How to Reset WordPress to Its Default Settings

by Usman Raza Good things come when we wait for them

Last day, I was making a few changes on my website, and somehow I made a mess. And the next thing that scared the heck out of me was how do I fix all of the mess?

Like I cannot simply go ahead and delete my WordPress installation. As it will kill my website. So what’s the solution?

However, luckily I have figured out the solution for mess and successfully reset my WordPress website. But not all of the WordPress users are as lucky as me. So they might find a hard time in figuring out How to reset WordPress to its default settings.

Well in case, if the same thing is with you, then do not worry. As to help you out I am going to answer the How to reset WordPress to its default settings question. So let’s just dive into the topic without wasting much of the time:

How to reset WordPress to its default settings?

The thing that you must know before resetting your WordPress to the default sites is that when you reset your WordPress site to the default settings. It will erase whatever you have on your website.

Since WordPress uses the same database to store all the customizations, posts, designs and everything else. So whenever you trigger the reset feature, it erases the database. So make sure that you understand the risk, before resetting your WordPress website.

However, in case if you are done making your mind, then you can try out the WP Reset plugin for the job. Now the question is what WP Reset plugin is? Well if you have the same question. Then do not worry, let me explain:

Introduction: WP Reset

wp reset.png

WP Reset is one of the top plugins for resetting WordPress settings to the default ones. It can easily reset a website’s database to the default installation values without modifying any miles. It will delete all the customizations and content. Also, it is fast and safe to use.

The best part of this plugin is that it has more than just one fail-safe mechanism which will help you keep all the data. Because of that, you can rely on it and work on more important things than to worry about what will happen after the reset. The plugin will help you test your site, blog or a plugin/theme you’re working on by providing a fast way to reset the entire environment.

What Will the Plugin Erase?

all posts, pages, comments, media entries, custom post types and users.
all the default WP database tables.
All custom tables that have the same prefix as the table defined in wp-config.php

What Will Not Be Deleted Or Modified?

All media files. The wp-uploads folder will stay untouched but you will not be able to see that in the Media
It will not do any changes in themes, plugins and uploads.
site title, WP address, site address, site language, and search engine visibility settings will not be edited or delete
logged in user will have the current username & password.

How to reset WordPress to its default settings – Step By Step Guide:

First of all, go to your WordPress Dashboard and plugin page.
After that, you have to search for WP Reset plugin, or you can download it from the WP Reset WordPress page.
Once it get installed, head over to tools and then WP Reset.
Then go to DB snapshots, and click on the Create New Button. After that put any name here, and it will create a backup of your current settings.

After that download the snapshot. You can use this file, in case if you ever feel like restoring the existing settings again.
After that, come back to the Reset tab, then scroll down to the bottom.
Over here you will find different settings, simply select the required ones.

In the end, type down reset to the password box and click on the reset button, and you are all done. Wait for a while and let the process get completed. Also, if you would like to edit the .htaccess file, then you can try out the WPHtacess plugin.

Final Words:

So that was all for your question How to reset WordPress to its default settings. Now go ahead and check the plugin and see how it is working for you.

Author: Usman Raza is the co-founder of Christian Marketing Experts and marketing strategist working with various brands online, and the content marketing manager of PSD to Wordpress and Ionva. He is devoted to helping small businesses bridge success gaps by providing in-depth, actionable advice on digital marketing, SEO, and small business growth. Follow him on Twitter @usmanintrotech.