How to Remove ShortPixel Image Optimizer Plugin Data on Your WordPress Site

If you’re using the ShortPixel Image Optimizer plugin and want to switch to a different plugin, you should first delete all of the data that ShortPixel is currently using. This will help ensure your new plugin works correctly without conflicting with the old data.

To quickly delete all of the ShortPixel data, you will need to be in wp-admin of the site with the ShortPixel plugin still active;

Settings > ShortPixel > Tools

Original images before optimization are stored in the following folder on your website’s server;

wp-content/uploads/shortpixelBackups

You can delete the original image backups from the plugin’s settings screen or manually delete the folder using an SSH access plugin.

After you have typed confirm in the confirm to delete popup section, all ShortPixel plugin data will be deleted, and the plugin will be deactivated automatically.

ShortPixel plugin uses the following custom database tables for storage;

wp_shortpixel_folders
wp_shortpixel_meta
wp_shortpixel_postmeta
wp_shortpixel_queue

Deleting the original image backups will free up disk space on the site’s server. Removing any data stored in the site’s database related to the ShortPixel plugin will reduce both disk storage and database bloat.

It is always easier to clean up files and database tables when changing plugins than to track down any leftover files and database tables later.

Useful Links

• https://wordpress.org/plugins/shortpixel-image-optimiser/
• https://shortpixel.com/knowledge-base/article/81-remove-all-the-shortpixel-related-data-on-a-wp-website
• https://wordpress.org/support/topic/leaves-behind-tables/