How To Remove Free Woocommerce

How to Remove Free WooCommerce: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction:

WooCommerce is a fantastic plugin for transforming your WordPress website into a fully functional e-commerce store. However, you might find yourself in a situation where you want to remove WooCommerce from your site. Perhaps you’re changing your business model, switching to a different e-commerce platform, or simply starting fresh. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to safely and effectively remove the free version of WooCommerce from your WordPress website, ensuring a clean and tidy uninstall. Remember to back up your website before proceeding with any of these steps. This is absolutely crucial to prevent data loss if something goes wrong.

Main Part: The Removal Process

Removing WooCommerce involves more than just deactivating the plugin. It also includes deleting data associated with the plugin. Here’s a breakdown of the process:

1. Deactivate WooCommerce

The first step is to deactivate the WooCommerce plugin. This stops WooCommerce from running and allows you to proceed with further steps.

• Go to your WordPress Dashboard.
• Navigate to Plugins -> Installed Plugins.
• Find WooCommerce in the list of plugins.
• Click the Deactivate link below the WooCommerce plugin name.

2. Delete WooCommerce

Once deactivated, you can now delete the plugin.

• Stay on the Plugins -> Installed Plugins page.
• Find WooCommerce again.
• Click the Delete link below the WooCommerce plugin name.
• WordPress will ask you to confirm the deletion. Click OK.

3. Delete WooCommerce Pages

WooCommerce automatically creates several essential pages like Shop, Cart, Checkout, and My Account. Deleting these pages is crucial for a clean uninstall.

• Go to Pages -> All Pages.
• Locate the pages created by WooCommerce (Shop, Cart, Checkout, My Account). You might need to check the trash.
• Move each page to the Trash.
• Go to Trash and permanently Delete these pages.

4. Remove WooCommerce Data from the Database

This is the most technical part, but it’s necessary for a complete uninstall. Proceed with caution! Incorrectly modifying your database can break your website.

• Back up your database before making any changes.
• Access your database using phpMyAdmin (usually found in your hosting control panel).
• Run the following SQL queries to delete WooCommerce-related data:

DROP TABLE IF EXISTS wp_woocommerce_sessions;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS wp_woocommerce_api_keys;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS wp_woocommerce_attribute_lookups;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS wp_woocommerce_downloadable_product_permissions;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS wp_woocommerce_log;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS wp_woocommerce_payment_tokens;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS wp_woocommerce_payment_tokenmeta;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS wp_woocommerce_shipping_zone_locations;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS wp_woocommerce_shipping_zone_methods;
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS wp_woocommerce_shipping_zones;

Note: Replace `wp_` with your WordPress database prefix if you changed it during installation. Double-check your prefix before running these queries.

• You can also search for and delete WooCommerce-related options in the `wp_options` table:

DELETE FROM wp_options WHERE option_name LIKE 'woocommerce_%';
DELETE FROM wp_options WHERE option_name LIKE 'wc_%';

Again, remember to replace `wp_` if needed.

Alternative Method (Using a Plugin):

For those less comfortable directly modifying the database, several plugins can assist with a complete WooCommerce uninstall. Search for plugins like “WooCommerce Uninstall” or “Database Cleaner” in the WordPress plugin repository. However, always choose reputable plugins with good reviews and recent updates, and back up your database before using them. These plugins automate the process of cleaning up WooCommerce data.

5. Check Your .htaccess File (Optional)

In some cases, WooCommerce might add rules to your `.htaccess` file. This is less common with recent versions, but it’s worth checking.

• Access your `.htaccess` file via FTP or your hosting file manager.
• Look for any WooCommerce-specific rules (e.g., related to permalinks).
• If you find any, carefully remove them. If unsure, it’s best to leave them and seek advice from a WordPress expert.

6. Clear Your Website Cache

After removing WooCommerce, clear your website’s cache (if you’re using a caching plugin) to ensure that visitors see the changes.

Conclusion:

Removing WooCommerce completely requires several steps, including deactivating and deleting the plugin, removing associated pages, and cleaning up data from the database. While the database cleanup can be technical, it’s essential for a clean uninstall. Remember to always back up your website before making any changes, especially to the database. By following these steps, you can confidently remove WooCommerce and move on to your next project. Whether you choose the manual method or a dedicated uninstall plugin, prioritize caution and data safety.