Edit or delete pages in WordPress

You can edit, update, or delete existing WordPress pages at any time. Texts can be changed, images swapped, links added, and page settings such as the slug, parent page, or template can be adjusted later.

However, you should proceed with more caution for pages that have already been published than for a new draft. Changes to the URL in particular, or completely deleting a page, can impact internal links, search engines, external backlinks, and the navigation of your website.

In this guide, we will show you how to edit existing WordPress pages, use quick edit, move pages to the trash, and restore accidentally deleted pages. We will also explain what you should check before deleting a page that has already been published.

Briefly explained: Open in the WordPress admin area Pages → All Pages. There you can edit an existing page, change its settings, or move it to the trash. For a page that has already been published, you should check whether the previous URL is still needed before making changes to the slug or page hierarchy, as well as before deleting it.

Show all WordPress pages #

You can find the central overview of your existing pages in the WordPress admin area under:

Pages → All Pages

The existing WordPress pages are listed there.

Depending on the WordPress version, user permissions, and installed plugins, the following information may be displayed, for example:

• Page title
• Author
• Status
• Release date
• parent page
• additional plugin information

If you want to create a new page instead, you can find the complete instructions at Create and publish new pages in WordPress.

Edit existing WordPress site #

To change the content of a page, open it in the editor you are using.

Edit page #

1. Log in to your WordPress admin area.
2. Open Pages → All Pages.
3. Search for the desired page.
4. Click on the page title or on Edit.
5. Make the desired changes.
6. Check the page via the preview.
7. Click on Update, to save the changes.

What can be changed on a page? #

Basically, you can subsequently edit almost all editorial components of a WordPress site.

This includes, for example:

• Page title
• Text
• Headlines
• Pictures
• Links
• Listen
• Tables
• Buttons
• Slug
• parent page
• Template
• Featured image
• Author
• Publication status
• Release date

Which additional settings are available depends on the active theme and the installed plugins.

Edit page content with the block editor #

If the page was created with the standard WordPress block editor, you can edit the existing blocks directly.

For example, click inside a paragraph to change the text, or select an image block if you want to replace an existing image.

You can also:

• add new blocks
• delete existing blocks
• Move blocks
• Duplicate blocks
• Change headings
• Add or remove links

For more extensive pages, the list view of the block editor can help to get a quicker overview of the existing structure.

Edit page with Elementor or another page builder #

If a page was created with Elementor or another page builder, you should generally edit it with the designated editor.

For an Elementor page, for example, a corresponding function like Edit with Elementor be available.

Do not modify an existing complex page haphazardly using alternating different editors unless you know exactly how its content is structured.

Practical Tip: Check on an existing website first which editor or page builder was used to create the page in question. This prevents unnecessary layout issues.

Save changes to a published page #

For an already published page, you normally save changes by Update.

After a successful update, the changes are generally part of the published page.

Then open the public URL and check the result.

Use preview before updating #

For major changes, you should use the preview feature before refreshing the published page.

This is especially useful if you:

• you have changed larger sections of text
• You restructured headings
• You have exchanged pictures
• You've changed tables or columns
• you have inserted new buttons or links
• you changed the page layout

Also check the display on smaller screen sizes.

Change the page title later #

The title of a WordPress page can be changed afterwards.

This can be useful, for example, if the previous title was:

• is vaguely worded
• no longer fits the content
• contains an outdated term
• has a typo
• needs to be adapted after a revision of the content

Keep in mind that page titles and URLs are not the same thing.

Does the URL change automatically when the page title is changed? #

For a page that has already been published, you should not assume that WordPress will automatically change the existing URL accordingly when the title is modified.

That would also be problematic with existing content, as even minor changes to the title could otherwise unintentionally generate new URLs.

The page title and the slug are therefore treated as separate properties.

Change the slug of a page #

The slug is the individual part of a WordPress URL.

At:

https://deine-domain.ch/kontakt

is

Contact

the slug.

WordPress allows you to change it later.

However, if a page has already been published, you should only do so if you have a specific reason.

