This post would not have been necessary if not that it takes extra effort in completely deleting W3 total cache compared to other WordPress plugins. This is so because, W3 total cache tend to leave strings of scripts behind on the site root directory that may hamper the smooth running of server and the entire website.

These scripts have been the major out cry of beginners who prior the delete have been advised on the efficacy of W3 total cache as one of the best caching plugins to speed up page load. Indeed, this plugin still remain the best of it kind if set properly.

I recently switched from W3 total cache to WP super cache because of compatibility problem and conflicting responses of W3 total cache with other plugins especially the ones that operate on JavaScript.

This is premised on the fact that W3TC has been configured to minify them. Upon this was the process of delete constituted apart from the error 500 reports.

However, a simple solution could be to uncheck all the cached parameters on W3 total cache and then, deactivate it before a new plugin is installed. If this does not work, deleting it out-rightly or replacing with WP super cache could just be the best solution.

The process of deleting W3 total cache.

Log in to your WordPress admin panel
Click W3 total cache or go to plugin and click installed plugin. Find W3 total cache and click on setting
Uncheck all cached parameters on General setting and miscellaneous
Click on ‘Save All setting‘
A message stating that the ‘plugin is currently disabled’ will show at the top page to confirm W3TC is no longer functional.
Go back to installed plugin page and deactivate W3TC
Then, click on delete and follow through the process.

Now, to remove the problematic scripts that won’t let go off the root directory on the server;

Log in to your host panel and go to file manager or log in to your server directly through FTP program.

Open wp-content on the root directory and look for the following files;

db.php
w3-total-cache-config.php
Advanced-cache-php
w3tc

Delete all these files if you find them their.

Also, open .htaccess file for editing and ensure it does not contain w3 total cache re-write rules. Set the security settings to 644 or lower.

That’s about all you need to do to completely delete W3 total cache from your website. Since it might be necessary to either reinstall W3 total cache later in future or any other caching plugin like WP super cache so as to enhance page load time, I won’t advise you to completely remove or disable ‘WP-CACHE’.

But if you wish to do this then, edit the wp-config.php file and change the line:

define (WP_CACHE’, true);
from true to false (i.e. define (‘WP_CACHE’,false);

Effect of Caching Plugins

It is important to state hear that caching plugins tend to delay updates depending on the time set for caching. So, if your updates didn’t show up almost immediately, that does not mean they’ve not been effected.

Give it some time and you’ll see the update operational. You may want to say that website design or blog setup is about tweaking until perfection is reached but, the caching delay might affect quick display thereby elongating the time of setup completion.

Well, this is caching plugin disadvantage. The solution would be to disable all caching factors before effecting an update.

We shall be glad to know if you have a better way of doing this. No one is an epitome of knowledge, but be unique at what you do.

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Francis 'Toke

Creative Web Developer at Frandimore

Level headed individual, writing blog post for Frandimore when not engrossed on projects.

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