

Step 1: Choose the database you would like to reset.

WP Database Reset Options

Step 2: Type in the provided security code and hit reset.

Advanced WordPress Reset

Advanced WordPress Reset Plugin

Advanced WordPress Reset plugin is another solution for resetting your site. It will allow you to get rid of a test site mess in no time, without having to go through the installation process all over again. Once again – it is perfect for anyone who needs a clean slate in WordPress every now and then.

With this plugin, just like with the previous ones, you get to keep all of your files. However, it will delete all database customizations that those plugins and themes have created for you. It can also delete all the posts, which is perfect for those spring cleaning moments you might be having throughout the year.

You also have the option to delete all the users, but the plugin will automatically detect the Admin user. On reset, the plugin allows this user to log in again with the same password, which saves a bunch of time.

It will not delete any plugins and themes, though. So if you are looking for help in that area you might want to look to other plugins on our list. The same goes for multisite, which is not supported. Still, developers will appreciate the ease of starting from scratch, as convenience and time-saving are always of utmost importance.

How to reset the site with Advanced WordPress Reset?

Step 1: Type the “reset” in the text box.

Advanced WordPress Reset Options

Step 2: Click reset!

Customizer Reset

Customizer Reset by WPZoom

Customizer Reset is the first plugin you should install if you are just getting started with WordPress. Why? As mentioned before – many people like to learn new things by diving straight into it. And the live Customizer is no different. Well, getting a grip on the Customizer might seem like no small feat, until you try it. “Intuitive, drag and drop builder” seems like a piece of cake. But the result can end up less than eye-pleasing.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if you just had a reset button? That’s exactly what  the Customizer Reset is for. It allows you take a hands-on approach to learning, without going the extra mile by having to delete everything manually. Do you even remember what you twisted and tweaked in the first place?

This plugin is said to work with all themes and plugins that use the “theme_mod” settings type to store these modifications. In essence, if that is true for the theme of your choice, then there is no easier way to get to the blank slate and try again.

How to reset the customizer?

Step 1: Install and activate the Customizer Reset plugin.

Customizer Reset Button

Step 2: The “Reset” button will appear in your customizer. If you need it, use it!

To sum it up

While WordPress does not come with a built-in reset button, it is easy to add the needed functionality with one of these powerful plugins. Features might be slightly changing per plugin – yet the ease of use remains the same. All you have to do is install, select what should be deleted, type in the security code and click a button.

Since all of these provide you with a clean slate in one way or another, the question of which is the best is up to you. It all depends on what you would like to delete or reset on your site.

Which one will you be using? Let us know in the comments below!

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