Attention: If you change the slug, the URL of the page usually changes as well. Existing internal links, external links, search engine entries, and saved bookmarks may continue to point to the previous address.

When is it a good idea to change the slug? #

A change may be useful, for example, if:

• the original slug contains a typo
• the page was originally published under an inappropriate URL
• the site's theme has changed fundamentally
• a website's structure is revised in a controlled manner

For a new page that has not been published yet, you can correct the slug much more easily.

What will happen to the previous URL? #

If the URL of a published page changes, you should check what happens when the old address is accessed.

If the same content has merely been moved to a new address, a permanent redirect from the old to the new URL is often advisable.

Whether your SEO plugin or another system automatically creates such a redirect depends on your configuration.

Therefore, do not rely on this, but test the old URL after the change.

Update internal links after a URL change #

If other pages or posts on your website still point to the old address, you should update these internal links to the current URL whenever possible.

While a redirect can ensure that visitors still arrive at the right destination, a direct internal link to the current address is cleaner.

We explain how permalinks work in principle at Configure permalink settings in WordPress.

Change parent page retroactively #

WordPress pages can be structured hierarchically. Thus, one page can be made subordinate to another page.

For example:

Services
└── Web design

You can also change this assignment later.

However, caution is required here because the page hierarchy can affect the URL.

Page hierarchy can change the URL #

For example, a subpage can have the following URL:

https://deine-domain.ch/dienstleistungen/webdesign

If you Web design subsequently assigning it to a different parent page or removing the parent assignment can change the address.

For an already published website, you should therefore always check the URL after changing the page hierarchy.

Do not confuse menu and page hierarchy #

The parent-child structure of WordPress pages and your website's navigation are two different things.

Submitting one page under another does not automatically mean it will appear at the corresponding place in the main menu.

Conversely, you can display a menu item as a sub-item without necessarily using the same page hierarchy.

We explain how to manage WordPress menus at Creating and managing menus in WordPress.

Change the template of an existing page #

Depending on the theme, a WordPress site can use different templates.

Another template can affect, for example:

• Content width
• Page title
• Sidebar
• Header
• Footer
• additional theme areas

Therefore, do not change the template of an existing page without subsequent verification.

With block themes, templates and template parts are managed via the Site Editor and may function differently than with classic themes.

Change the featured image of a page #

The featured image assigned to a page can also be changed at any time.

Replace featured image #

1. Open the desired page.
2. Open page settings.
3. Search the area Featured image.
4. Replace the existing image.
5. Select a file from the media library or upload a new image.
6. Refresh the page.
7. Control the public image.

Whether and where the featured image is displayed depends on the theme or template being used.

Do not automatically delete old image from media library #

When you replace an image on a page, you should not automatically remove the previous file from the WordPress Media Library.

The same file might also be used on other pages, in posts, galleries, or templates.

Therefore, check whether a media file is actually no longer needed before finally deleting it.

You can find more about this at Managing media in WordPress.

Change author of a page #

Depending on user permissions, you can assign an existing page to a different WordPress user as the author.

This can be useful, for example, on websites with multiple editors or administrators.

Which users are allowed to edit which content depends on the WordPress role system.

You can find more about this at Managing users in WordPress: roles, capabilities, and user accounts.

Use quick edit for pages #

For smaller administrative changes, you don't always have to open the full editor.

Under Pages → All Pages does the function normally work Quick edit available.

Depending on the WordPress version and configuration, you can use it to change the following information, for example:

• Title
• Slug
• Date
• Author
• parent page
• Order
• Status
• Template

Which options actually appear depends on your WordPress configuration.

When is express processing useful? #

Quick Edit is suitable for minor changes to the page properties.

For example, if you:

• want to correct a title
• want to change the author
• you want to assign a parent page
• want to change the publication status

For changes to the actual page content, however, you should open the normal editor or the page builder being used.

Edit multiple pages simultaneously #

WordPress also supports bulk actions for multiple pages.

Edit Multiple Pages #

1. Open Pages → All Pages.
2. Select the pages you want using the checkboxes.
3. Select for multiple actions Edit.
4. Click on Take over.
5. Make the requested joint changes.
6. Save the changes.

