How to delete a static page

Deleting a static page works differently depending on whether you are using the free Community version of Simply Static or the enhanced Simply Static Pro / Studio edition. This guide explains both workflows so you can keep your static website accurate and up to date.

How Deletion Works in Simply Static (Free vs Pro)

Simply Static generates static files based on your WordPress site.

How those files are removed when a page is deleted depends on the version you're using.

• Simply Static (free community version): removed/unpublished content is not automatically deleted from the destination. To remove old files, do a full export and clear/replace the destination (for Local Directory, enable “Clear directory before export”).
• Simply Static Pro version 2.0+: deleted pages are tracked and can be removed during update/full exports via the delete tracker.

Differences between Simply Static (Free vs Pro)

Simply Static Free Community Version

Static files are not automatically removed.

When you delete a page in WordPress, the static version of that page remains in your export directory until you manually remove it or regenerate the entire site.

There are two ways to handle deletions:

1. Regenerate the entire static website (recommended)

Running a Full Export will rebuild the entire static site and remove anything that no longer exists in WordPress.

Use this when:

• You changed or removed multiple pages
• You want the static output to fully sync with WordPress
• Your hosting method supports replacing the entire build

2. Manually delete the file from your static output

If you are publishing manually (FTP upload, ZIP download, local directory), you can remove the file yourself.

For example, if you deleted a page previously located at:

https://example.com/about/

Remove the matching static file or folder:

/your-static-output/about/index.html

or (folder-style)

/your-static-output/about/

This method is only recommended if you are comfortable editing files directly.

Pro Version (Simply Static Pro & Studio)

The guide below explains how deletions work with Simply Static Pro/Studio and how to remove pages, posts, images, and other content from your static site.

Requirements

• WordPress 6.2+
• PHP 7.4+
• Simply Static Pro 2.0+

Automatic Delete Tracking (Pro and Studio)

Simply Static Pro includes a built-in deletion tracking system that automatically removes static pages and files when you delete or hide them inside WordPress.

Deleting a static page (or any static file) no longer requires manually removing the file from your static output directory. The plugin now includes a deletion tracking system that automatically detects removed or hidden content inside WordPress and cleans it from your static site on the next export, either full or incremental.

Simply Static Pro/Studio now includes a dedicated database table ( simply_static_delete_pages  ) that tracks anything in WordPress that should be removed from the static version of your site.

Whenever you delete or hide content in WordPress, Simply Static tracks it and removes it on your next export.

This includes:

• Deleted pages
• Deleted posts
• Content moved to Draft
• Content set to Private
• Media deleted from the Media Library
• Any URL whose visibility changes
• Pretty permalinks and fallback non-pretty versions

You no longer need to manually browse the output directory or remove files yourself.

How Delete Tracking Works

When WordPress content becomes unavailable (deleted, trashed, drafted, or made private), Simply Static Pro/Studio records the URL in a tracking table:

simply_static_delete_pages

Each entry includes:

• URL of the deleted item
• Object type (post, page, media, etc.)
• Object ID
• Site ID (multisite)
• Timestamp
• Relevant metadata

On the next export, Simply Static checks this table and removes the corresponding pages/files from your static output.

You will now see a new line in your Activity Log during export:

Deleted X tracked pages and files.

If nothing needs to be deleted, you'll see:

No tracked deletions to process.

How to Delete a Page From Your Static Site Pro/Studio

There are three recommended ways to delete a static page using the new system available in Pro/Studio.

Method 1: Move the Page to Trash (Recommended)

1. In WordPress, go to Pages → All Pages.
2. Hover over the page you want to remove.
3. Click Trash.
4. Run a Single Export or Full Export in Simply Static.

The page will automatically be removed from the static site on the next Simply Static export.

Method 2: Change the Page to Draft

If you want to temporarily hide a page:

1. Edit the page in WordPress.
2. Change its status to Draft.
3. Click Update.
4. Run an Simply Static export.

The draft page is treated as a deletion and removed from the static version.

Method 3: Make the Page Private

1. Edit the page.
2. Under Visibility, switch to Private.
3. Click Update.
4. Run an Simply Static export.

Private pages are not included in static sites and will be deleted automatically.

Removing Media Files

Media deletions are also supported.

If you delete an image or file from Media → Library, Simply Static will detect it and remove the corresponding static asset on the next export.

What Happens After You Export?

After running an export:

• All deleted/drafted/hidden items are removed from the static output
• The delete tracking table is automatically cleared
• The Activity Log confirms the number of deletions processed

You do not need to manually delete files from the output directory.

Notes for Advanced Pro/Studio Users

• The system tracks both pretty permalinks and non-pretty permalinks to avoid missed deletions.
• Tracks pagination and taxonomy deletions when applicable.
• Works for single exports, full exports, and auto-exports.