How to Remove Elementor from WordPress: A Hassle-Free Guide

If you’re a WordPress user looking to remove Elementor from your website, you’ve come to the right place. Elementor is a popular page builder plugin that offers powerful design capabilities, but there may be reasons why you want to part ways with it. Whether you’re transitioning to a different page builder, simplifying your site, or troubleshooting compatibility issues, this step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of safely and effectively removing Elementor from your WordPress site.

Why Remove Elementor?

Before we dive into the removal process, let’s briefly discuss why you might want to remove Elementor:

1. Transition to a Different Page Builder: You may have decided to switch to a different page builder plugin or use the default WordPress editor.
2. Performance Optimization: Elementor, like any page builder, can add extra weight to your site, affecting its loading speed. Removing it can help improve performance.
3. Compatibility Issues: In some cases, Elementor may not play well with certain themes or plugins, causing compatibility issues. Removing it can resolve these problems.
4. Simplification: If you find Elementor’s features overwhelming for your website’s needs, simplifying your site by removing it is a viable option.

Step 1: Backup Your Website

Before making any significant changes to your website, it’s essential to create a backup. This precaution ensures that you can restore your site if something goes wrong during the removal process. You can use plugins like UpdraftPlus or the built-in WordPress export and import tools to back up your site.

Step 2: Deactivate Elementor and Elementor Pro

To begin the removal process, you must deactivate both the free version of Elementor and Elementor Pro if you have it. Here’s how:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to the “Plugins” section on the left-hand menu.
3. Locate “Elementor” and “Elementor Pro” in the list of installed plugins.
4. Click “Deactivate” under each of these plugins.

Step 3: Delete Elementor and Elementor Pro

After deactivating the plugins, you can proceed to delete them:

1. Still in the “Plugins” section, find “Elementor” and “Elementor Pro.”
2. Click “Delete” under each of these plugins. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

Step 4: Remove Elementor-Generated Content

Elementor may leave behind some content, such as widgets and shortcodes, even after deactivation and deletion. To remove these remnants, follow these steps:

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to “Pages” and “All Pages.”
2. Edit each page where you’ve used Elementor.
3. Remove Elementor-generated content and replace it with default WordPress blocks or content as needed.

Repeat this process for all the pages on your website where Elementor was used.

Step 5: Review and Adjust Your Theme

Some themes are designed to work seamlessly with Elementor, and removing it might affect your site’s appearance. Review your website’s layout and design, and make any necessary adjustments to your theme’s settings or customization.

Step 6: Test Your Website

After removing Elementor and making adjustments, thoroughly test your website. Check for any broken links, missing content, or design inconsistencies. Ensure that all your pages and posts are functioning as expected.

Step 7: Delete Elementor Files

To complete the removal process, you can delete any leftover Elementor files and folders via FTP or your hosting file manager. This step is optional but can help clean up your website’s file structure.

Conclusion: A Seamless Transition

Removing Elementor from your WordPress website can be a smooth process if done correctly. By following these steps and taking the time to review and adjust your site, you can ensure that your website continues to function seamlessly without Elementor. Whether you’re simplifying your site, optimizing performance, or transitioning to a different page builder, this guide provides the necessary steps to achieve your goal.