How to Delete Unused Database Tables in WordPress

Do you want to clear old database tables in your WordPress site? The WordPress site stores any information in the database which increases the size. When you install and activate a plugin or theme in your WordPress site, it automatically create database tables to work properly.

But when you disable and uninstall the plugin, it can not remove database tables. To completely uninstall a WordPress plugin from your site, you need to delete database tables, folders and files.

In this tutorial, I’m going to share how to clear old database tables in wordpress site.

So, let’s get started…

How to Delete Orphan Tables from WordPress Database

Deleting orphan tables from database is not a hard task. You can delete in a few minutes. Here I will tell about two plugins to delete orphan tables from database that work perfectly.

Note: Back up your database before deleting unused database tables from your site. So you can restore your database again if there is a problem.

#1. Delete Unused Database Tables Using Plugins Garbage Collector

First, install and activate Plugins Garbage Collector plugin on your site.

Plugins Garbage Collector scans your WordPress database for orphan tables. If your blog is older, then your WordPress database might have some unused plugin tables. With this plugin, you can check your database for orphan tables and delete them.

Once activated, it’ll add a new menu item under tool with Plugins Garbage Collector label. Just click on Tool >> Plugins Garbage Collector. This will take you to the plugin’s settings page.

Here check the box of Search none-WP tables and Show hidden tables then click on Scan Database. Also, plugin searches WP tables structure changes.

After getting the result, you can remove unused plugins tables from the database. The plugin does not display database tables related to WordPress core or installed plugins.

Select the tables you want to delete. Then, scroll down and click on the “Delete Tables” button. After deleting unused old database tables, it will notify you like this – Tables are deleted successfully: ytmah_rank_math_redirections_cache

Congratulation! You have successfully deleted unused database tables in your WordPress site.

You can use the WP-Optimize plugin to further clean and optimize your database.

#2. Delete Unused Database Tables Using Advanced Database Cleaner

This is also very popular and highly rated plugin to clear old database tables in WordPress.

First, install and activate Advanced Database Cleaner plugin on your site. This plugin deletes orphaned data such as old revisions, old drafts, optimize database and many more.

Once activated, it will add new menu item in your WordPress dashboard with WP DB Cleaner. Just click on it. This will take you to the plugin’s settings page.

Here navigate to Tables and hit on Detect orphan tables. It will start detecting unused database tables.

Check your Orphan Tables and select the Delete option from the drop-down menu then hit on Apply button.

Congratulation! Advanced Database Cleaner has deleted orphan tables from your Database.

To further clean and optimize your database navigate to the General clean-up tab, then select the Clean option from the drop-down menu and click on the Apply button.

Conclusion

To reduce your database size and improve website speed, you should delete old database tables that are not being used.

Here are two plugins recommended to delete Unused Database Tables. Both plugins are very easy to use and you can use anyone.

Before using the plugin, back up your database and you should know which database tables you are deleting.

Comment below to share your thoughts and experiences about removing orphan tables from the database.

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