How to reinstall WordPress core files

If your Wordpress site fails due to an update or a compromise, it can sometimes be useful to reinstall the core Wordpress files rather than going through them individually looking for the issue.

Please note that the information in this guide is provided as a suggestion, and we can't provide detailed support for modifications to a Content Management System. If you require assistance with this, we'd recommend speaking to your website developer to ensure relevance and compatibility with your site.

The information in this guide should be used as a last resort - before following the steps below, click here for our guide on restoring your website using our automated backups.


Step 1 - Download the latest version of WordPress from https://wordpress.org/download/

Step 2 - Use the cPanel File Manager to upload the WordPress zip file into the public_html folder (click here for a guide).

Step 3 - Use the cPanel File Manager to find the file titled wp-config.php and rename it to wp-config.php.real.

Step 4 - (Optional) If you are doing this because your WordPress site has been hacked, delete all files except the wp-content folder and the wp-config.php.real and .htaccess files.

Step 5 - Right click on the WordPress .zip file in the cPanel File Manager, extract the files and choose to overwrite existing files if asked.

Step 6 - Delete the newly created wp-config file in public_html then rename the wp-config.php.real file back to wp-config.php.


For more tutorials on website development and Wordpress troubleshooting, view our List of Wordpress Guides.