For security and performance reasons, we symbolically link (symlink) some themes and plugins so that they are secure and can be scalably managed across our platform.
If you’d like to remove the default themes, such as twentytwentyfour, or symlinked plugins (except Jetpack and Akismet), you can do so using one of two methods:
Remove via SSH
Connect to SSH
You will first need to connect to the site via SSH.
Run WP-CLI Command
Once connected, you can run the following WP-CLI commands to remove symlinks:
- For removing symlinked plugins:
wp atomic plugin use-unmanaged [plugin-name] --remove-existing(example:wp atomic plugin use-unmanaged woocommerce --remove-existing) - For removing symlinked themes:
wp atomic theme use-unmanaged [theme-name] --remove-existing(example:wp atomic theme use-unmanaged twentytwentyfour --remove-existing)
Remove via SFTP
Danger: Removing via SFTP removes the theme or plugin completely. It does not re-add it to the site. Once the symlinked version is removed, the theme or plugin needs to be manually re-added to the site (via SFTP or the WP Admin).
You can use any FTP client, such as FileZilla.
Connect to SFTP
You will first need FTP access through Pressable SFTP tools. Log into your SFTP account using your credentials. Then navigate to the wp-content/themes folder:
Locate the Symlinks
Select the folder(s) you’d like to delete, right-click on them and choose “delete”.
Delete the Symlinks
You’ll be prompted if you want to delete the link itself or the actual directory. Choose to delete just the symlink:
Re-Adding Symlinks
If you’d like to have a theme or plugin that was removed using the above information back as a symlink, get in touch with Customer Success and we’ll be happy to help.
Jetpack & Akismet
Every WordPress site on Pressable includes a managed copy of WordPress Core, Akismet, and Jetpack. These are read-only and shared across all sites.
If not used, inactive managed plugins do not take up processing resources; it does not utilize disk space from the user because it is symlinked.
To delete Akismet or Jetpack from a site currently, please contact the Pressable support team to unlock those plugins on your site(s).