Which properties can be edited together depends on WordPress and the respective configuration.

Search pages #

A large website can have a very high number of pages.

You can search for a specific page title or term using the search function in the site overview.

That's usually faster than manually scrolling through several pages of the overview.

What are revisions? #

WordPress can store different revision states of a page as Revisions save.

This allows you to compare changes between different versions and, if necessary, restore an earlier state.

Revisions are helpful, for example, when:

• a section of text was accidentally deleted
• an extensive change is to be undone
• several people worked on one side
• you need an older version of the content

Restore previous revision of a page #

If there are revisions for a page, you can open the revision view and compare different versions.

Restore revision #

1. Open the relevant page.
2. Open the existing revisions.
3. Compare the saved versions.
4. Select the desired revision status.
5. Restore the corresponding revision.
6. Then check the complete content.

The exact display may vary depending on the WordPress version and the editor interface used.

Revisions do not replace a backup #

WordPress revisions are not a substitute for a full data backup.

A revision concerns stored editing states of certain content.

A complete website backup, on the other hand, can additionally contain, depending on the backup system:

• WordPress database
• Plugins
• Themes
• Uploads
• Configuration files
• additional website files

Note: Revisions help you with editorial changes to a page. To restore a damaged or deleted website, you need a proper backup.

Revert published page to draft #

Depending on user permissions and WordPress configuration, an already published page can be reverted to the status Draft be set.

As a result, the page remains in the WordPress admin area and can still be edited, but it is no longer publicly available.

For a page that is already indexed or frequently linked, you should keep in mind that the previously public URL may no longer be accessible to visitors as it was before.

Publish page privately #

Alternatively, a page can be private to be published.

Private pages are not publicly visible and can only be accessed by appropriately authorized, logged-in WordPress users.

Thus, private content differs from a normal draft.

Protect page with password #

WordPress also allows password protection for a page.

Visitors must then enter the specified password before they can view the protected content.

This function is suitable for simple access restrictions, but it does not replace a complete user, customer, or member system.

Delete WordPress site #

If a page is no longer needed, you can move it to the trash.

Delete page #

1. Open Pages → All Pages.
2. Search for the desired page.
3. Check that this is the right page.
4. Click on Recycle Bin.
5. The page will be moved to the WordPress trash.

The page is therefore not necessarily deleted permanently for now.

Delete page directly from the editor #

A page can also be moved to the trash directly from the editing area.

Depending on the WordPress version and editor interface, the corresponding function can be found in the page settings or the action menu.

Particularly for similarly named pages, double-check the title and URL before deleting.

What is the WordPress trash? #

Deleted pages are usually moved to the recycle bin first.

This allows accidentally deleted pages to be recovered as long as they are still present there.

Therefore, the recycle bin is an important security level between a normal page and final deletion.

Restore deleted page #

As long as a page is still in the trash, you can usually restore it.

Restore page from trash #

1. Open Pages → All Pages.
2. Switch to view Recycle Bin.
3. Search for the desired page.
4. Click on Restore.
5. Then check the status and content of the page.

Delete page permanently #

You can permanently delete a page in the trash.

After final deletion, the normal recovery function of the WordPress trash is no longer available.

Therefore, before you finally delete an important page, you should be sure that you no longer need its content.

Attention: First, move a page to the trash if you are not absolutely sure. Permanently delete removes the standard recovery option via WordPress.

What happens to images from a deleted page? #

Deleting a WordPress page does not normally automatically remove all images and files that were used on that page.

The media files remain in the WordPress media library.

This makes sense because the same files might still be used on other pages, in posts, or in templates.

Therefore, delete media files separately only if you are sure that they are no longer needed anywhere.

What happens to child pages? #

Special attention is required if the deleted page was a parent page of other content.

For example, if the following structure exists:

Services
├── Web design
├── SEO
└── Consulting

and you the parent page Services remove, you should check what happens to the child pages and their URLs.

You should.

Check the navigation before deleting #

If a page is part of a menu, you should also check the navigation.

