First identify where your blog is hosted. On WordPress.com, delete the site from Hosting Dashboard → Settings → Delete site. A self-hosted WordPress installation must be removed through your hosting account by deleting both its files and database. Export any content and media you may need before either action.
Before deleting: decide what you actually need
Deletion is not the only way to stop publishing. Choose the least destructive option that meets your goal.
| Option | What it does | Scope and recovery |
|---|---|---|
| Make the site private | Hides the site from public visitors while keeping its content. | Reversible; the site remains available in your account. |
| Reset the site | Removes site content while retaining the plan and domain. | Use for a clean start; confirm what your reset tool removes before proceeding. |
| Change the site address | Moves the site to a different WordPress.com address. | The original address may not be reusable after deletion, so changing it is safer when you want to preserve the site. |
| Copy or transfer the site | Creates a copy or moves ownership to another account. | Preserves a working version instead of destroying the original. |
| Delete the site | Removes one WordPress.com site or, on self-hosting, its installation. | WordPress.com restoration is available for 30 days; self-hosted recovery depends on backups. |
Save your WordPress.com content first
Use Tools → Export to create an XML file containing posts, pages, comments and related content. This export does not include your theme design, customizations, plugins or the actual image files.
For a narrower backup, export posts, pages or feedback separately. Export media separately as well. Images that are hot-linked from the original site can disappear from the destination if the original site is deleted or made private.
- Download the XML export and keep more than one copy.
- Save media files independently rather than relying only on the XML file.
- Record custom CSS, theme settings, plugin configuration and domain details if you may rebuild the site.
Delete one WordPress.com site
- Open the Hosting Dashboard and select the site you want to remove.
- Open Settings, then scroll to Delete site.
- Follow the prompts to remove active plans, domains or email purchases. WordPress.com requires active purchases to be removed before deletion.
- Enter the site’s full address to confirm that you selected the correct site.
- Select Delete Site and complete the final confirmation.
WordPress.com says: “Deleting a site permanently removes it, and you’ll never be able to reuse its WordPress.com address.” Visitors subsequently see a message that the site was deleted by the author.
Can a deleted WordPress.com site be recovered?
Yes, WordPress.com provides a 30-day restoration window for a deleted site. After 30 days, the data is permanently removed and the WordPress.com address cannot be reused. Treat the deletion as final unless you have confirmed the restoration process during that window.
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Deleting a site is not closing your WordPress.com account
Deleting one site leaves your WordPress.com account, username and registered domains active. Domains can continue renewing until you cancel them separately.
WordPress.com states: “Deleting a site is not the same as closing your account.” Closing the account removes every site owned by that account, not just the blog you selected.
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What must happen before account closure?
WordPress.com requires you to remove—not merely cancel—active subscriptions and registered domains before closing the account. Account data can be restored for 30 days; after that it is purged and cannot be recovered.
Other services affected by account closure
Closure also affects connected Automattic services, including WooCommerce.com, Crowdsignal, IntenseDebate, Gravatar and Jetpack. Comments you left on other WordPress.com sites are not automatically deleted.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to delete self-hosted WordPress
Self-hosted WordPress, often called WordPress.org, has no universal Delete website button in the WordPress dashboard. The hosting provider controls the files, database and account.
- Back up the site files and database if there is any chance you will need the content.
- Sign in to your hosting control panel, or use the host’s file manager or FTP/SFTP access.
- Remove the WordPress installation’s directories and files, including the document-root files and the
wp-contentdirectory. - Open the host’s database tool and delete the database used by that installation.
- Remove associated database users, scheduled backups, staging copies and domains only if you no longer need them.
- Check the host’s documentation or support instructions for its exact interface and any separate account, SSL or billing cleanup.
Deleting only the files can leave the database—and its posts, settings and user data—behind. Deleting only the database can leave files accessible on the server. A complete self-hosted removal requires both.
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- One WordPress.com site: removes that site but leaves the account and other sites intact.
- WordPress.com account: removes every site owned by the account and affects connected Automattic services.
- Self-hosted installation: remove the installation files and its database through the host; this does not automatically close the hosting account.
Final checks before confirming
- Verify the hosting model and the exact site address.
- Confirm that exports open correctly and that media has been saved separately.
- Check whether a domain, plan, email purchase or subscription still renews.
- Decide whether private mode, reset, transfer or copying meets your goal without permanent deletion.
- Keep backups for the full WordPress.com 30-day restoration period, or according to your self-hosting provider’s backup retention policy.
The Bottom Line
For WordPress.com, export content and media, then use Hosting Dashboard → Settings → Delete site; the site can be restored for 30 days, but its address cannot be reused after permanent removal. Closing the account is a separate action that removes every site and connected services. For self-hosted WordPress, delete both the installation files and its database through your host.
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