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Why Site Health Tools Remain After Uninstalling the Plugin

18 threads Sep 10, 2025 Plugin → Health check & troubleshooting

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Many WordPress users install the 'Health Check & Troubleshooting' plugin to diagnose issues, only to find that the Site Health menu remains under their Tools section even after they've completely uninstalled it. This can be confusing, leading users to believe the plugin was not fully removed. This article explains why this happens and clarifies what is part of the core WordPress software.

Why This Happens

Starting with WordPress 5.2, core functionality for site health was introduced. This means that the primary Site Health screen, with its Status and Info tabs, is now a permanent feature of WordPress. The 'Health Check & Troubleshooting' plugin is designed to extend this core area by adding valuable tools like Troubleshooting Mode. When you deactivate and delete the plugin, you are only removing these extensions, not the underlying Site Health features that are now part of WordPress itself.

How to Confirm the Plugin is Fully Removed

If you have deleted the plugin but still see a Tools or Troubleshooting section within the Site Health area, this indicates the plugin is still active. To completely remove it:

  1. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
  2. Locate "Health Check & Troubleshooting". If it's there, click Deactivate and then Delete.
  3. For a manual check, ensure the plugin folder wp-content/plugins/health-check/ is gone from your server.
  4. Check the wp-content/mu-plugins/ directory. The plugin sometimes places a file here to enable Troubleshooting Mode. This file should be automatically removed when the main plugin is deleted. If it remains, you can safely delete it manually.

After completing these steps, the core Site Health menu will remain, but the additional features provided by the plugin will be gone. This is the expected behavior and confirms a successful uninstallation.

Clearing Cache

In some instances, a stubborn browser or server cache might make it appear as if the plugin's menu is still present. If you are certain the plugin files are deleted but still see its options, try these steps:

  • Clear your browser's cache and history, or try accessing your site in a private/incognito window.
  • If your site uses a caching plugin or server-level caching (e.g., Varnish, Memcached), clear those caches as well.
  • A hard refresh (Ctrl+F5 on Windows, Cmd+Shift+R on Mac) can also force the browser to load the latest version of the page.

Understanding that the core Site Health features are part of WordPress can alleviate concerns about leftover plugin code. The menu's persistence is not a bug but a design of modern WordPress.

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