A menu item should not permanently point to a page that no longer exists.

Remove or replace the corresponding menu item if the page is permanently deleted.

We explain how to edit navigations at Creating and managing menus in WordPress.

Do not accidentally delete the home page #

You should be especially careful if you want to delete a page that is used as a static homepage.

Which page WordPress uses as the homepage is determined in the reading settings.

Therefore, check before deleting a potential home page:

Settings → Reading

We explain how this configuration works at Configure reading settings in WordPress.

Do not accidentally delete the posts page #

You should not rashly remove a page that has been set as a posts page or blog page either.

It can be used by WordPress as the target for the posts page.

Therefore, also check the reading settings if you are looking at a page with a name like Blog, News or Current News you want to delete.

Check contact page before deletion #

A contact page can be linked in numerous places on the website.

This includes, for example:

• Main navigation
• Footer
• Buttons
• Posts
• Service pages
• automated emails

When replacing such a central page, you should update existing links to the new destination page.

What happens to forms on a deleted page? #

Deleting a page does not necessarily remove the contact form embedded within it.

Many form plugins manage forms as separate objects or content types.

When you delete a contact page, the form may therefore still exist in the form plugin.

You should check separately whether it is embedded elsewhere before finally removing the form.

Should an old page be deleted or updated? #

Not every outdated page needs to be deleted.

First, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the topic of the page still relevant?
• Can the content be meaningfully updated?
• Is there already a better site on the same topic?
• Does the site still get visitors?
• Are there internal links to the page?
• Are there external links to the page?
• Does the page have an important function within the website structure?

If the page continues to serve a clear purpose, a revision is often more sensible than deletion.

Merge two similar pages #

Over time, multiple pages can emerge that serve virtually the same user intent.

For example:

• Web design
• Have a website created
• Professional websites

Such pages do not automatically have to be problematic. However, if they have largely the same content and the same objective, a merger may make sense.

The stronger content can be merged into a single page. The redundant URL can then be redirected to the remaining page if necessary.

What happens to search engines when a page is deleted? #

If a page was already publicly accessible, search engines may know its URL and have indexed it.

After deletion, the address may no longer be accessible.

That is not automatically an error. If content has been permanently removed and no sensible replacement exists, the previous URL is also allowed to disappear.

If there is a new landing page or one with equivalent content, a redirect can make sense.

Do not redirect every deleted page to the homepage #

Redirecting all removed URLs to the homepage across the board is not a clean solution.

A redirect should have a destination that makes sense in terms of content.

For example, if an old page about a specific service is replaced by a new page for the same offer, the new page is a logical destination.

By contrast, the home page is often not an equivalent replacement.

404 or redirect? #

Which reaction makes sense depends on the reason for the removal.

A redirect can make sense if:

• the same content continues to exist at a new URL
• two pages have been merged
• a clear successor in terms of content exists

A URL that no longer exists, on the other hand, can be correct if:

• the content has been permanently removed
• no sensible replacement exists
• the page was created accidentally or without relevant content

Therefore, do not automatically create some redirect for every removed page.

Check internal links before deleting #

Before permanently deleting a published page, you should check whether other content on your website links to it.

Otherwise, internal links to a no longer existing address will be created.

You should [do this with] these links:

• change to a suitable follow-up content
• or remove if no meaningful target exists

This control is particularly important in the case of a comprehensive website or knowledge base.

External links can still point to the old URL #

When other websites link to your site, you usually cannot change their links yourself.

If the content was merely moved or a clear successor exists, setting up a redirect from the previous address to the new destination can therefore be useful.

Remove page from Google? #

When a page has been deleted, it does not necessarily mean that it disappears from all search results at the same moment.

Search engines must crawl the URL again and determine that its status has changed.

How quickly this happens cannot be determined in general terms.

You should therefore not be surprised if a remote URL is temporarily still known in a search index.

Delete multiple pages at the same time #

If multiple pages need to be removed, you can use the page overview's multi-actions.

