Quick Answer: Inactive plugins will not slow down WordPress or your WordPress website. They have no effect on site speed as WordPress only loads active plugins. The key takeaway is be sure to delete or deactive plugins you’re no longer using.
We all know that plugins can be a huge help in making our WordPress sites work better and perform faster.
But what if we’re not using them?
Are they still taking up space and slowing down our sites?
Keep reading to find out more.
What Plugins Are & Why They Matter
A plugin is a piece of software that can be added to a WordPress site to extend its functionality.
There are plugins for just about everything, from contact forms and social media integration to security and caching. While some plugins are available for free, others must be purchased.
Many developers offer both a free and premium version of their plugins, with the premium version offering more features.
Plugins are important because they can save you a lot of time and effort in developing your site. For example, rather than having to code a contact form from scratch, you can simply install a plugin and have it up and running in minutes.
Furthermore, because plugins are developed by third-party developers, you can be sure that they are constantly being updated to work with the latest versions of WordPress. As a result, using plugins is one of the best ways to ensure that your WordPress site is always up-to-date and running smoothly.
Do Inactive Plugins Slow Down WordPress?
One of the great things about WordPress is that it’s extendable—meaning there are tons of plugins available to add extra features and functionality to your site.
However, you may have heard that having too many plugins, or even worse, leaving plugins activated even if you’re not using them, can slow down your site.
To understand why this is, it’s important to take a look at how the process works behind the scenes.
When a user accesses any page on your WordPress site, only the active plugins are loaded – inactive plugins are ignored in the loading process. In other words, your website’s speed won’t be bogged down by any inactive plugins you might have.
So, there’s no need to worry about deactivating any plugins you’re not using – they’re not going to slow down your WordPress site in any way.
Deactivating or uninstalling plugins is up to the user and their preferences. A plugin only affects performance if it’s running code. Since inactive plugins aren’t running any code, they can’t possibly affect the performance of your site.
Unused Plugins Take Up Storage Space—But Won’t Affect Performance If Server Is Good Quality
While inactive plugins might not affect the performance of your WordPress site, they can take up storage space on your server. This is because even when a plugin is deactivated, its files remain on your server.
So if you’re worried about conserving space, you may want to consider uninstalling plugins you’re not using instead of just deactivating them.
Of course, if you’re on a quality hosting plan with plenty of storage space, then this probably isn’t something you need to worry about. But if you’re on a shared host where storage space is limited, then uninstalling unused plugins can help free up some space.
The bottom line is that inactive plugins do not slow down WordPress. Deactivating or uninstalling them is entirely up to you. However, unused plugins do take up storage space—though this shouldn’t be an issue if you’re on a quality hosting plan with plenty of storage space to spare.
How To Delete a Plugin in WordPress
If you’re no longer using a plugin on your WordPress site, or if you just want to get rid of it for some other reason, you can delete it from your site.
- First, you’ll need to log into your WordPress dashboard.
- Once you’re logged in, go to the Plugins section and find the plugin that you want to delete.
- When you hover over the plugin, you should see a few options appear, including “Deactivate” and “Delete.” Select “Deactivate” to disable the plugin first, then select “Delete” to remove it from your site permanently.
Keep in mind that deleting a plugin can sometimes cause conflicts with other plugins or themes, so make sure that you know what you’re doing before deleting any plugins from your site.
Conclusion
WordPress is a powerful platform with many options for users. While inactive plugins do not slow down the site, deactivating or uninstalling them is ultimately up to the user.
If you are not using a plugin, it’s best to deactivate or delete it from your site so that it doesn’t take up storage space on the server.
