How to Unpublish a Page in WordPress

Unpublishing a page in WordPress is a straightforward task. You just have to navigate to the page section, find the page you want to unpublish, click on it to edit, and then change its status from ‘Published’ to ‘Draft.’ After that, save the changes, and your page will be unpublished. It’s as simple as that. But, there are a few things you need to know before you proceed, which we will cover in this article.

When you unpublish a page, it will no longer be accessible to the public. Only users with the appropriate permissions within your WordPress site will be able to see and edit it. Unpublishing a page can be useful if you need to make updates, corrections, or if you simply want to remove the content from your site temporarily or permanently.

Introduction

WordPress is a popular content management system used by millions of people around the world to create and manage websites. One of the reasons it’s so popular is because it’s user-friendly and allows people with little to no technical knowledge to build and maintain a website. However, like any tool, it has its intricacies, and understanding how to navigate them can make your life much easier.

One such task is unpublishing a page. Whether you’ve made a mistake, need to update information, or want to temporarily remove a page from your site, knowing how to unpublish a page is a valuable skill. It’s particularly relevant for website administrators, content creators, and digital marketers who are responsible for maintaining the content and integrity of a website. It ensures that only accurate and current information is available to the public, which is crucial for maintaining trust with your audience. So, buckle up as we dive into a step-by-step guide on how to unpublish a page in WordPress.

Related: How to Delete a Page in WordPress

Step by Step Tutorial

This section will guide you through the process of unpublishing a page in WordPress, ensuring you have control over what content is visible on your site.

Step 1: Log In to Your WordPress Dashboard

Navigate to your WordPress login page and enter your credentials.

Once you’re logged in, you will be taken to the dashboard. This is the control center of your WordPress site where you can manage content, settings, and various other aspects of your website.

Step 2: Go to the Pages Section

From the dashboard, click on ‘Pages’ to view all the pages on your site.

This will take you to a list of all the pages that have been created on your WordPress site. Here, you can see the title of the pages, the author, the number of comments, and the date they were published or last modified.

Step 3: Find the Page You Want to Unpublish

Scroll through the list or use the search function to find the page you want to unpublish.

Once you have found the page, hover over the title. This will reveal a set of options beneath the title.

Step 4: Click on ‘Edit’

Click on the ‘Edit’ option beneath the page title.

This will take you to the editing screen for that particular page, where you can make changes to the content, the layout, and various other aspects of the page.

Step 5: Change the Status to ‘Draft’

Look for the ‘Status’ option in the ‘Publish’ box on the right side of the screen. If the page is published, it should currently say ‘Published.’ Click on ‘Edit’ next to this.

A drop-down menu will appear. Select ‘Draft’ from this menu and then click ‘OK.’

Step 6: Save the Changes

Click the ‘Update’ button to save the changes.

Your page is now unpublished and will no longer be visible to the public. Only users with the appropriate permissions will be able to see and edit the page.

Pros

Unpublishing a page in WordPress offers several benefits, especially for website administrators and content creators.

Easy to Revert

The process is reversible, and you can republish the page at any time.

One of the great things about WordPress is that nothing is set in stone. If you unpublish a page and later decide that you want it to be visible again, you can simply go back into the editor, change the status back to ‘Published,’ and save the changes.

Time to Update Content

It provides time to update content without misleading visitors.

When information on your site is outdated or incorrect, it’s crucial to update it as quickly as possible. Unpublishing the page allows you to make these updates without confusing or misleading your visitors.

Helps Maintain Site Integrity

Maintains the integrity of your site by ensuring only accurate and current information is available.

Your website is often the first point of contact between you and your audience or customers. Ensuring that all the information is accurate and up-to-date is crucial for building and maintaining trust.

Cons

While there are benefits to unpublishing pages in WordPress, there are also potential drawbacks to consider.

Broken Links

Can lead to broken links if other pages link to the unpublished page.

If other pages on your site or other sites link to the page you’ve unpublished, this will result in a broken link. Broken links can harm your site’s SEO and user experience.

Loss of Traffic

May result in a loss of traffic if the page ranked well in search engines.

If the page you’re unpublishing ranked well in search engines and brought in a significant amount of traffic, unpublishing it could result in a loss of that traffic.

Confusion for Repeat Visitors

Can cause confusion for visitors who have bookmarked the page or expect to find it.

If repeat visitors have bookmarked the page or expect to find it on your site, they may be confused or frustrated when they can’t find it.

Additional Information

There are a few additional things you should consider when unpublishing a page in WordPress.

Firstly, instead of unpublishing a page, you could consider redirecting it to another relevant page using a plugin like Redirection. This helps to maintain a good user experience and preserve any SEO value the page had.

Secondly, if you’re unpublishing a page because the content is no longer relevant, ensure that similar outdated content on your site is also updated or removed. Consistency is key when it comes to maintaining the integrity of your website.

Lastly, always double-check before unpublishing a page. Make sure that it’s the correct page and that unpublishing it is the right course of action.

Summary

1. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
2. Go to the Pages section.
3. Find the page you want to unpublish.
4. Click on ‘Edit’.
5. Change the status to ‘Draft’.
6. Save the changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when I unpublish a page?

When you unpublish a page, it becomes invisible to the public and is only accessible to users with the appropriate permissions on your WordPress site.

Can I unpublish a page without losing its content?

Yes, when you unpublish a page, the content is not deleted. You can still access and edit the page from the WordPress dashboard.

Will unpublishing a page affect my site’s SEO?

Unpublishing a page can affect your site’s SEO, especially if the page had a good ranking in search engines and brought in a significant amount of traffic.

Can I redirect an unpublished page to another page?

Yes, you can use a plugin like Redirection to redirect an unpublished page to another page on your site.

Is it possible to schedule a page to be unpublished?

WordPress does not have a built-in feature to schedule a page to be unpublished, but there are plugins available that can add this functionality.

Conclusion

Understanding how to unpublish a page in WordPress is an essential skill for website administrators, content creators, and digital marketers. It allows you to have greater control over the content that is visible on your site and ensures that your audience only sees accurate and current information. Whether you need to make updates, correct mistakes, or temporarily remove content, unpublishing a page is a straightforward process that can be done in just a few steps. However, it’s important to consider the potential drawbacks and to take additional steps to maintain a good user experience and preserve SEO value. With the right knowledge and tools, you can manage your WordPress site like a pro.