How to Clean a Hacked WordPress Website

How to Clean a Hacked WordPress Website (Step-by-Step Guide by WP Needs)

Table of Contents

1. How to Know If Your WordPress Site Is Hacked
2. Common Signs of a Hacked WordPress Website
3. Step-by-Step Guide to Clean and Restore Your Website
   3.1 Put Your Website in Maintenance Mode
   3.2 Scan for Malware and Infected Files
   3.3 Restore a Clean Backup (If Available)
   3.4 Manually Remove Malicious Files and Code
   3.5 Reinstall WordPress Core Files
   3.6 Change All Passwords and Security Keys
   3.7 Check User Accounts and Permissions
   3.8 Reinstall or Clean Themes and Plugins
   3.9 Update Everything
4. How to Prevent Future Hacks
5. Final Thoughts from WP Needs

1. How to Know If Your WordPress Site Is Hacked

A hacked website can damage your SEO ranking, display strange content, or even spread malware to your visitors.
It’s crucial to take action immediately — the longer your site stays infected, the more harm it can cause.

At WP Needs, we specialize in malware removal, WordPress cleanup tools, and premium security plugins that help users recover their hacked websites safely and quickly.

2. Common Signs of a Hacked WordPress Website

If your website has been compromised, you might notice one or more of these warning signs:

•  Unusual pop-ups or redirects to unknown websites
• New admin accounts you didn’t create
• Google showing a “This site may be hacked” warning
• Website loading slower than usual
• Spam posts or suspicious links appearing automatically
• Hosting provider suspending your account

If you see any of these, it’s time to clean your site immediately.

3. Step-by-Step Guide to Clean and Restore Your Website

3.1 Put Your Website in Maintenance Mode

Before you start cleaning, put your website into maintenance mode.
This prevents visitors (and search engines) from seeing broken pages or malicious content.

Use a plugin like WP Maintenance Mode or do it manually by creating a simple “We’re fixing things” page.

3.2 Scan for Malware and Infected Files

Install a malware scanner to identify infected files and database entries.
Recommended tools:

• Wordfence Security
• Sucuri Security
• WP Needs Malware Scanner Pro

These tools scan your entire WordPress directory and alert you to suspicious files.

3.3 Restore a Clean Backup (If Available)

If you have a clean and recent backup, restoring it is the fastest way to fix your website.
Use a backup plugin such as UpdraftPlus or WP Needs Backup Pro to restore your site to a healthy version.

3.4 Manually Remove Malicious Files and Code

If you don’t have a backup, you’ll need to remove malware manually:

1. Connect to your site via FTP or File Manager.
2. Look for unfamiliar PHP or .js files.
3. Compare them with a clean version of WordPress.
4. Delete or replace any suspicious files.

Pay special attention to folders like:

/wp-content/themes/
/wp-content/plugins/
/wp-includes/

3.5 Reinstall WordPress Core Files

Download a fresh copy of WordPress from wordpress.org.
Replace all core files and folders except /wp-content/ and wp-config.php.

This ensures all infected core files are replaced with clean ones.

3.6 Change All Passwords and Security Keys

Immediately change:

• WordPress admin password
• FTP and hosting passwords
• Database password
• Security keys in wp-config.php (you can generate new keys here)

This ensures hackers lose any remaining access to your site.

3.7 Check User Accounts and Permissions

Go to Users → All Users in your WordPress dashboard.
Delete any accounts you don’t recognize or that have admin privileges without reason.

3.8 Reinstall or Clean Themes and Plugins

Remove any nulled, outdated, or suspicious plugins and themes.
Reinstall them only from trusted sources like:

• WordPress.org
• WP Needs Plugin Store

This ensures your new installation is safe and malware-free.

3.9 Update Everything

Once your site is clean, update:

• WordPress core
• All plugins and themes
• PHP version on your server

Keeping everything up to date is the best long-term protection.

4. How to Prevent Future Hacks

Now that your website is safe, follow these ongoing security tips from WP Needs:

✅ Install a WordPress firewall plugin
✅ Set up daily automatic backups
✅ Use two-factor authentication (2FA) for logins
✅ Disable file editing in the WordPress dashboard
✅ Regularly scan for malware
✅ Only use official or WP Needs–verified plugins

💡 For complete protection, try our WP Needs Security Pack — a bundle of security and backup tools designed to keep your site safe and fast.

5. Final Thoughts from WP Needs

Recovering a hacked WordPress site can be stressful, but with the right steps, tools, and patience, your website can be completely restored.
The key is to act quickly, clean everything properly, and prevent future attacks with strong security practices.

Explore WP Needs Security & Recovery Tools to protect your website today:
Browse Security Solutions on WP Needs (replace with your actual link)