How to Unpublish a WordPress Page (4 Simple Ways)

Unpublishing a WordPress page is a straightforward process, but it’s essential to do it correctly to maintain your website’s integrity. Whether you want to hide a page temporarily or remove it entirely, we’ll walk you through four simple ways to achieve this. In this guide, we’ll provide easy-to-understand explanations for each method to ensure you can confidently manage your WordPress pages while optimizing your website’s SEO.

How to Unpublish a WordPress Page (4 Simple Ways)

Method 1: Using the WordPress Editor

The first method we’ll explore involves using the WordPress Editor, which is the most straightforward way to unpublish a page.

  1. Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard: To get started, log in to your WordPress website. You’ll need administrator or editor access to make changes.
  2. Go to “Pages”: From the left-hand menu, click on “Pages.” Here, you’ll see a list of all the pages on your website.
  3. Select the Page to Unpublish: Find the page you want to unpublish and click on its title.
  4. Edit the Page: Once you’re in the page editor, look for the “Publish” box on the right-hand side.
  5. Change the Page Status: Under “Status,” you’ll see “Published.” Click the “Edit” button next to it.
  6. Choose “Draft” or “Pending Review”: A dropdown menu will appear with options like “Draft” and “Pending Review.” Select “Draft” if you want to save the page as a draft or “Pending Review” if you want someone else to review it before publishing.
  7. Click “OK” or “Save as Pending”: After selecting your preferred status, click “OK” or “Save as Pending,” depending on the option you chose. This will change the page’s status, effectively unpublishing it.
  8. Update the Page: Don’t forget to click the “Update” button to save your changes.

SEO-Optimized Tip: When unpublishing a page, it’s a good practice to set up a custom 404 error page or redirect your visitors to a related page to maintain a positive user experience and avoid SEO penalties due to broken links.

Method 2: Using a Plugin (Yoast SEO)

The second method involves using a popular WordPress plugin called Yoast SEO to unpublish a page. This method is useful if you want more control over the SEO aspects of your page.

  1. Install and Activate Yoast SEO: If you haven’t already, install and activate the Yoast SEO plugin. You can do this by navigating to “Plugins” in your WordPress dashboard and searching for “Yoast SEO.”
  2. Go to “Pages” in Your Dashboard: Follow the same steps as in Method 1 to reach the page you want to unpublish.
  3. Edit the Page: Click on the page’s title to open the editor.
  4. Scroll Down to Yoast SEO Settings: Yoast SEO adds a section below the editor. Find the “Yoast SEO” box.
  5. Change the Page’s SEO Status: In the Yoast SEO box, look for the “SEO” tab. Under “Meta Robots Index,” select “Noindex.” This will instruct search engines not to index the page.
  6. Update the Page: Save your changes by clicking the “Update” button.

SEO-Optimized Tip: Make sure you have a good reason for noindexing a page. Avoid noindexing important pages, as it can affect your website’s SEO performance.

Method 3: Using the Quick Edit Option

For a faster way to unpublish a page, you can use the Quick Edit option.

  1. Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard: Access your WordPress dashboard as usual.
  2. Navigate to “Pages”: Go to the “Pages” section to find your list of pages.
  3. Hover Over the Page to Unpublish: Hover your mouse over the page title you want to unpublish. This action will reveal several options below the page title.
  4. Click “Quick Edit”: Click on the “Quick Edit” option.
  5. Change the Page Status: In the Quick Edit box, you’ll see the “Status” option. Click on the dropdown menu and select “Draft” to unpublish the page.
  6. Update the Page: Don’t forget to click the “Update” button to save your changes.

SEO-Optimized Tip: Always double-check the page you’re unpublishing to avoid accidentally removing a vital page from your website.

Method 4: Using a Redirect Plugin

If you want to maintain SEO value and direct visitors to another page when you unpublish a page, consider using a redirect plugin like “Redirection.”

  1. Install and Activate the Redirection Plugin: Just like with Yoast SEO, you need to install and activate the Redirection plugin.
  2. Access the Redirection Settings: After activation, go to “Tools” in your WordPress dashboard, and select “Redirection.”
  3. Set Up a Redirect: In the Redirection settings, you can create a new redirect. Enter the URL of the page you want to unpublish in the “Source URL” field.
  4. Choose the Redirect Type: Under “Action,” select the type of redirect you want. For unpublishing, choose “301 Redirect” (permanent) or “302 Redirect” (temporary).
  5. Specify the Destination URL: In the “Target URL” field, enter the URL of the page you want visitors to go to instead. This could be a similar page or a custom message.
  6. Save the Redirect: Click the “Add Redirect” button to create the redirect.

SEO-Optimized Tip: When creating a redirect, ensure that the destination URL is relevant to the original page’s content. This helps maintain a positive user experience and preserves SEO value.

Conclusion:

Unpublishing a WordPress page doesn’t have to be complicated. By following these four simple methods, you can easily hide or remove pages while maintaining control over your website’s SEO. Remember to choose the method that best suits your needs and consider the impact on SEO and user experience. Properly managing unpublished pages is essential for keeping your WordPress site organized, user-friendly, and search engine optimized.