Move multiple pages to the trash #

1. Open Pages → All Pages.
2. Mark the desired pages.
3. Open the multi-action menu.
4. Choose Move to Trash.
5. Click on Take over.
6. Then check the recycle bin.

During a bulk action, you should check particularly carefully which pages have been selected.

Why can I not edit or delete a page? #

If certain editing or deletion functions are not available to you, missing user permissions may be the cause.

WordPress uses different user roles with varying permissions.

For example, an administrator has more extensive rights than other user roles.

You can find more about user accounts and permissions under Managing users in WordPress: roles, capabilities, and user accounts.

Page cannot be updated #

If changes cannot be saved, there are various possible technical causes.

This includes, for example:

• expired registration
• Plugin conflicts
• JavaScript error
• REST API issues
• Server or PHP error
• Safety rules
• faulty HTTPS configuration
• Connection issues

Note the exact error message before you begin troubleshooting.

Change is saved, but not visible #

If WordPress reports a successful update, but the old content still appears on the public website, a cache may be involved.

Possible cache levels are:

• browser cache
• WordPress cache plugin
• server-side cache
• CDN
• Page Builder Cache

Test the page, for example, in a private browser window and check whether the change is already visible there.

Layout is corrupted after editing #

If the layout has changed unexpectedly after a modification, you should first check what the page was created with.

Possible causes include, for example:

• A block was accidentally deleted.
• a group or column has been modified
• the page template has been changed
• a page builder setting has been changed
• a plugin or theme was updated
• CSS or cache issues

If WordPress revisions are available, an earlier revision of the content can be restored if necessary.

Check the page after every major change #

For important pages, the workflow should not end with a click on Update End.

Open the public page and check in particular:

• Page title and H1
• Text
• Heading structure
• Pictures
• Links
• Buttons
• Forms
• Navigation
• Desktop view
• Mobile view

Typical mistakes when editing and deleting pages #

• Changing the slug of an established page without reason
• do not test old URL after a change
• Change page hierarchy without considering potential URL changes
• Confusing page hierarchy and menu structure
• Delete home page or post page without checking the reading settings
• Delete page, but keep the menu item
• Do not update internal links to a deleted page
• redirect every deleted URL to the homepage by default
• deleting an outdated page even though an update would make more sense
• delete an image from the media library without checking its further use
• Confusing revisions with a full backup
• edit an Elementor page with another editor without thinking
• Delete page permanently even though it was only supposed to be taken offline temporarily

Note: Editing a page is usually straightforward. However, when changing its URL, its position in the page hierarchy, or deleting it entirely, you should always consider which other areas of the website depend on this page.

Checklist before deleting a WordPress page #

Check before deleting #

1. Is the page really no longer needed?
2. Can the existing content be updated instead?
3. Is the page set as the home or posts page?
4. Does the page have subpages?
5. Is it part of a menu?
6. Do other pages or posts link to it internally?
7. Is there any sensible follow-up content?
8. Does a redirect need to be set up?
9. Are images or files from the page used anywhere else?
10. Is an embedded form still needed?
11. Should the page be moved to the trash first instead of being permanently deleted?

When should you contact CURIAWEB support? #

If you, as a CURIAWEB customer, are unable to technically edit, save, restore, or delete a WordPress site, you can contact our support team.

Helpful in this regard are:

• the affected domain
• the title or the URL of the page
• the exact error message
• the editor or page builder used
• the action where the problem occurs
• whether the error started after a WordPress, theme, or plugin update

For individual changes to the design, page content, or the entire website structure, a distinction must be made between technical WordPress support and web design or content work.

Summary #

You manage existing WordPress sites under Pages → All Pages. There you can fully edit a page, change minor properties via quick edit, or move it to the trash.

You should be especially careful when changing the slug or page hierarchy, as this can alter the public URL. For important published pages, you should also check internal links, navigation menus, child pages, and potential external links.

A page that is no longer needed does not always have to be deleted immediately. Frequently, updating it or merging it with better content can be more sensible. If a page is actually removed, a redirect should only be set up if a relevant new destination exists.

If you want to create a new page, you can find the complete procedure under Create and publish new pages in WordPress.